.26 
House & Garden 
Photo by Beals 
Visualize the background of this garden minus the lattice on the farther wall. The difference tells the story. 
When properly designed and placed, lattice gives the necessary ultimate touch to certain types of buildings 
LATTICE — THE LACE OF THE HOUSE 
How It Enriches The Exterior and Screens The Objectionable 
T here are two ways of looking at any 
architectural feature: its construction 
value as an integral part of the house struc¬ 
ture, and its decorative value. Eattice is 
among the few features that adequately 
serve both purposes. It gives an ultimate 
constructive and decorative touch to certain 
Charles Barton Keen, Architect 
By the use of exterior lattice, the Puritan 
coldness of the Colonial house is changed 
to a diverting informality 
HENRY P. THURSTON 
types of houses. It is to some houses what 
lace is to some gowns—a refining, diverting 
accessory and adornment. 
Considering it as part of the structure of 
a house, we find exterior lattice used for 
the entrance porch and the service porch 
alike. In one case it decorates, in the other 
it screens. We find it fencing in the laundry 
yard or dividing the grounds into those sepa¬ 
rate units that special use requires—the rose 
garden from the old-fashioned garden, the 
simple from the formal. Again, we find it 
in its original capacity, a trellis for vines. 
Of late, however, we have discovered that 
in itself lattice can have sufficient beauty of 
line and proportion to justify its use with¬ 
out any covering. And in that way it is 
employed to break up the blank walls of 
stucco houses that otherwise would be bar¬ 
ren and inhospitable to the eye. 
Lattice Requirements 
Two important points must be taken into 
consideration in using exterior lattice: the 
requirements of the architecture of the 
house and the requirements of the grounds. 
In this one touches on the province of both 
architect and landscape architect. In any 
case, either of these professions should be 
called in before a stick of lattice is put in 
place. Remember that its success or fail¬ 
ure will depend on its line and its placing. 
Poor lattice is worse than no lattice at all; 
an over-elaborate lattice will stunt the house 
and overwhelm a garden; a lattice poorly 
placed will clearly show its faults. If the 
lattice is provided for while the house is 
being planned, you may rest assured that 
your architect and your landscape architect 
will consider the essential requirements. If, 
on the other hand, the lattice is an after¬ 
thought, every requirement should be care- 
Photo by Johnston & Hewitt 
Just a touch of lattice, and the rear en¬ 
trance is transformed. Privacy is gained 
without sacrificing convenience 
