24 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
July, 1913 
The hall ceiling reveals the timbers of the floor above, and their exposed wood is especially 
effective by reason of its time-stained surface 
ruins depicted in one illustration. The present owners saw in the 
old ruins vast possibilities — possibilities which have indeed blos¬ 
somed and brought forth worthy fruit. 
Every detail of the exterior spells simplicity. This is no¬ 
where more noticeable than in the roof lines, which are unbroken 
by restless dormer or gable — the lighting of the third floor having 
been inconspicuously effected from the side and by small dormers 
at the rear. 
The topographical character of the site determined the out¬ 
ward aspect of the house. This is indeed 
noteworthy, for with far too great frequency 
all natural characteristics of a property are 
altered to conform with the house, rather than 
the rational method of subordinating the 
building to its site being followed. In this 
instance, there is a pronounced upward slope 
in the land from the front to the rear, and 
this sloping contour is responsible for the first 
floor of the house being at a considerable 
height above the road — a position which has 
been advantageous for the basement, in that 
the front portion of the latter is almost en¬ 
tirely above the grade line. This arrange¬ 
ment also provided for the location of an out¬ 
side entry to the basement, immediately be¬ 
neath the long, double flight of stone steps 
leading to the unobtrusively hooded main 
entrance to the first floor. 
In addition to preserving the natural con¬ 
tour of the land, the beautiful old trees on the 
property were unmolested, even though cer¬ 
tain parts of the house had to be somewhat 
curtailed in area. The living-porch, placed 
for privacy’s sake toward the rear at one side, 
may have lost a little in size, but this is more 
than atoned for by the grateful shade cast by 
the particularly fine old tree which shelters it. 
Massed shrubbery and trees effectually screen 
the tradesmen’s entrance, approached by a low flight of stone 
steps, situated as far as possible from both the main doorway 
and the living-porch. High in the wall above the tradesmen’s 
entrance is a quaintly-wrought monogram in copper, its letters 
I.C.E. denoting one phase in the existence of this interesting 
house. 
Color plays an important part in either making or marring a 
house. Here a color-scheme, quiet and rich, has added its quota 
to the dignity of the whole. The stone used in the construction 
of this new-old house is in itself attractive, 
showing as it does the scintillation of mica 
against a brown-gray basic color; and the 
method employed in laying the stone with a 
broad, raked-out joint has intensified the nat¬ 
ural beauty, providing as well a wall-texture 
of great charm. Above the soft neutrality of 
this stonework is a roof of gray-green, which 
tones in harmoniously with the surrounding 
foliage. The exterior woodwork is stained 
dark brown, excepting the casement sash, 
which are painted ivory-white. 
Behind the house is a diminutive garden 
spot, terminating in a delightful wall-garden, 
glowing with bloom from early spring to late 
autumn. The wall-garden illustrates the pos¬ 
sibilities lurking in the apparently purely 
utilitarian. As the property immediately be¬ 
yond “The Ice House” (a sobriquet locally ap¬ 
plied to the Browder home) is higher in ele¬ 
vation, a retaining wall was necessary to unite 
the two levels. This wall, instead of present¬ 
ing a flat surface, is laid loosely, the many 
crevices and juttings being overrun with flow¬ 
ers and vines, forming a solid bank of color. 
The Ice House is not large, .yet a sense of 
space pervades the whole interior. Three 
causes have contributed in creating this ex¬ 
pansiveness of effect. In the first place, 
The warm, deep brown stain of the woodwork is in strong contrast to the soft, yellowish 
ecru of the “sand-float” plastered walls 
