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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



March, 1908 



Three Pennsylvania Houses 



By Francis Durando Nichols 



!R. D. KNICKERBACKER BOYD, of 



Philadelphia, Pa., was the architect of the 

 three interesting houses illustrated here- 

 with. 



The first is a house built at St. David's, 

 Pa., and for its design the architect chose 

 simple lines; with a main building to con- 

 tain the living quarters of the house, and an extension placed 

 at one side to contain the service departments. 



The house, from the rock-faced underpinning to the peak, 

 was intended to be plastered on the exterior to imitate an old 

 farmhouse, and was designed accordingly. It was subse- 

 quently decided, for various reasons, to change the material 

 to shingle, losing some- 

 what of the character in- 

 tended, but still retaining 

 its simple dignity of out- 

 line and proportion. The 

 columns to the piazza, 

 however, are constructed 

 of plaster and help carry 

 out the effect originally 

 proposed, and with its 

 floor laid with red brick, in 

 herring-bone f a s h i o n, 

 creates a cool and pleas- 

 ant spot in summer. The 

 shingle work is left in its 

 natural state, and the trim- 

 mings are painted ivory- 

 white. The roof is 

 shingled. 



One of the principal 

 features of the plan is the 

 hall, with a hooded en- 

 trance porch, at one end 

 provided with a vestibule ; 

 while at the opposite end 

 are windows and doors 

 which extend from the 

 floor to the ceiling, 

 through which the living- 

 piazza is reached. 



The hall is treated with 

 an ivory-white painted 

 trim, and the walls are 

 covered with a very nar- 

 row striped gray wall covering, finished with a massive pic- 

 ture molding at the intersection of the wall and ceiling. The 

 stairs, of Colonial style, are of yellow pine, with balustrade 

 of white painted balusters and rail of mahogany. 



The living-room is trimmed with chestnut. Its great 

 length is lessened in its effect by the pilasters and massive 

 beams. The wall is covered with a large figured paper, in 

 two tones of brown and mustard-yellow, to the height of five 

 feet, and is then finished with a plate rack; the wall space 

 above and the ceilings are tinted a soft brown. The fireplace 

 is built of ordinary red brick. These brick are wire-cut on 

 their beds, which in this case are exposed for their rough 

 effect by laying the bricks endwise. It has a simple mantel- 

 shelf, supported at the level of the plate rack. 



The library is treated with white painted trim and rose 

 colored walls. The dining-room is also treated with white 



painted trim and a two-tone mustard-yellow wall covering; 

 the great height of the room being broken by a plate rack. 



The service end of the house is placed in an extension. It 

 contains a butler's pantry, fitted with sink, dresser and cup- 

 boards, and from which access to the kitchen is made by an- 

 other door. The kitchen being clear of the body of the 

 house permits the windows being placed on opposite walls, 

 thus giving that important feature — an abundance of cross 

 draught. A large kitchen closet contains the refrigerator, 

 with an outside entrance thereto. The stairs to the basement 

 are arranged with an entrance from the butler's pantry, so 

 that the owner of the house can pass to the cellar without 

 going into the kitchen. The stairs over the cellar stairs 



A Panoramic View of the Surrounding Country Is Obtained from the Living Piazza 



form a private way, and ascend to the second story of 

 the extension, which contains the servants' bedroom and 

 bathroom. 



The front stairs of the main house have a broad landing 

 over the vestibule, provided with a seat, above which is a 

 cluster of three windows. From the landing the second 

 story hall is reached. This floor contains four bedrooms and 

 two bathrooms; the latter tiled and furnished with porcelain 

 fixtures and exposed nickelplated plumbing. The third floor 

 contains the guest rooms, with an attached bath, besides a 

 large play-room and a storage loft. 



Mr. Boyd made a distinct departure when he designed 

 the second house in this series, which has been built at 

 Wayne. 



The house has an individual character that is at once de- 

 lightful to the eye and is very happily a result of circum- 



