The Washington herald., 1920-12-19
REALTOR BRINGS
IMPROVEMENT TO
HOUSE DESIGNS
Advent Into Building
Field to Mean Eff
cheney Too.

Aside from the purely economical
fact that houses built in groups,
as most realtors are now building
them. cost less than the same num-
ber Of houses built one at a time
by individuals. the great outstand-
ing benefit that undoubtedly will
come to the country by the advent
of the realtor into residence build
ing work is the Improvement in
the design Of the houses individu-
ally and in their relation to the
community as a whole. says the
National Real Estate Journal.
1t Is true that when realtors first
entered the residence building field
many years ago. some thought 1t
necessary to use the furbelows of
gingerbread work to attract the
buying public, while others reck-
oned the success of their operations
in the terms of similarity. Both
these theories have long since prov
en- unsoCnd.
Inc must suCCcsSlul TeditOT puiiu-
ers today are those who have built
herring to the best architectural
styles, which appeal has brought to
them many substantial buyers. As
for the row of barrack-like houses
whose only difference was in an add
ed dormer on perhaps every other
house, the economy Of their con-
struction has proven a canard.
standardization Real Economy.
Real economy of construction is
found today by successful builders
by standardizing foor plans and
details OF interior millwork, ETC..
where real economy can be secured.
The inclusion of unnecessary
rooms. dens. hooks, grills, etc, or
the civil war period house. has
given way to the simple, efncient and
economical floor plan developed by
capable designers.
The saving effected in this man
ner is in itself sufficient to permit
of the development of the exteriors
on the right basis. Exteriors too.
however. have been stripped of all
unnecessary and ungainly features
and the simple lines of true archi-
tectural expressions substituted.
The idea OF efficiency in building
prompts realtors to adhere closely
to the architectural embellishments
which ruined so much of the archi-
lecture Of the past thirty or more
years. Under the high costs of to-
day, unnecessary elements Of de-
tail which seem to have as their
only excuse for existence the in
tent to use up our entire wood sup
ply as soon as possible, have been
discarded. The simple lines Of true
architectural expressions, such as
colonial, Western. English and
Southern, lend themselves more
readily to efficient and economical
building. Realtors have been quick
to realize this and are adopting a
standard of architecture that will
do much to put our cities back on
basis OF beauty.
No Longer Ornament.
Gingerbread work has gone out
OF date. No longer do people view
a house as an ornament upon which
each one is to hang as many per-
iectiy useless things in order to
have something different" Realtors
"ho oAo INV lne
houses for the general public are
using their opportunity to bring the
public's conception of home design
to higher appreciation OF correct
architectural expressions. The old
idea of building q row of houses
whose nearest relative must have
been an army barracks is found to
fall far short of real successful
home or community buildin1
The primary purpose of a house
Is to become a home where one
finds rest, contentment and comfort.
Obviously, these cannot be found
where the greatest element of COM
fort and rest-simplicity-h been
left out. The reversion to the SIM
pie lines of true architectural
beauty Ia at hand, and 1t is good
to see that realtors are fostering II,
furthering the home and civic
beauty of America in the houses
they build and the communities
they develop.