A MODEL DWELLING HOUSE. 655 



cluster around it. In short, the house must be our house, and 

 the style of architecture should help adorn the landscape, rather 

 than detract from it. And right here is where so many make 

 a fatal mistake, vainly supposing that because they want a 

 given number of rooms, the work of building can be intrusted 

 to any carpenter, and his opinion taken as to which is most 

 convenient, or that it is cheapest to do the job with day work- 

 men, or to let it to the lowest bidder. This last leads to plac- 

 ing it too low for a competent workman to make living wages, 

 while he is forced to bid against the unskilled, and some- 

 times, unprincipled. The skilled workman often sees where 

 the plan could be improved, as the work progresses, but he 

 dare not mention it, for the change must be made at his own 

 expense, or perhaps cause some unpleasant feelings when a bill 

 of extra work is presented. My advice is, always consult a 

 skilled workman, both in theory and practice, and if you are 

 not able to have an elevation with detailed drawings, you can 

 have the plan well defined and specifications made out in every 

 particular. Then, if you choose, intrust it to your home car- 

 penter, if he is an honest man. If you are not able to build as 

 extensively as you want in the first instance, have your plan 

 fully matured, and build so as to enlarge with additional rooms, 

 and at the same time add to the harmony of the whole. 



THE KITCHEN. 



The kitchen, being the most important part of a house, I 

 would start out with that, and have it as convenient as possible 

 for the housewife to do her work in. In this have a good large 

 sink, with a cupboard under the same. The sink proper should 

 be three inches wider than the cupboard, for comfort in stand- 

 ing near it. Have an inclined board at one end, so that all the 

 water from dishes or a pail may drip into the sink. At the 

 other end have your cistern pump. Near the stove have a 

 good sideboard, with cupboard under the same, for keeping 

 tinware and other cooking utensils. The woodbox, an indis- 

 pensable article, place in the partition next the wood shed, so 

 that it can be filled from that side. By so doing you will save 



