The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-01

discard any scheme which does not pro-
vide four well-considered elevations"
Walk along almost any cross street in
or any other city; look down
the avenues as you cross them and see
the attractive fronts of many of the
houses; then pass on and look across the
row of backs and note the hideous excre-
SCIENCES, the inexcusable proturbances-
the ''hideous makeshfts' which have
been resorted to to cover up those 'sins"
which have been committed somewhere
in the plans. house can be planned to
be as attractive at rear as at front and
it costs no more. Why should it not
be done? The Englishman sets his house
close to the street and makes Of his
back yard place of beauty. The rear
elevation Of his house is as faultless as
the front That is one thing the Ameri-
cans can learn of the English.
After the plans are made don't insist
on radical changes in the exterior design
against the judgment of your architect.
II you have chosen wisely the chances are
that he has designed you something taste
full and harmonious. Don't think Of in
sisting on change of which he cannot
approve any more than you would insist
on having a painter alter the work upon
his canvas to suit your views Better
begin all over again than put up a house
will afterWhile become an eyesore. One
half the atrocities in Minneapolis resi-
dence architecture are without doubt due
to the position taken by owners who in
sist on changing the plans which the COM
petent architects have laid out.
AS one writer says, it makes all the
difference in the world whether the
house expresses a single good idea or
whether it is a conglomeration of dis
| cordant elements SO put together as to
express nothing unless it be profanity"
| Some houses nowadays not only ex-
press profanity but cause it to be ut
tered involuntarily by every person OF
| taste who passes by.
Even the best architect is human Alter
+ yeais pfanss3,av beets- drawn to yeur salts
4 faction lit is well to give them the min
utest study to see Whe Their the rooms are
all entirely adapted to the special uses
| for which they are Observation-Disclosures
they will hold the furniture designed to
| be placed in them, whether doors will
! swing to interfere with windows or fur
| niture, W neither registers or radiators
can be placed with similar success, and Sc
/ on. A simple way to manage the turnl-
! ture matterais to cut out little pieces OF
paper to represent the various pieces
of furniture, at the same scale as the
drawings, and lay them upon the plans IN
| SuCn- pOSltlOuSH ucy oC WoACSu'
plan shows at once whether there IS a
place to set bed" in the chambers, OF
whether your piano will fit "the space be-
/ tween those windows"
When it comes to specifications many
people are at fault. Insist on having the
specifications full and detailed. II YOU
are not experienced in building and lts
! technicalities it is a good plan to SUBMIT
! the specifications to some friend who mas
been through the mill. Sometimes ambl-
guties creep in which may become the
subject of unpleasant controversies VIII
| a contractor later on. See that all the
specifications for finish and fittings are
as you want them; for changes are al.
ways expensive and annoying. 1t is prob
/ ably impossible to build house Wlthou
some ''extras, - but most of these trouble
some and costly additions may be avoided
1 by knowing what you want at the begin
ming and having your specifications cover
l each point carefully.
+ The specifications and architects plan
a are the basis for the contract with thu
4 builder. In securing bids 1t is best T.
subdivide the work little as possible
! Sometimes it is desirable to let the heat
ing and plumbing contracts separately
but most of the other work can, in the or
! binary sized dwelling, be better lumpe
in one general contract. This contract,
+ the house is not large one. will usual
} be taken by the contractor, who is a prac
tical builder which generally means
carpenter risen from the. ranks. IT