The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-08

tIoHS VI Tie SeCOnu StOIy, main porch anu
porte-cochere are built of stone Other
portions of the exterior are wood, single
sides, wood cornices, belt courses, etc.,
which are finished in natural wood. The
flat surfaces of gables are finished with
copper, rivets being used to fasten to walls,
geometrical in design.
In passing around the house among the
many features to be observed are the con-
seryatory, which is designed in such
manner as to give an unobstructed view of
the house; large circular bays; front
porch, with its massive stone pillars and
marble steps some sixteen feet across; the
unique private circular staircase leading
from the garden to the breakfast-room in
the third story; the drive porch, which is
situated in a re-entering angle of the
building, and, grouped with the main
staircase, circular tower, the grand flight
or steps leading from the porte-cochere,
with its circular terrace, forms one of the
most picturesque combinations in the
architecture of the building, and which.
with the broad and sweeping carriage
drive, with its terraced walls, balustrades
and the broad sweep of the lawn as it falls
away in the distance, forms a picture that
reminds one OF the great manor-houses in
England.
The main entrance to the house faces the
south. You pass up the marble steps, I'M
der the front porch with its marble mosaic
floor, its mahogany-lined walls, through
the enormous double plate-glass doors into
the main vestibule of the house, which is
some ten feet square, wainscoted from
floor to ceiling with burl mahogany, dome
ceiling handsomely frescoed, floors beauti-
fully inlaid with special designs in oak,
mahogany, rosewood, ebony and anna
ranth.
From this vestibule you pass into the
main hail. octagonal in shape, thirty-six
feet across, extending through to the Sec
ond story, with wide galleries running
around on the second floor. The side walls
of this room are wainscoted with oak. The
ceiling is heavily beamed. The floors have
a border thirty-six inches wide of solid
mahogany background with design of
oak leaves and branches interviewer. The
field is geometrical pattern in light and
dark oak.
From this hall you enter first the
drawing-room, room 20x40 feet, finished
in mahogany; the reception-room. 15x19
library, 20x30 feet, finished in Sandwich
Island koa wood; the dlning-room,
finished in oak; the conservatory,
octagonal in shape, SO feet across; the
billiard-room, 1Sx32 feet, finished lin red
wood. The library is finished entirely in
wood, having .paneled walls, paneled
ceilings, bookracks, seats and mantels all
X
room. One side of the library is entirely
plateglass, which gives a free and un-
INSTRUCTED view of the conservatory
The dining-room-a room designed in
Louis XVI style, with side walls paneled
to height of eight feet-has the ceiling
divided off with heavy beams, and one
entire side of this room is fitted with
plateglass in bronze frames, so constructed
that the glass in the frames can be taken
out and the dining-room used in connec-
ton with the conservatory.
Going back to the hall, you pass up some
six steps fifteen feet in width to the first
platform of the main staircase. Off this
platform you enter the billiard-room, which
is finished with curly redwood wainscot-
ings-great broad panels filled in with burl
redwood. A portion of the billiard-room is
divided off and raised one step, having a
circular arch dividing this portion of the
biIliard-room. The ceiling is massively
beamed. In the woodwork of this room
the same motive is carried out in the de-
sign that one sees throughout the house,
large panels being used in wainscotings
which give large and broad surfaces for the
display of the grain of the wood The bor-
der of the inIaid floor is in the design of a
lotus flower in oak, mahogany. rosewood
and walnut, with an ornamental oak and
mahogany field.
Returning to the main hall one passes
up The ST2nQ StdlICdSe, some eight 1eeC In
width, landing on a platform in a large
circular tower. Thence passing UP to the
second floor one enters again the main
hall, some thirty-six feet across, from which
the several bedrooms of the second story
are entered The floors of this hall are
the same as the lower, except the woods
are reversed. One also enters from this
hall sitting-room, some 20x24 feet, and a
MUSHROOM, 1926 feet. On this floor, in
the main portion of the house, there are
five family bedrooms, the wood finish in
some being mahogany, in others birdseye
maple, redwood and primavera Between
the bedrooms are large dressing-rooms,
bathrooms, etc. The main bathroom has
tiled walls, tiled floor, and is fitted up with
porcelain tubs, heaters, showers and all
modern conveniences. Passing from the
main hall the peculiar arrangement of the
bedrooms is such that you can pass from
one room to the other around the entire
octagonal hall without entering it, while
each room has separate entrance to this
hall.
Passing from the main hall to the rear
hall, crossing the rear hall. you enter the
rear portion of the building, which is
divided up into servants rooms, five in
number.
The bilIiard-room, maiE hall, library,
front vestibule. rear vestibule. rear halls.