HOUSE AND GARDEN 
December. 
1911 
377 
ping back. The screen reveals glimpses 
of the growing vegetables as one drives 
in, without giving an uninterrupted view 
over them all the way. 
It is particularly interesting, too, to 
look into the matter of the building's 
architectural style. Probably many visi¬ 
tors to the Hastings’ home will be sur¬ 
prised to find so simple a structure shel¬ 
tering the man who designed such build¬ 
ings as the New York Public Library 
and the New Theater. The one thing 
above all others that Mr. Hastings 
strove to avoid was an appearance of 
"too much architecture,"’ as he phrased 
it. And in this connection I remember 
how vigorously the late Mr. John M. 
Carrere, Mr. Hastings’ partner, spoke 
of his own difficulties several years ago 
along this same line. As he put it, his 
repeated admonition to his draughtsmen 
working out the details of his West¬ 
chester county home was, “cut out the 
architecture!” Simplicity and restraint 
in design are the most difficult things to 
accomplish, just as they are the two most 
important factors in the successful result, 
house, if there is any such thing. First, 
Mr. Hastings’ house, in architectural 
style, may be said to be an Italian farm- 
last and all the time, however, it is a Long Island country 
home for the owner’s family, never forgetting the thorough¬ 
breds. And, above all, it is not a finished product. Mr. 
blastings says most truly that when designing a country 
home he tries to picture what it may be made ten years, or 
fifty, from its completion. For if it 
cannot be constantly improved, round¬ 
ed out in detail, made more lovely each 
year of its life, it is not a good house. 
Moreover, if within the owner’s life¬ 
time it can be called finished, that man 
has lost his grip on the most vital 
thing in country living. In constant 
improvement, refinement and making 
more lovely the house and its setting, 
lies the very essence of joy in the coun¬ 
try home. 
In this feature I think Mr. Hastings 
has expounded a truth that should be 
well to emphasize. The trouble with 
our American homes is that they show 
too much evidence of the "home built 
while you wait" appearance. The 
house, its ready made garden — bought 
in its entirety rather than through 
selection — all must be complete at a 
certain time. Then the tired owner 
bids farewell to the tired architect 
with a short "that’s finished.” Yes, it 
is finished, perhaps, but there is no 
room to spread, nothing to grow into, 
and that feature which we admire so 
much in English homes is entirely 
lacking. If we were not so anx¬ 
ious to end our house in a season 
we would open up the possibilities of perfection through prog¬ 
ress; we would have for our own the enviable enjoyment of a 
new work to be undertaken as we advanced to the various stages 
of new requirements to be met and new desires developed. In 
this way Mr. Hastings has been wise and long-sighted. 
The same rough-textured brick is used in the stable walls, and the inside of this building is as well kept as the house at the opposite end of the 
court 
