T KILOBIT E NEWEL CAP 183 



brackets on the ends of which are carved panther heads. This 

 balcony has a red leather trimmed settle its entire length, and over- 

 looks both entrance and staircase halls. 



Window Seat on the Stair. 



Half way up the ten-foot rise is an oriel alcove, comfortably 

 cushioned and projecting into the library, into which its casements 

 swing high above the book-cases. Two of the translucent leaded 

 windows have the usual book-mark motif, while on the centre window 

 is the coat of arms, mottoed, "Seek and thou shalt find." Both hall 

 and library are improved by this swinging casement, whether open 

 or closed. The unattractive space under the stairs, sometimes utilized 

 by a homely boxed-in closet, is featured with a marble-rimmed plant 

 basin filled with interrogation point fronded ferns and brilliant 

 foliaged plants, while surmounting the main newel is a lion rampant 

 carved in oak. The under side of the stair soffit curves to the floor. 



The second story hall is thirty-three feet square, including the 

 stair well opening, and is furnished as a room. 



The third story stair hall is lighted and carried to the somewhat 

 impressive height of twenty-five feet by abruptly stopping the fourth 

 story floor beams thus forming an overhanging balcony the roof 

 dormer lighting both halls and stairs. 



Newel Problem. 



Sameness is avoided in the stairs, whether basement or top story, 

 back or front. Newels are of varied form, some built into pillars 

 to ceiling height, with naiad or faun faced brackets braced against the 

 ceiling; others plastered barriers surmounted with carved brackets 

 and scrolls, or merged into railings, with inset has reliefs. Crowning 

 one newel is a crystal ball, another a statue, and a third a flaming 

 torch. Balusters are placed singly or in twos and threes or sepa- 

 rated by panels. 



Trilobite Newel Cap. 



We decorated the newel from second to third story with a bit 

 of Himalayan rock lathe-turned in globe form, containing trilobites 

 that ceased to breathe over, two million years ago. One squared 

 newel post reaching to ceiling height has metal half inch beading at 

 each of its four corner joints, and gives bracing strength to an 

 especially long trimmer. 



Living Room. 



Either 'through the wide mirrored door of the staircase hall or 

 by the little library stair (which is protected on the living room side 

 by a settle instead of a rail, on the opposite side by a brass standard and 

 silken rope) one enters a living room thirty-five by forty-five feet, in 



