The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-31
CTyHghtM Wws Ds
THE DRAWING ROOM REFLECTS THE TUDOR SPIRIT.
Architect Shows the Way to Bring Real Old
World Art Out of What Seemed Hope
less Monotony
less MOnOtOnV
ROOM REFLECTS THE TUDOR SPIRIT.

architectural beauty that follows is the pic
tureSque entrance of tapestry brick. Italian iron
work, bits Of old marble and green things
growing.
So quaint it is and 50 unexpected that one
stands cntranced by its Old World loveliness.
for into II background Of mellow tapestry brick
Is hung a drilled door Of ancient wrought iron,
with high up to the left II lantern Of similar
workmanship To- point the way 10y night. Flank
ing the brick floor. which is ON Il level with the
basement and n step below the pavement, are
six foot walls Of brick surmounted by n stone
coping and odd bits of Italian marbles. Against
the walls are placed broad stucco boxes filled
with spicy box, while above bas-relicfs In
weathered plaster or marble and over the door
ensconced in a special niche Of its own is inset
the lion Of st. Marks.
The ancient grill with its tantalIzing
glimpse Of corridor and ~cloister beyond holds
the imagination sIellbound. for you are Ier-
fectly sure OF the charm that awaits you once
Its portal is passed. Nor are you doomed To dis
appointment. The semi-gloom Of the long cor
ridor that ends in the brilliant splash Of light
where it enters the courtyard is quite in keep
ing with the sense Of Old World mystery that
seems to Iervade the place. 1t might easily he
Florence, with its age old history, into which
you have stepped instead OF little old New York.
with its miles on miles Of hideous brownstone
dwellings. BY the time you have reached the
end Of the corridor your imagination plays you
the trick of further emphasizing the impressions,
for the corridor becomes a cloister where 1t
traverseS the courtyard and joins the architects
studio to his house.
Each Of the cloistered a%rchways frames n
picture that would he hard to equal anywhere
else In town. For within the enchanting en-
closure, bound by the warm huei brick AMI
stucco OF the surrounding walls. the colors Of
which are caught up by the sunshine and re-
Elected into every window on the southern ia
cade, one Is indeed transported to the land of
art and perpetual sunshine.
Against the wall separating Mr.. Sterner's
lot from the one adjoining vines and trees arc
planted, with Lombardy poplars striking n
splendidly contrasting note against the deep
cream stucco Of the studio. The red tiled roofs
Of cloister and studio bend down to meet the
color Of particolored %pavement, mingling their
rich hues with the quaint garden accessories,
which supply Il beauty all their own. The
clustered arches are filled with quaint tubs Of
apple green pottery in which tall spiked ever
green's grow, and In one corner a soft toned
Italian Venus Is the presiding genius Of a con-
stantly flowing fountain. in the basin of which
goldfish play.
The Italian feeling Is strongly evident In all
the hand made details Of the courtyard. but In
the ancient wiStaria which plays such an i'm
portant part In the natural beauty Of the EN-
closure the spirit of Japan is felt. For in the
gnarled and twisted trunk and the curious
s~craggly branches Of the old time vine that
climbs so nwkwardly to the upper stories Of the
remolcllcd mansion the soul Of Nippon Is surely
centred. 1t is II wonderful old vine and as a
decorative feature is worth all the time and
expense the owner contributed to save it, which
was by no means an immaterinl item, since hG
had to reckon with the stupidity of ignorant
workncn rs we'll rs the shock to the vine from
having 1t transplantel.
To 90 back II moment ana relate some OF
the difficulties Mr.. Sterner experienced In ST.
lpcting his new home Is necessary to Il complete
understanding Of the subject. In moving away
from his old location 1t was with the desire o
getting II lot large enough to carry out certain