HOUSES AND GARDENS 

 Such an arrangement in connection with a chimney stack might even be 



made large enough to afford a sleeping place for a cat or dog, and its position 



near the fire would make it warm and dry. 



Such arrangements would probably appeal only to lovers of animals, but 



I feel sure would be appreciated by those who are in the habit of keeping 



family pets. 



CHAPTER SIXTEEN 



SOCIAL FUNCTIONS AND THEIR INFLUENCE 



ON PLANNING 



HE suitability of a house to the entertainment of guests 

 according to traditional methods seems to be the ruling idea 

 in modern planning, and the comfort of the family is often 

 sacrificed to this idea. While I quite recognise the import- 

 ance of this consideration in planning, for the average house 

 at any rate, the primary consideration should be the suitability of the 

 plan to meet the requirement of the daily routine of its occupants, and 

 its adaptability to social functions must be considered as a secondary 

 matter. 



The three traditional forms of social functions to be considered are, 

 firstly, the afternoon " At home," secondly, the dinner party, and, thirdly, 

 the dance. 



The first is a one-room function, demanding for its proper performance, 

 according to conventional usage, a good-sized drawing-room ; the second is 

 a two-room function, requiring a good-sized dining-room and drawing-room ; 

 and the third, while it also requires two rooms at least for its proper perform- 

 ance, also demands that one of these shall be of considerable size. 



The difficulties of meeting the problem of making the house fulfil these 

 functions is not so great as at first appears, because the restricted income 

 which necessitates the small house also prevents the entertainment of visitors 

 on an extensive scale. While the drawing-room in its embryonic condition 

 as a recess in the hall may accommodate a few visitors to afternoon tea, the 

 hall might be used for this function on special occasions. While the dining 

 recess would only accommodate a few guests on a special occasion the hall 

 would become a dining-hall with the table in its centre. The ladies with- 

 drawing to the bower, and the men to the study, to meet again in the hall 

 after the table and its contents have been removed. 



For the dance, the hall, with its gallery for the musicians, is specially 

 adapted the supper being served in one of its recesses. It will thus be seen 

 that the type of plan suggested by the daily requirements of the family is 

 not ill-adapted for occasional festivities, and the possession of one large 



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