Evening star., 1934-10-13

TINE remodeling work done to
the home of Charles Henry
Smith, 2los King street, Alex
4 andria, presents perhaps the
most complete change Of any
improvements submitted in The Stars
81 900 Better Homes Contest.
The work was awarded second
prize, 500, in the over $4,000 class
of the competition, as announced In
last Sundays Star.
Mr.. Smiths remodeling work
changed a story-and-a-half pepper
and-salt brick structure, with tile
roof, to a full two-story eighteenth
century home, with colonial portico,
as shown by the pictures.
The house was designed and su-
pervised by Kenton D. Hamaker,
Clarendon architect, and is described
by Mr.. Smith in his letter entering it
in The Stars competition as follows:
1.-The remodeiing project which 1
have just completed on my house at
2lO9 King street, Alexandria, Va,
completely transformed and renovated
the original house. The original
house was of a story -and-a-haf con-
struction, built of light pepper-and-
salt brick with raked-out joints,
rooted with red clay tile. The house
contained eight rooms and two baths.
The front entrance led directly into
living room, which connected with the
dinning room in the rear. There was
a small den to the right OF the
living room on the first floor. There
were two bed rooms and bath on the
first floor and three bed rooms and a
bath on the second floor. The house
was built by me in 1920.
Inside Rearranged.
"The whole inside Of the house was
completely rearranged, necessitating
the removal of all partitions. The
outside of the house was completely
transformed by raising the original
house to two full stories, adding a
wing at each end, Is by "a feet, build
ing a portico in front and reroofing
with Buckingham slate. The present
house contains IL rooms and 4 baths.
Through the entrance which is mas
sive and of a design typical Of the
eighteenth century, a 12-foot hall is
entered. There is a continuous rail
stairway leading to the second floor.
"a serious effort was made to re-
produce in all detail the character of
an eighteenth century house at its
| best. On the outside particular at
tention was paid to the proportion OF
| the wings, portico and chimneyS. The
chimneys are massive and tall. The
dormer windows are typical Of the
period portrayed. The house is built
of brick and painted white. On the
inside particular attention was paid
to the proportion Of the rooms, the
| trim and the paneling of the walls
in all first-foor rooms.
THE limit of 300 words is not ade-
quate to describe the job"
View of Washington.
Located atop a high hill, the back
windows of the Smith home overlook
the city of Washington as well as Alex
andria and the country between. 1t
is incloSed by an old rough brick wall,
adding to its eighteenth century at
moSphere.
Mr.. Smith said the Improvements
cost $19,350 in all.
The comments of Mr.. Hamaker on
the remodeling follows:
This is a case of rather extensive
alterations and additions in which the
layout and character of the house
were changed entirely.
Having lived on their present site
for many years, Mr.. and Mrs. Smith
had no desire to change location, as
the site commands one Of the most
sweeping views of any in Alexandria.
THE original house was very sub
stantially built but was of unimpres-
sive character architecturally. Both
Mr.. and Mrs. Smith being native Vir-
ginians, have particular love Of the
Tidewater architecture of the eigh-
teenth century type, and set out with
the aid of their architect to convert
the gray brick bungalow with its red
tile roof into Colonial mansion with
details and character which would
make it truly Virginian.
1.-The roof was removed and full