Smyrna times., 1885-12-09
The Old and New in HOuse-Building

1t seems lately, as if the more old
fashioned thing is, the more fashion
able it is, provided only that it is old
fashioned enough; and this craze
seems to have struck the architects as
well as everybody else, if we may be
allowed to judge by the new hOnse that
|. n. Mills, the Superintendent of the
Delawaae Division of the Philadel-
phia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail
road, is building for himself on the
property he has recently purchased
and laid off into building lots at Clay
ton.
The house, a large, three-story, frame
building, which has been designed by
by Edward Hurst Brown, Of 1870 South
Penn Square, Philadelphia, is designed
in what is known as the Early Colo
NAL style. Mansard roofs and their
accompanying scroll-sawed brackets
and mock stone work made out of
wood have long since had their day,
and the modern Gothic, which came
after is fast disappearing, while our
| younger architects, among whom may
be found some of the brightest men in
the profession in this country, are not
content unless they are adapting the
the Old-time Colonial houses to our
modern everyday wants.
Mr.. Mills new house has the old
! fashioned Gambrel roof, part of the
upper slope of which continues on the
! front of the house, down over IA pro
! jecting wing, containing the parlor, and
on this slOping roof is a large dormer
window, with an Overhanging gable
| supported by long brackets The roof,
as well as the three main gables of the
! house and the sides of the second story
| of the front will be covered with shin
| giles, stained in such manner as to give
a rich color effect, and yet preserve the
natural grain of the wood. On the
! east and south sides of the house there
| is a broad porch, while on the north
east corner Mr.. Brown has introduced
a novel effect by making a small porch
before the front door, Overhung by the
second story. The main porch does
not extend round in front Of the parlor
but in its place is rOOmy, square bay
window, capped by balcony, upon
which a French window opens fren
one of the secOnd-stOry rooms.
The plan of the house differs as much
from the ordinary arrangement seen
in this part of the country as its ex-
terror does The front door, which, as
we have mentioned, is on the north
east corner of the building. opens on a
rOomy vestibule. which in time leads
into a large hall running across the
house, while the stairs start near the
front door. in a recessed stair well, and
reach the second story by three short
flights round square well. The stair
case is broad and easy, with square
landings and the Old-time, square.
moulded balusters. Mr.. Brown has
got a very pretty effect Just here by
three easement windows rising one
above the other and following the
stairs. The sash of these windows will
be divided into the small, diamond
shaped panes of our great-grandfathers
days. From the hall open the parlOr,
library and dining room. The parlor,
hall and library may be thrown into
one, if occasion requires, by broad
sliding doors. In the rear wing of the
house are the kitchen, pantry and real
hall, and in the second story are fOul
large bed rooms, bath room and a
small room over the vestibule and
porch. In the third story are two bed
rooms and large attic The back
staircase runs from the cellar to the
third story, while the main stairs stoI
at the second story. The architect has
not forgotten plenty of closets, one O
those things about house so dear tC
the feminine heart.
As there is to be a fireplace in ever,
room, the chimneys will form quite a
prominent feature in the building
They are large, with spreading tops il
the old English style These, as wei
as all the other outside brickwork that
shows, are dark red, strecther brick
laid in red mortar.
Taken as a whole the house will no
only be a unique one, but credit t
its architect, as well as to the builders
Messsrs. Johnson and Klingler, o
Dover, to whom the contract for tn,
work was awarded. They are push
ing the work along rapidly, and prom
ise to let Mr.. Mills move to Clayiur
some time in the Spring. There seem,
te be every prospect that boom ha
been started for Clayton and that more
houses will speedily follow this one o
Mr.. Mills. it is to be hoped tha
their owners will take pattern by Mr.
Mills and employ an architect to de
sign and supervise their houses, rather
than go about building in the old-fash
Toned hit or miss way; for 1t is un
doubtedly great saving in the end I,
have the whole thing down in blacl
and white in the beginning, so that n,
essentials will be forgotten until tn,
: building is half completed, and thei
) find the bill for extra work amounts t,
5 more than the original contract price
r Not only will good architect think
} of all the little things that go to max,
a house convenient and suggest then
to the owner at the time the plans ar,
drawn, but he will make an artistic de
f sign suited to the place rather than
mere sOpy Of somebody else's hous
worked out from memory by
builder.
Will Beck says he has the fines
Fruit, Nuts and Raisens in town.