Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Current Values in a Business
Locality.
SOME PER FOOT PRICES
FASHION IDEAS ARE AFFECTING
HOUSE ARCHITECTURE.
The Question of Replacing the Parlor
With the Living Room in the
Modern House.
SOME PER FOOT PRICES


residence of Capt. w. s. Cowles. from plans
prepared by Appleton p Clark. jr., archi-
tect. The house at present has three stories
| and basement of old-fashioned type
Ihe REIMBURSEMENT cOntempates taking
| away the terrace and making the entrance
| through the basement with appropriate halls
| ana reception rooms in the basement. The
| entrance Will be protected by an ornamental
| marqulse OF wrought iron and glass. The
base of the front will be faced with stone
| Inc interior OF the house will be entirely
renhlshed. and a fourth story will be ad-
| ded for the accommodat ton of servants.
Sales Of Realty.
Early & hampton. real estate brokers,
| have recently sold the following properties,
| viz:
FOR g. r. Norment. Nos. 1O17 and 1913 9th
street northwest. to James E. Evans. for
sloooo. Some property to Mrs. Celestia A.
Smith, for S1S,7oO: for Mrs. Celestia A.
Smlth. 80 acres. with improvements at
Herndon Va. for 81. $50; for c. F. Norment.
Nos. 1919. 1923. 1925 and 1927 13th street
northwest, for 5000 each; to Howard l..
Chrtsmon, No. 240A PENNSYLVANIA avenue
northwest. for 5000: for Hester W. Christ
mon. No lib d street southeast - 75o. for
r. L. Sanner. No. 1903 Kenesaw avenue
northwest. for $1,000; for F. B. Jonas. two
19ts on howard street. for s., 800; for T. v.
hammond part square 1929. for $45OO: for
James E. Evans 1921 14th street northwest
Tor WI lot No. IS. square 9S3, for Rox-
bury, $3.50
Nothing New in House Fashions.
There Is nothing to report that is new IN
the fashion of houses for the coming fall
IN other words. there will be no change
Unlike the usual fashion article. which is
always brimful of news. there Is nothing
or the kind to be reported about the des,s,
and style of house architecture. Perbans
IL may seem rather absurd to speak in any
SENSE OF fashion in houses, at least in
the sense OF the term employed In the mil
hhery business but 1t is not so out of the
way as II seems. There is no doubt the
muses. we pulld to live in change not only
III thelr exterior form but also in their in
'efior arrangement. from period to period
ihefe Is such a thing as fashion in
houses. which IS determined much in the
same way as fashions in other lines and
mat IS by the consent and the practice of
the people Just now people seem to favor
what Is known as the colonial in archttec-
ture, and that notion has lasted with them
Tor some time past. 1t has been several
years since the revival Of this style of de-
signing houses set in. and it has spread
throughout the country. 1t affects the in
side OF the house well as the outside
For people who don't want buildings of
that character there is, of course a variety
to select from. and nowadays what is called
the Spanish style is used to a considerab bic
extent Or course in cities are found the
conventional house which is of no particu-
lar type of architecture, but which is SUD-
piled with all the facilities of these times.
The Central Hall.
In the city architects have much less
latitude than they have in the country, for
there Is not much chance for originality or
variety in the design of the front of a
house on an inside lot and of the average
width. There is also not much opportunity
to display originality in the use of the
space in the inside. 1t is true that In com
paratiyely recent years the central hall has
made its appearance in the city house ac-
companied with a change in the location
of the main stairway. A more recent
change has brought the kitchen I'D from
the basement and placed 1t on the main
floor.
AS for the bath ROOM 1t Is not considered
the thing any more unless there is one on
each floor. With the advent of a general
heating apparatus for house the base
ment dining room went out of use, and
now the kitchen has followed 1t In It's up
Ward night The basement Is now a cellar
mainly while the first story Is the parlor
hoor. and when one wants to find the place
where the family really live 1t is necessary
to go to the second floor. There is found
".
called. or perhaps both rooms.
The Useless Parlor.
The parlor floor is of no use except for
occasions The dining room. owing to its
being shut off from direct light by the
kitchen. can only be made of at meal
times. The central room, or hall, is much
In the same situation. and, of course no
one thinks of using the parlor except on
those dayS when formal calls
made and the mistress of the house IS
ragged out In her best clothes. OF perhaps
in the evening when one Of those agones-
an evening party-iS given.
Unless as receptacle for the most Ak
pensive and usually useless furniture In the
house. il Is difficult to understand why the
| average American household maintains
such luxury the modern parlor 1t
costs more TO furnish. In the first place
than any room In the house and enters
less into the family life than any other
portion. Yet no one who Is putting up
houses to sell would think for one momeat
of providing houses without a parlor
It is the Fashion.
He may not be able to justify their ex-
istence. and probably those who occupy
the houses cannot, but that does not make
any difference. An memorable law called
the fashion demands that the modern house
shall have Immediately on the right or
left of the front door what is called a par
lor. 1t is finished in white or gold. if that
happens 10 be the rage for interior finish
at the time. or In any other style that may
be prevalent. but whatever it is one can be
certain that it will cost more than the
finish in any other room.
The same method Is followed in buying
the furniture and hangings and whatever
Is most expensive OF the kind that is to be
found in the shops. and when Ii is all In
place the thought that it is there and that
1t looks we'll or perhaps better than SIM
liar rooms In the homes Of ones neighbors
is probably the only compensation that is
possible under the circumstances.
Some people think that after a while
the idea of making the principal room in
the house a place where the members of
the family can enjoy their home will re-
suit in substituting for the parlor. as 1t now
is in the average house. the living ROOM
which is the common meeting place of the
family.
Activity in Building.
Building continues active Throughout. the
country. Official reports from twenty of
the principal cities of the country to Con-
struction News. shows that permits were
taken out during July for 6.72O buildings,
Involving a cost OF $34. 614 558 against 5.548