Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-13

What suits people in the external form
and material of the houses in which they
live is apparently not hard to find out.
On the theory that people get what they
want and that the architectural form OF
the houses they occupy is the result OF
their selection. the prevailing taste Is IL
Illustrated in the residence sections Of the
city. 1t may be maintained. however,
that the style of house Is not determined
by the man who lives in 1t. but by the
architect and the builder-the latter espe-
cially, at this period in the development
of the city, when the fashion Is to buy
ones home ready made rather than to
build.
The conclusion may be reached. as
the house built for sale almost entirely
supplies the market, that what houses
shall be built of and how they shall be
designed and arranged are determined
solely by the men who prepare the plans
or who furnish the money. But while
that seems to be fully warranted by the
general condition which governs building
at this time, yet II leaves out an impor-
tant consideration. and that Is the
builder of houses which are 10 ne piac.
ed on the market is keen to know Wnat
the needs of that market are before
spending any of his money.
He notes the course and the change In
the fashion of houses as well as IN the
style OF living. For there Is a fashion
in houses, Just as there is In clothes. only
perhaps the former does not change with
each season. as II is complained that
the latter does.
The Colonial Popular.
Just now, what is known as the colo
NAL style in architecture Is popular. and
many houses. both great and small. show
the touch of that treatment II nothing
more. as there is not a great deal that
can be brought out in the narrow front
of the average city house in a row.
At any rate. the plain, red brick, with
Joints of white mortar and the wood
work Of the openings painted white, with
perhaps porch with columns along
classic lines and maybe the cornice fin
ished with a balustrade. suffices to sup
ply the feeling and the form TO the ex-
terror. which is called the colonial or
Georgian.
But the colonial does not limit the ex-
ercise of the talents of the architect. for
there Is what Is called the French style,
which is an adaptation OF the underlying
forms that are found In the colonial. only
enriched with ornamentation. The. French
mode of designing houses has many ex-
amples in this city, from the more elab-
crate form of what Is called the chateau
with its towers and pinnacles to the
Solo, even Quii, 1TOntS winch are 50
Characteristic of Partisan houses.
The Anderson house. on Massachusetts,
avenue LIS a good type of the larger class
OF French dwellings, with It's approach
from the street through a courtyard
which lie shut OF by a high stone wall.
the latter probably reminiscent Of a time
when protection OF that sort was neces-
sary. Another house Of the same type,
but differing in its details. as the latter
are more elaborate. is the Townsend
hoa
pronounced by persons OF taste as the
best example OF that particular school of
architecture TO be found in this city.
An essential part of the Townsend
lively placed about the mass Of stone
work and which affords an object lesson
Of how foliage and masonry can be COM
hined TO good purpose. or perhaps rather
how necessary the one 10 TO the other.
The influence OF French designing is 20
he found farther west on Massachusetts
avenue. in the newer residence section
Of Sheridan Circle. where there has arisen
a group of houses which are by no means
complete as far as numbers go.
All the houses located there are not OF
this style. otherwise IL would be a unique
portion OF the city, for whatever else may
be said OF the domestic architecture Of
the Capital city, II Is certainly not open
20 the charge Of being monotonous sue
cession OF houses built In rows. resem-
bling nothing 20 much as giant dry goods
boxes piled on end along the sides OF the
streets.
Display Of Individuality.
There is a good deal Of individuality
shown In the treatment OF house exteriors
and IL has been so from the days when II
was the fashion for a man when he want
ed a new home 20 arrange with an archi-
tect and builder TO build one. and natur-
ally such a structure reflected to q large
extent the taste and the ideas Of the
owner. Since the change has come and
houses are built In large numbers and for
the market and the individual flnds II
cheaper. or at any rate less troublesome
10 buy one ready made than to build for
himself the builder himself performs to
the best OF his ability the function of the
individual.
He keeps in touch with the prevailing
stvIe not only of house design but OF In
terror finish, so that II is true the house
on the market today represents IN It's ex'
terror FORM the prevailing fashion in
architecture and also the changes in the