March, 1910 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
97 
Where can you find any close relationship between this very 
vital characteristic of our modern life and the life of Colonial days? 
The whole scheme of life was more formal. The modern problem 
of domestic service did not present itself. The great families in 
the south and in the north, had their slaves, their trained ser¬ 
vants and even in the average household there remained some 
traditions of English formality, of aristocratic rather than demo¬ 
cratic life. To-day in most households life is entirely different. 
The younger generations have much more independence and it 
is the era of individual development. To-day our children con¬ 
form less to any formal routine of the household than at any 
other time in our history. They and their friends share with us 
the informal life of work and play at home. There is a great 
movement towards the country and, whether large or small, 
American suburban and country houses reflect the trend of our 
life. 
All this makes for a new type of house; a house with at least 
one large living-room that typifies the life of the household. 
There is no other one room in the house that can economically 
balance this in size, and it is this one fact that is largely responsible 
for the gradual growth of a type of house that is comparatively 
new to us. 
No, the Colonial style is not significant to-day. The plan 
with its central hall and four corner rooms is economical, no doubt, 
but it is the economy of the bargain counter, inasmuch as one 
is getting more than one’s money’s worth of something one doesn’t 
want. The type must always be twisted and turned to fit 
changed conditions or the client must be molded to fit the frame. 
1 have dwelt somewhat at length on the inadequacy of the 
Colonial in itself because it is the most serious rival of the style 
1 am championing. It has tradition, dignity and charm; it still 
has character and individuality to some extent, but only occa¬ 
sionally does it have significance. Perhaps I am too hard on 
this style, for I find myself trying at times to qualify my state¬ 
ments, but please remember that 1 am dealing with the subject 
in a general way and must treat it generally. I must not dwell 
too long on the many delightful examples of Colonial houses that 
I know. I must overlook the fact that I was brought up in a 
Colonial house, and 1 must stick to the point, which is that the 
modern English house hits the nail on the head more often than 
any other style of house. 
I have just fallen a victim to the word “style” in its sense of 
“a peculiar type of building,” which leads me to state here that 
I am not arguing for the Modern English Plaster House, per se, 
but for the house with character, significance and indi¬ 
viduality, and 1 must now justify my statement that 
the Modern English Plaster House has these qualities 
highly developed. 
First to get the plaster part of my title settled. 
No doubt the insertion of this word was a pit-fall de¬ 
ls there another type of house that harmonizes more nearly perfectly 
with foliage than the English plaster one ? Jacques House, Lenox, 
Mass. G. C. Harding, architect 
Whether symmetrical or not the English plaster type of exterior grows 
naturally from the floor plan. Robinson House, Cambridge, Mass. 
Charles K. Cummings, architect 
signed to limit my field of examples, but I hope to make it serve 
a useful turn. 
“Plaster” is exterior plaster, stucco; a durable wall covering 
with a limited range of color possibilities, and a variety of 
(Continued on page xvi) 
The wall texture is secured with white latticework. The 
Dial House, Farnham, England. Niven, Wigglesworth & 
Falkner, architects 
Does this English dining-room of an American country home lack any quality of 
home refinement ? Does it not show character, individuality and significance ? 
Designed by Charles A. Platt, architect 
