New-York tribune., 1922-11-12
By ]. T. 1ubby,
Member Anserica1, Institute of Ar
chitects

Plans for small houses have gone
tho full range of ingenuity in two di-
mensions. Rooms have been spread out
30 length and breadth--but generally
forgetting that rooms have height as
well.
Changes in level have been rare,
usually timidly done, if at all. When
study Ia given to the problem of small
house planning from the point of view
Of mass and not from the viewpoint of
map arrangement then only is progress
unrestricted
From careful study of the archi-
teetural field to-day and the desires Of
the prospective small house owne4, the
program for general planning of a
small home should include the follow
ing:
1t must nestle close to the ground
1t must be simple mass.
Roof should not be cut up with
many gables and expensive dormers
Chimney should be near the ridge and
should be high enough 30 afford good
draft
Windows should have large panes,
convenient to reach and easy to clean;
preferably, for economy Of purchase,
in stock sizes.
Mass should be narrow and run the
long way of the lot, because of high
cost Of property frontage on streets.
SO far as the finish Of the exterior
ia concerned, two building materials
stand out as very durable, with mini
mum of expense for upkeep.
Since neither brick nor shingles re-
quire paint, the yearly expense for
keeping them presentable is negligible
First cost of brick construction is
higher, sf course, than shingle. con-
structlon. First cost OF frame is not
as costly. Stucco comes next in order
IN initial cost, but the item OF upkeep
should be considered. So much for
the exterior.
| Layout Of Interior
| In the interior it is found that most
| of the travel in a house occurs from
the bedrooms to the kitchen, so far az
the housewife is concerned. Any home
| planning shou d take this fact into ac-
| count. This fact has brought toward
/ the popularity of the bungalow, and
yet it is now generally conceded that
the bungalow type is not practical for
! TINS Northern climate.
Privacy is generally needed for the
dining room, and with careful planning
it may be so arranged as not to be seen
| from the front hall.
| Living rooms should be large and
| with at least two exposures, If possible
| All rooms should be ample in size,
| with plenty of closet space
| Closet space should not be thought of
merely in terms of closets of bed
rooms, The entrance hall, kitchen,
| II such space can be worked out by the
architect.
Cross draft through ali bedrooms
is very desirable.
| A laundry at the level of the ground
will appeai to any housewife as a great
convenience, and it is possible 70
achieve with careful planning
The iceman should not track up the
kitchen.
recognized convenience. During the
coming years it will become not luz
ury, but necessity.
| All OF the above seems rather large
order, especially when one considers
the vital factor Of economy.
| 6But all is made possible at no
greater construction cost by arrange
ment Of the. rooms on various levels
when planning the small house. /
have assigned rights of distribution of
several such small house plans recently
designed for Tribune readers through
the Home Owners Service Institute
and nationally through that organiza-
tion. To illustrate this article, and as
a practical plan along these new lines,
Tribune plan No. 80, published to-day,
is taken rs practical example.
drawing Of Tribune House No. 80 in
dicates, by che varying heights of the
windows. the different levels OF the
rooms. 1t takes nothing more than Il
glance TO note also that the house is
no higher than the average two-story
house without attic and not as high
as the two-story and a-half house in
which the attic space is almost all
waste, except for possible trunk stor-
age accessible only through hatch
by ladder.
The coal and heater room Is ex-
! cavated, 2.6 below level. 1t is neces-
sary to excavate trenches only for
the footings of the wallis. This repre-
sents quite saving in construction
cost.
! Laundry, garage and enclosed porch
all are on the ground level.
ihIs permits on the first floor of
the entire front wing-living room,
dining room, kitchen-being built on
and coal room. This brings these
nving rooms TO floor level about
five feet above The enclosed porch and
ground level.
The balance of the first floor. go
| cailed-two bedrooms. bathroom and
halls actually six steps up from the
living room and front portion level;
over the enclosed porch, garage and
laundry.
On the second floor there is room in
froat for bedroom, making three
bedrooms in all. Also q store room
and trunk room are provided at one
level, The open attic in the rear is
| over the higher rear portion of the
house and, in consequence, only seven
feet high. This gives ample storage
space-far more than is provided in
most small houses--at no extra con-
struction cost
A six-room house, with ground level |
; laundry, garage and living porch, en-
closed. as we'll as unusual storage |
space and plenty OF closets, is the re-
suit OF this type of planning. The |
construction cost is. If anything, less
/ per cubic foot than when the basement |
IS excavated Co the depth necessary for |
placing the first living story level o |
| 1905 or two above the ground ievsr
study of many designs of the un- |
usual type of house proved an aston- |
ishing ratio in the commonly accepted |