ARCHITECTURAL Fl KNnTRF. 



21 



a sideboard of unusual shape. 

 and the opportunity was taken 



I lie house 

 to provide 



another picture, which illustrates ;i room made to lit 

 where it DOW is was being remodelled for a new owner, 

 an alcove in which this beautiful piece could stand (Fig. 24 



hi contrast to such work as that at Heathcote is the dresser in the dining-room at Sandhouse, 

 \Vitley, designed by Mr. Tronp (Fig. _&amp;gt;(&amp;gt;). Worked round the door in the centre, and under the 

 covering arch, it is very charming in its simplicity and acceptance of the &quot; jovned &quot; school ol huglish 

 woodwork. It is doubtful, though, whether it will be long possible to carry out this sort of detail \\ith- 

 i Ut the craftsman to give it the human touch it needs. It lingers here and there, but no rising generation 

 :s following to take its place, and the machine set to do such work fails, and that lamentably. 



The &quot; fitment &quot; in the bedroom of a house at Frintou-on-Sea, designed bv Mr. Voysey, would have 

 g. lined if there had been some play of relief, in the way of panelling to the side or cupboard doors 

 or some slight mouldings. It is hard in appearance the top and drawer fronts lo&amp;lt; k so rigid that thev 

 ^luinld have been in some way relieved (Fig. &amp;gt;j). 



Another illustration is of a fireplace and wardrobe in a bedroom at Standen, d. -signed by 

 Mr. Philip Webb. At first sight the two parts may hardly seem to form a whole, and the inclusion of a 

 mirror rather breaks 

 up the unity of the 

 Mir face. J here may 

 have been reasons lor 

 so doing with which 

 one is not familiar. 

 but a better practice 

 is to place the mirror 

 on the inside ol the 

 doer, which crm be 

 hinged so as to open 

 ,it the proper angle 

 for use. As with all 

 M r . W e b b s work, 

 there are little reliue- 

 ments that g i v e 

 rvideiic.- of can ; but 

 it is individual in 

 design rather than 

 execution. 



An organ - case 

 in the dining-room of 

 New Place, Wehvyn, 

 is a better instance 

 of Mr. Webb s design. 

 The simple lines ol 

 its panelled training. 

 combined with the 

 delicacy of the 

 moul de d architrave 

 surrounding the upper 



grilles, all go to make up a very charming whole (Fig. _&amp;gt;()). The layman may be inclined to think it bald. 

 having in mind the walnut and gold of the American organ-case, but it is in this austerity that lies its charm. 

 It is very difficult to indicate wherein lies the quality which gives Mr. Webb s work its distinctive character. 

 Perhaps it is its peacefulness and lack of all vulgarity that pleases ; and, further, it mast be remembered 

 that its author is now living in retirement at the end of a life spent in good architectural work, and that 

 he it was who influenced Morris in all his woodwork and designed most of his furniture. It is so much 

 the simpler for us now that Morris and Webb did all this ; but what of their difficulty in preaching such 

 a gospel to the nineteenth century machine tenders ? Just one note more, and that is the great hold 

 Mr. Webb has over a very considerable section of his brother architects. Nearly always are there one 

 or two artists who perhaps mean more to their brothers than the outside public, and in this case the 

 tribute of their affection would certainly acclaim Mr. Webb as an architect s architect. Another 

 interesting treatment on the same lines is shown in the organ-grille at Ewelme Down designed by 

 Mr. Walter Cave (Fig. 30). 



Finally, let it be emphasised that cheapness is not the sole end and aim of existence. The definite 

 obligation, if we wish to have furniture that will equal that of the eighteenth century, is to find out more 



28. IN A IJKDROOM AT STAN DEN. 



