STYLE AND AKEAK-GEMENT OF THE HOUSE. 267 



their expense. For small or moderate villa residences, 

 the most suitable style, we humbly think, is one or 

 other of those forms usually called cottages : and as 

 there is a great variety of these, an architect can be 

 at no loss in furnishing or suggesting such a number 

 of designs as will afford materials for a good selection. 

 The varied outlines and low elevations of houses in 

 the cottage style harmonize better with the limited 

 scenerj^ of a small residence than those huge stjuare 

 masses of brick or stone and mortar which are fre- 

 quently seen overlooking, and as it were overpowering 

 a place of three or four acres. The affectation of Gre- 

 cian architecture has generally led to a tame unifor- 

 mity in villa mansions. The pattern followed in many 

 cases is, with some slight variations, the street house, 

 that is, a house with a main door in the center, and a 

 dining-room and drawing-room on each side of it. So 

 long as this fashion prevails, there can be little hope 

 of improving small residences. Except in special 

 circumstances, one or both of the principal rooms 

 above mentioned should be on the side of the house 

 opposite to that in which the jjrincipal entrance is 

 situated ; or, if this cannot be effected, they ought to 

 be in a line at right angles to the main-door front. It 

 is indeed convenient to have a window toward the 

 entrance for the inspection of approaching visitors ; 

 but that can be easily accomplished by directing one 

 a id of the dining-room or parlor to that side of the 

 house. In suburban residences, it is desirable that 

 the public rooms should command the whole or the 

 greater part of the decorated grounds. The drawing- 

 room will occupy th& best position, followed by the 

 parlor, dining-room, and library in succession, each, 



