September, 1907 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



353 



The House of J. J. Storrow, Esq. 



Lincoln, Massachusetts 



By Ralph de Martin 



|R. STORROW'S house is planned with an 

 open forecourt in which the entrance porch 

 is built. It is a spacious structure, designed 

 on very agreeable but simple lines. It is a 

 house that bases its appeal to the spectator 

 wholly on its structure. Built of Harvard 

 brick, its exterior is absolutely without or- 

 namental features save for the bands of enameled tile let 

 into its walls, and the patterns — diamonds and triangles — of 

 the same material disposed at various intervals. These ele- 

 ments of decoration are so cleverly used, and are themselves 

 so good, that they give a strong individuality to a structure 

 whose elevations themselves are good and interesting. The 

 chief string course on each front is formed of green Mercer 

 tiles, square, set diagonally — brilliant little notes of color 

 disposed in the brick of 

 the main wall set verti- 

 cally. Other bands or 

 string courses are formed 

 of the Harvard brick, ar- 

 ranged in an individual 

 way, so that the perfectly 

 flat surfaces of these walls 

 contain, within themselves, 

 a good deal of structural 

 variety. The triangles and 

 diamonds are somewhat 

 bolder In their treatment, 

 since a greater variety of 

 colors are used, and some 

 attempt at pattern orna- 

 ments made. But their 

 whole effect Is extremely 

 harmonious, and they 

 thoroughly well fulfil 

 their function of giving 

 variety to a wall otherwise 

 nearly plain. The poly- 

 chrome decoration thus in- 

 troduced is everywhere 

 kept in complete control, 

 and there Is no attempt 

 anywhere to use the col- 

 ored tile other than as 

 decorative adjuncts. 



The entrance front has 

 two gable ends, one on 

 each wing inclosing the 

 forecourt. The brick 

 walls rise clear to the A Niched Wall Fountain Is 



eaves, but the window treatment is different in each, and 

 thus a structural modification Is obtained at the outset. The 

 curtain wall inclosing the center of the building Is perfectly 

 flat save in the center, where it is projected forward slightly 

 for the entrance porch and a gable at the summit. The 

 porch is a graceful, simple little structure, with a projected 

 roof with oak beams upheld on two Roman Doric columns 

 of gray stone. The columns have capitals of white marble, 

 and the roof is edged with green copper. The exposed rafters 

 and widely projected roof suggest Japanese motifs In a 

 very delightful way. The entrance door has two narrow 

 windows, glazed to the floor, on the sides, the three being In- 

 closed under a single segmental arch. Both frame and 

 arch are without moldings, the opening being emphasized 

 only by the set of the brick. There is a large segmental 



topped window above the 

 porch and a smaller one 

 of the same general shape 

 in the third story. The 

 window treatment of the 

 adjoining walls varies in 

 each wing. 



The terrace or inner 

 front exhibits a perfectly 

 straight wall. Its prin- 

 ciple feature Is the center, 

 where the wall is con- 

 tinued above the eaves of 

 the roof, and Is crowned 

 with a group of windows, 

 which constitute a loggia 

 in the third story. The 

 roof of this part is carried 

 on widely exposed oak 

 beams. A ravishing view 

 of the surrounding country 

 can be had from the 

 loggia, the outlook being 

 of wonderful extent. The 

 windows of the front have 

 segmental tops without 

 frames, save for the set- 

 ting of the arch bricks. 

 There are no inserted 

 panels on this front, and 

 but a single band of di- 

 agonal square green Mer- 

 cer tile. A noticeable fea- 

 ture of all the openings of 

 at Each End of the Sun Parlor this house, including the 



