The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-17
The Hall and the House Plan
Described by an Architect
Halle cred moally he Rope Walk"
and ther Ideas

bc. The shape lifted il from a simple dark
passageway 10 a well-lighted room fur
nished as completely as any other part OF
the house. But why. of all possible uses.
make OF il a sitting room, as has been done
so universally? Next TO a chamber no space
in the house should have the privacy OF
the family sitting room. IL is the last space
which should be invaded by the public *
should never be so located that the children
and the chidren's friends must pass
through il on their way up stairs. nor
where any conner. from the family friend 10
the book agent may intrdue without warn
ing. In truth, could any place be so utterly
Illogical and inconvenient for family sit
ting room?
The reception hall has grown into a
very large, an unnecessarily large. ROOM
Instead of containing only the necessary
space 10 connect the various parts OF the
house IL has become one OF the most i'm
posing features, expensive both 10 build
and maintain. But far worse than this.
II is usually connected with the other
rooms on the first floor not by doors. but
by openings filed with spindle work or por-
there's \ chapter might be written on the
disappearance of the door from the first
floor OF the dwelling house. Often the only
rooms separated by this useful feature
from the rest OF the house are the dining
room and kitchen. and even the former has
been shut of from the reception hall by
portiere only. In house so planned no
privacy nor repose are possible on the first
floor. 4 word spoken in one room is
spoken for the whole space. The only
rational use for such a house Is the enter
tdltiflS OF large companies Wnen IL Is real
ly pleasant and desirable TO use the entire
space rs one room. But what could be
more irrational or inconVenient than n
house with bat four rooms on the first floor
and only two inside doors? This is the use
of the reception hall which has discredited
it and made seco2d floor sitting room a
necessity, or else fas converted the bed
rooms into sitting rooms and workrooms.
RECEPTION HALL
Whenever a reception hall is used IL
should be preceded by a vestibule IL which
is ample provision for wraps. umbrellas and
ruhbers. This does not require a large
space, but its use is imperative if the han
is kept attractive. a room in which wraps
are thrown on seat or over chairs is far
from a pleasant sight and more especially
if that room connect with the other parts
OF the house by large openings through
which they are everywhere visible.
Charming as the reception hall nay be,
nothing gives so beautiful land satisfactory
a house as the plan with the center hall
People are beginning again 10 recognize
its merits and IL is being employed where
extreme TO cost Is not essential. In
house recently finished hall fifteen feet
wide runs the entire length OF the house.
Six feet of the front, or eastern. end is
separated by a screen OF carved wood, FORM
ing vestibule, in which are kept wraps.
AT the western end is the stairway, one
ramp of which leads TO a landins on shal-
cOny eight feet wide and in length the width
of the hall. Opening this balcony are
large stained glass windows which admit
plenty of well-tempered light 10 the entire
hall The balcony Is well-furnished with
rugs a table, settee and chairs and forms
one of the pleasantest spots in the entire
house. From the balcony the second ramp
OF the s,airs leads to the second floor.
On the north of the first floor hall are
the parlor and dining room, which are
tirely disconnected. On the south side are
sitting room and den" or smoking room.
also disconnected. Under the south end OF
the balcony is a small hall leading TO the
kitchen and a rear porch. The kitchen Is
just back OF the 'den" and connected with
the dining room, which is the other side
of the house, by buffers pantry and china
closet located under the balcony. On the
second floor is a center hall thirteen by If
teen feet. into which open the five chambers
and bathroom. This hall forms an upstairs
sitting room II is amply lighted from the
stained glass windows on the balcony. In
ii. as in the hall on the first floor. is fire.
place. Or the third floor the servants
rooms and ballroom.
This rs sumptu0us house. with large,
restful spaces. A house OF the same num-
Der of rooms built at the same time
which was far less expensive. The differ
ence in cost lies mainly I'm the plan in which
a reception hall of only moderate size is
used. This reduces the hall area and does
away with the balcony and buffers pantry
on the first floor, and cuts out the center
hall on the second floor. Where economy
of space is necessary nothing gives such
nationally used EDWARD SWITZER.