April, 1909 AMERICAN. HOMES AND GARDENS 171 
That a good neat-looking and generally 
weather-proof house can be literally re- 
created with such slight expense and labor 
ought to be most inspiring to the owners of 
decrepit structures of all kinds. Probably 
as the cost of the true concrete structure 
diminishes, houses of the type first illus- 
trated will be so constructed, permanent and 
fireproof, while stucco will be the good fairy 
to make new again all other buildings 
which, though not fireproof, are too good to 
throw away. 
These houses could indeed all be dupli- 
cated in concrete, and with especial ease if 
the wooden construction, better suited to the 
pitched roof than is concrete, were retained, 
as suggested on page 163; since their gen- 
eral forms, surfaces and window grouping, 
being admirably adapted to the appearance 
of “exterior plaster,” are equally so to that 
of solid concrete. As to their interiors, it 
should be understood that a house of rein- 
forced concrete, or cement, or clay hollow 
40—An effective feature of the living-hall is a fireplace built of cement tile, may be finished inside in the traditional 
desecrated the place were torn down and é ¥ 
the old lumber used to build the framework 2 é 
of a decent looking laundry and shed for a aa 
storing kindling, coal and similar supplies. 
The size of this building is twelve by twenty 
feet, with eight foot studding, and the cost 
of the shed, made by “self help,” is as 
follows: 
IRE ne soe oc 66 8e OR ne $9.50 
WemicnpiGG SENCCOINIG: - 2.2. oe ee 8 5.25} 
WemienfelOmilOOk mre oe << soe cieeisls Gate oes 4.50 
Satin ae be Oe eee 1.60 
NENG 2 Bo ac ee 1.00 
“The total cost of this shed was a trifle 
less than twenty-two dollars. Material left 
over was used for making the cement walks 
about the place. The total cost for walks, 
shed and house was under two hundred 
dollars. 
“The beauty of cement work is that 
whether done by the amateur or profes- 
sional, whether done right or wrong, the 4|—The fine picture at the end of the living-hall and extending across the chimney 
results are surprisingly good.” breast was painted by the owner 
way—that is, with wooden trim and floors, 
brick or marble fireplaces, and papered or 
cloth-hung walls, of which we have given 
some charming examples. On the other 
hand, the trend toward concrete interior con- 
struction is illustrated by the admirably de- 
signed fireplace in the house of Mr. Fenn 
(Fig. 40), and the walls in tinted plaster 
in Figs. 24 and 30. ‘The fireplaces (Figs. 
24, 30 and 42) are also entirely adapted in 
their forms to reproduction in concrete, 
which forms the natural and indeed the 
best possible backing for decorative tile. 
With the increasing knowledge of true 
concrete construction, and the resulting econ- 
omies that are every day being effected, we 
may look to see one element after another in 
the small house appear in concrete. First, 
the skeleton and stairways; then the fire- 
places and floors; then, perhaps, the library 
42—Golden brown and blue is the color scheme of the dining-room wing; last of all, the outside and roof. 
