HOUSES AND GARDENS 



thus, without detriment to the general character of the hall, it becomes more 

 spacious than if the billiard-room were planned as a separate apartment, and 

 the players enjoy the advantage of the central fireplace. Where a full-sized 

 table is used, this arrangement will only be entirely successful when the hall is 

 sufficiently large to admit of the billiard recess taking a secondary place. 

 Such an arrangement is shown in the plan and photographs of " Blackwell." 



In the house described as " Trecourt " the billiard-room is shown as a 

 secondary hall, large enough to admit of ample floor space apart from that 

 required by the table and the players, and with a wide ingle fireplace under 

 the gallery, which forms one end of the open timber roof. 



In a more economic scheme it will often be possible to arrange a billiard- 

 room either in the basement or roof space. In the former case the billiard- 

 room will be more accessible, but not well lighted, unless, as in the plan of the 

 hillside house illustrated, the fall of the ground admits of window space. 

 This, however, will not be a great objection where billiard playing is an 

 evening pastime. In the roof there will, on the contrary, be ample 

 opportunity for top light, but in the average house of two storeys or more 

 the use of the room will involve considerable climbing. 



In these remarks on the billiard-room it is assumed that billiards is a game 

 merely, and not a serious pursuit. The man who takes his billiards seriously 

 will demand probably an isolated apartment for the billiard table. Inasmuch 

 as he will not be content to play only in the evening or amidst the disturbing 

 shadows cast by the side light from windows, it will be necessary that the 

 room should be so planned that it is possible to light it entirely from the roof 

 by means of a skylight, which should be the full size of the billiard table, and 

 immediately over it ; and the floor will be so constructed that the table is 

 incapable of the least degree of vibration. But in the average household it 

 will be enough if the billiard-room meets the not too stringent demands of 

 the casual player, and in this case it will not require that special treatment 

 which makes it unsuited for other uses. In its general treatment it is 

 suggested that a certain informal and easy going character is more suitable 

 than formality, and in its decoration the green of the cloth must be considered 

 as the starting point of the colour scheme. The treatment of the shades to 

 the light over the table gives opportunities of design in metal work, and the 

 table itself is capable of great variety of design. 



33 



