The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-03
BETTER DESIGNING
 IN THE SMALL HOME
By J. 10 SALIE

There are many conditions and in- fluences swaying the judgment of the home builder today, creating a national pessimism and destroying hope and con- fidence in the things that could be done. The desire to know and understand the conditions and influences that make nome building a pleasant experience has brought about new sense of content ment and knowledge and gives better Judgment of the principles of design.
 Our past experience was fortunate as well as unfortunate, for it has developed q new attitude toward our present living conditions. Display, largeness, elaborate and excessive ornamentaton, all haze suffered banishment and made way for the fuller development of utility, con Venience, comfort and the restful beauty derived only from true and simple de- sign.
 House building through it's variou steps can bring to anyone an infinite pleasure in it's creation, as it involves personality iE both it's mechanical pro- cess and It's architectural development. Large corporations during the war pe- riod when thousands of the small houses were so sorely needed called in the com blned knowledge of the architectural and engineering profession in giving a new foundation to the meaning of designs in home building. It has now inspired the
  of achievement that will bring not only greater happiness in home ownership but added contentment, and will opea our eyes and hearts to new musical element only found in the designing, building and furnishing of the home.
 Speculative builders have heretofore so commercialized and standardized their buildings to the extent that individuality suppressed temperament and made mock of the correct use of materials employed and we see the same houses over and over again, a packing box with pitched top and some windows. We do not say the same things over and over and we do not wear the same clothes with some change So why should we allow our houses to become a monontory of de- signs? Let them bespeak the best that we feel and the beauty that our per sonalities should express.
 There should be a great source of pleasure in building the home The study required in selection of the build ing site, it's room arrangement it's use fitness to the home life of it's owner, the correct use of materials. it's proper dee oration. It should animate character and beauty and not be mere adobe wherein to sleep and eat and find shelter. Too much consideration cannot be given to the general arrangement of the rooms and their relation to one another and
  to the habits and life of the occupants. Their size should be regulated and reck- oned only in their fitness to hold such furniture as is necessary to give the desired comforts and conveniences.
 The exterior designs should not be se- lected to relate to any particular style of architecture or adaptation of material but should be designed and chosen to meet in fullness the climatic and living conditions prevailing in the locality in which the building is erected
 Materials should be selected with the same relative adaptation. Permanencs with it's combination of strength ana beauty will give relief from the trouble some annoyance of repairs and expensive upkeep The ability to obtain local ma terials will be responsive to the construc- tion as applied to the design, the whole seeming for the builder meritorious structure of economy.
 There seems to be a peculiar though popular impression prevailing regarding the employment of an architect in de- signing the building contemplated Strange to say so many people believe the architect is a necessary ,evil avail able only for those who are able to buiii expensively.
 His duties, however, are to the home builders the same as those of the physl- clans to the sick. He has first of all a knOWledRe or the cOfrecl use ol lha7 terials and their adaptation to designs He has through experience and exhaust i've study learned to fitithe building to size of the purse available. He makes a complete diagnosis of your wants and ideas and develops them into workable form He is employed to design your home but not to construct it, and gives the contractor means by which the construction and erection can be pre- determined process especially in its re- lation to cost, and finally instructs ana supervises the. complete adherence to the plans and specifications
 The architects fee is small and reason able when compared to the service rem dered Your confidence in him assures you an agency than will merit no pay ment for inferior craftsmanship or na- terials. and the correct handling of your building funds.
 So better designing in homes must De successful designing and can be accom- plished only through the temperament or the home builder and the competency of the architect and contractor for beauty, durability, economy and practi- cability go hand in hand with the home builder when created through desire to be beautiful inethe simplicity or our wants our living and our pleasures which all bring as the one great posses on-happiness.
 SECOND HONORABLE
 MENTION