AMERICAN ESTATES AND GARDENS 



The interior is designed throughout in the Colonial style, very carefully studied and 

 treated with fine simplicity of detail. The structural decorations are limited to the door and 

 window frames and the carefully modeled cornices. In the dining-room and drawing-room 

 the window frames are embellished with pilasters, and the mantelpieces, while simply designed, 

 are admirable illustrations of modern Colonial workmanship. 



The House of Matthew Baird, Esq., at Ardmore, Pennsylvania. 



Mr. Matthew Baird's house, at Ardmore, Pennsylvania, is a good example of the half- 

 timl^er style that enjoj^s a well-deserved popularity for cotmtry houses. It stands in one of 

 the lovely suburbs for which Philadelphia is famous. The lower story is of granite, the upper 

 of half-timber work, the heavy timbers being filled in with stucco, the pebbles retaining their 

 natural whitish hue. Stone reappears in the chimneys, and a brilliant note of color is given 

 by the terra-cotta pots with which they are topped. 



It is a large house, with a kitchen and laundry occupying a wing to the rear on the right. 

 The hall, which contains the stairs, occupies the entire center of the house, with windows front 

 and back. The entrance is through a vestibule in the front; the adjoining space in the hall is 

 finished as an ingle-nook, with a large mantelpiece between the two windows. The walls are 

 wainscoted throughout, and the ceiling beamed. A winding stair in a bay window at the 

 back leads to the grille-room in the basement. To the left of the hall are the reception-room 

 and library, separated from each other by an arched doorway. Both have a paneled wainscot 

 about four feet in height ; the reception-room has a geometric ceiling of plaster, and the library 

 built-in bookcases. Immediately adjoining the hall to the right is the tea-room, a dainty little 

 apartment finished in white. The dining-room, which adjoins, occupies the remainder of the 

 front, and has windows on the front and side. Behind it is the morning-room, with a large 

 bay window, and separated from the pantry, which connects with the kitchen by a special 

 hall. Both are finished in dark Flemish oak. 



The House of Mrs. Charles F. Coffin, at Montclair, New Jersey. 



Mrs. Charles F. Coffin's house, at Montclair, New Jersey, is another interesting example 

 of half-timber work. Located at the foot of the Orange Mountains, crescent-shaped terraces 

 of field stones and large forest trees form a striking foreground. From the covered gateway 

 a winding path leads to the several flights of stone steps that give access to the main 

 entrance. 



The main part of the first story is built of red brick. The remainder of the building is 

 in half -timber work, with the stucco tinted a rich buff. The roof shingles are bright red. The 

 plan is pre-eminently spacious in its arrangement. The hall is octagonal, with a vaulted ceil- 

 ing. The eight openings are finished with flat Tudor arches. It is partly wainscoted, the 



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