August, 1917 ' 
27 
ceiling, which lends such a livable quality 
to their interiors. Here is a bone of con¬ 
tention for the modern Colonial architect 
and his client. The latter complains of a 
“shut-in” feeling, and invariably demands 
a high ceiling. He imagines he prefers lofty, 
overpowering rooms at the expense of the 
domestic quality of the lower type. This 
point has an important bearing on the gen¬ 
eral success of both interior and exterior. 
Walls, Stairs and Hall 
There is very little decorative wail treat¬ 
ment in the Colonial house. There are in 
the wealthier homes molded door and win¬ 
dow frames, sometimes capped with deli¬ 
cately ornamented cornices and flanked with 
slender pilastered trim. In the door openings 
there is almost a total absence of the free¬ 
standing columns which seem to be the de¬ 
light of the house owner of today. Aside 
from the door and window arrangement, 
the stairs and the fireplace mantels form, 
as was stated in a previous article, the chief 
architectural spots of interest. 
The stairs were never elaborate. The de¬ 
signs range from rectangular 
and round tapered balusters, 
to beautifully turned shafts 
with a finely molded hand¬ 
rail, provided with graceful 
ramps and casements, encir¬ 
cling the newel posts. The 
main newel was usually a slen¬ 
der column, and the landing 
newels were frequently turned 
in a similar manner to the 
balusters. Some of the better 
examples consisted of three dif¬ 
ferently turned and twisted 
balusters repeated in groups of 
three on each step, with the 
main newel larger and of the 
twisted variety. No matter how 
intricate the pattern, however, 
the detail was so carefully and 
beautifully studied as to pro¬ 
duce a dignified result. 
The fireplaces were built of 
dull red brick with very little 
face and head showing, and they 
were framed by molded trim. 
Pilasters or columns supported 
the mantel shelf, and the paneling above 
was often ornamented with the richest of 
carving and relief. 
The principal first story rooms and halls 
were crowned by simple cornices at the 
ceiling, and had a low paneled wainscot or 
chair rail around the walls. This wainscot 
was carried up the wall of the stairs. I 
know of no example of the modern strip 
plate-rail which divides the wall surface and 
hampers the decorative treatment by com- 
peling either a different scheme above the 
rail or the alternative of carrying the ceiling- 
tone down to the shelf. 
Consistent Interior Simplicity 
In decorating their interiors the Colonial 
architects were consistent in their simplicity. 
The woodwork was painted white which 
toned down to ivory with age. Mahogany 
handrails and newels were used for the 
stairs, but the doors were usually white. 
The hardware and the oil lamps were of 
brass, with glass knobs for the doors, and 
cut glass shades and cut glass prisms for 
the various lights. 
The most striking feature of 
the decoration was its uniform¬ 
ity. Frequently all the rooms 
of the first story were papered 
in the same design and color, 
either in stripes, flowers or 
quaint scenic patterns. To¬ 
day this is another thorn in the 
architect’s side. The owner 
seems anxious to display his 
good taste by selecting a paper 
of different design and color 
for each room, no matter how 
small the house, nor how open 
it may be. I have always felt 
the charm of the consistency of 
the earlier house and the af¬ 
fected grandeur of the modern 
one. In the same way many 
architecturally fine houses are 
spoiled by their furnishings. 
From our analysis of Colonial 
architecture, it may appear that, 
in order to he faithful to the 
style, one's house must be fixed 
in all its arrangement and detail, 
(Continued on page 58) 
Scenic papers were often used to offset the 
architectural austerity of the woodwork 
The architecture came through the walls and found expres¬ 
sion in the paneling of the wainscot and the built-in furniture 
In some cases the woodwork was restricted to a chair rail; in 
others it was developed into a wainscot topped with a rail 07- 
even a ceiling-high paneling 
The simplest handling of the Colonial interior reduces the ivood¬ 
work to a minimum and depends on the furnishings to establish 
the character of the room 
