October, 1913 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



353 



greatly assist in the drying 

 of the plaster, as the circu- 

 lation of the fresh air helps 

 to get rid of the moisture 

 from the plaster. It is 

 understood that constant 

 heat should be provided, as 

 First floor plan, Benedict house neglect in this particular 

 may cause a great deal of damage to the plaster. When 

 the plastering is done, don't be in too much of a hurry for 

 the trim or finished woodwork of the interior to be erected. 

 The plastering should be thoroughly dry before any wood- 

 work is applied. The mistake is often made by a great 

 many that when the plastering is about dry the furnace or 

 boiler fire is not kept -up regularly, if at all. The work of 

 putting on the trim is greatly facilitated and benefited by 

 having permanent heat during the progress of the work. 



The cost of supplying fuel is a small and insignificant 

 item when the great beneficial results from its use are con- 

 sidered. Even should one not desire to move into the com- 

 pleted house in mid-Winter it is a good idea to continue the 

 heating of the house, as in a house all closed up water will 

 condense to such a degree that it will stand in great rows 

 of beads on the walls, trim, doors and windows and the 

 effect of this is very bad. 



A word here on- substantial construction should not be 

 amiss. Even in the inexpensive house, the structural timbers 

 should be of a size to more than fully do the work. An 

 illustration of this and it only happens too often is the use 

 of floor beams, which though they may safely carry all the 

 load required will even vibrate when walking acros.s the 

 floor. This will crack the plaster ceilings and eventually the 

 fallen ceiling is the result. It is also a very good thing to 

 have all stud partitions bridged and a fire-stop built in at 

 each story. The State of New Jersey has taken a big step 

 forward in that all municipalities even the smallest can enact 

 a building code or ordinances regulating the construction of 

 all kinds of buildings, and providing for the systematic in- 

 spection of all new buildings under construction. Although 

 this law has only been in effect two or three years most of 



the municipalities of the 

 New Jersey suburban zone 

 have enacted building 

 codes. At first there were 

 some objections by the 

 possibly ignorant or un- 

 principled builder to the 

 more or less rigid regula- Second floor plan, Benedict house 

 tions as the case may be, but the consequent good results 

 obtained can only serve to work for the best interest of all 

 the people. The possibility at the present day of being able 

 to construct our country and suburban houses of unburnable 

 materials has helped to a simplification in building construc- 

 tion and design, and the influence of this has become visible 

 to a large degree. The simple way in which hollow tile and 

 concrete can be used are becoming more and more familiar 

 to the layman. 



There is no doubt that the number of interesting and 

 well designed houses is increasing, and what is more grati- 

 fying that we find this among the builders of small homes 

 to an ever-increasing number. A good number of pro- 

 moters and developers of suburban real estate are begin- 

 ning to feel that it is poor economy to build houses unless 

 they have been designed by an architect of proven ability in 

 the designing of the country home. 



In selecting a design for the exterior of one's home it 

 should be recognized that the design must fit the local con- 

 dition, and fortunate indeed that the architect of homes 

 enjoys a great opportunity in this country. There are so 

 many materials to choose from, and he is not limited or 

 confined to a single style. Every new house confronts him 

 with a new problem, the demands of families differ in many 

 respects in their requirements of room and necessary com- 

 forts, and happy to say that the popular taste is constantly 

 improving, and with our better architects showing a con- 

 stantly increasing feeling of restraint in their work. 



The modern house is also remarkable, for what may be 

 called the pictorial treatment of the interior and this treat- 

 ment is exploited more and more by architects. A good 

 vista or view in a house strongly stimulates the imagination. 



House of Mr. E. F. Benedict, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey 



