New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-28
KITCHENS THE THING
Woman Architect Says Her Sis.
tiers So Regard It.

The American woman IS sui interested
In the home So many sociologists and
ti-suffra gists have been worried about her
recently that II Is quite important to have
the situation set right again. For this SER
vice the world in general, as we'll as the
socoogists and anti-suffragists. must be
grateful to Katherine c. Budd. an archi-
tect II was at Teachers College yester-
day afternoon that she was telling the
classes in household arts all the things
they ought to know about the arrangement
Of the service portion Of a building.
American women" she sad. ARE so
much more interested in the plans OF their
kitchens than Of their drawing rooms.
and the more cultivated and intelligent
they are the more they insist on perfect
kitchens The artists. authors and women
Of high social standing for whom I make
plans always have very definite Ideas. even
about the details. They don't know how
to get them into the plans. but they know
what they want
For instance, one said she had all her
best tablecloths rolled and must have
drawers arranged at least six feet long
to accommodate them. Another insisted
that there be a separate refrigerator for
the cream and fancy desserts where a
trustworthy servant could guard them and
the other maids could not get at them.
Another had to have a patent hot closet
to keep dishes ready for members OF the
family who were late at meals.
"All those little things prove to me how
interested every one is in details OF house
keeping. and then ! discovered how impor-
tant the subject was when I heard Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe and DR.. Ferrero. the
great historian. disputing about italian
kitchens one evening at banquet. You
would not suppose such intellectual souls
would have cared rap about kitchens"
After this Miss Budd settled down to
hard work. The assembled students had
to consult little printed sheets they held
in their hands. which reproduced the archi-
tect's plans for various types of houses
she has built.
The first one" she explained, rs a con-
venient cottage for a young couple living
without servants. The worker in the
kitchen finds her range, dressers and clos
cts at arms length. so she Is saved extra
steps. There is a wide shelf running all
around the room at a convenient height
to be used as a work table. You can never
nave 100 InuCn tdDle TOOIIl, YOU huOW. lHo
shelf scheme is a French one-the French
middle class are such good housekeepers!
Then notice in this plan the two small
porches at the back Of the house. with
bushes and trees between them That IL
so the one may be used for a sleeping and
lounging porch. and be hidden from the
ether, where the mlkman calls. The big
piazza at the front OF the bungalow is re-
served for afternoons when you are dressed
up.
I'm this larger house, planned for fam
lily with several young children. the chief
problem was TO keep the apartments OF the
different kinds Of people separated. The
carriage entrance and reception room are
here in this corner. away from the big
riaZza where the children play. There Is
big living room with an alcove at one
end for the mother when she wants to be
alone. and another at the other end. so
that the father may, have the same privi-
lege: he has a back door close at hand.
too SO that he can escape TO the stables
when necessary The kitchen and pantry
ere equally convenient to the dining room
and 10 the big piazza, so that meals can be
served out Of doors all summer long. There
is another porch and servants hall.
Here is another little house. where one
maid does all the work. She can see the
long entrance drive from her pantry win
dow hidden from the view Of visitors. Of
course, by vines. and being thus warned in
advance the one maid has time TO make
herself presentable before answering the
ring at the doorbell. Also. she can warn
the mistress as to who is coming. This is
very useful sometimes.
Another little device which has been very
successful IS having two sinks In every
kitchen for washing dishes-one for soapy
water and the other for the clear boiling
water TO rinse the dishes. Ny sinks are
always made of copper because that does
not break the dishes so easily as porcelain.
though it is not so pretty. Be sure and
have the sink high enough, too. Many
girls almost break their backs leaning over
TOO low sink three times a day.
you know really the arranging Of these
little things for the servants convenience
is a great help in solving the servant prob
lem I always try to build a servants hall
and a private porch for them. because they
are entitled to pleasure just as much as the
rest Of the family. They have private
sleeping rooms. too.
There is no USE however. in trying to
make things pretty for servants, because
they usually don't appreciate your red
geraniums blooming on the window sill. any
way If the kitchen and service rooms are
well built and kept perfectly clean, they
have a beauty Of their own and the most
you can hope for is that the maids will
he nroud Of them"