Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-13

A duplex house. If properly planned, is
the combination of all the comforts, con-
veniences and pleasures of a modern flat
and a private home. The plan arrange
ment in a duplex house is identically that
of a bungalow. That is one reason why
they are so popular and therefore, prove
such profitable investments from a purely
business standpoint for have we not In
reality two bungalows, one above the other,
but dividing the expense of the roof, foun-
d~ations, heating plant and lot between
them? In other words, a duplex house will
bring as much rent as two separate bunga-
lows, on separate lots having separate
heating plants. The income on the money
invested is therefore greater than would be
received from the rent of separate houses.
The duplex flat has all the advantages
and c~onveniences provided in a regular
modern flat building with none of the
shortcomings of that modern achievement.
The principal objections to the regular
flat are that the rooms being in a row along
one eide of the building the outlook and
the source of light and air are limited.
Then, too, the space being limited, the
rooms In flats are usually small. One
architect has defined the modern flat as
"A complete home in q space hardly wide
thOAkh AOI y OO6 " was Aho Wi AAhC
writer can so him one better; he has a
friend who complains that he has to go out
doors when he wants to smile because he
lives in a flat. The duplex house flat over
eomes all of these objections, the rooms can
be grouped together into a homellke ar
Management, there is an abundance of air,
sunlight and an outlook from all sides,
with plenty of room Ito smile in and be
happy.
The duplex house should never look like
one. 1t should look like a private home
as much as is practicable for this is one
of it's advantages over the regular flat
building. Fer this reason there should be
but one fFont entrance on the first floor
opening into a large Toomy vestibule from
which the entrance to each flat Is a
A duplex house can be built with but a
one-story porch for the use OF both tenants,
but this, however, Is seldom satisfactory
and reduces the value of the second floor
fiat. To build a distinctly twO-story porch
with one row of columns above another
never looks well from an architectural
standpoint. Therefore the usual and most
practical way to provide two porches is TO
make a two-story portioo Of -four large,
properly proportional columns with a bal
oony between for the second floor, This
at once places the house IN the colonial
style, IL the eoFnice and other features are
kept In harmony, Since the duplex house
is distinctly of American origin, the colonial
style Is, Tor these two reasons, the most
appropriate. Sentiment! Yes, only sent-
meRt, but the more of II you build into
POUR homes OF buildings the higher youT
rents will be, Right here emphasis might
he laid ON the ACCESSIBILITY Of making the
cohesion Af a dnnIaK hnnaa attractive
Never use square posts IN place OF col
umns. Do not use the simplest coTnics
possible. give the structure character snd
life, In other words, make II look dignified
| and homelike. A few dollars spent on the
exterior win prove a profitable investment
both by increasing the rents, thereby at
tFaetins a high class Of tenants, and n
keeping them, Enumeratins the essentials
in the planning and locating Of a duplex
house. we will start with the lot.
II you have AOt already bought yoaE let