444 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
June, 1914 
This stucco and timbered house is built on several radial axes, thus insuring a maximum of 
light and ventilation 
mensions we choose, but build it like a trap to catch the 
breeze. 
Now, the way to do this most effectively is not to 
group the rooms as compactly as possible or to build the 
walls tight and put in small windows. The better way 
is to spread the house out, make large window openings 
and leave out all interior partitions. But, what is to 
divide the rooms from each other? Well, that is not as 
difficult a question as might be supposed. In the first 
place, it is not necessary to have very definite partitions 
between the dining-room and living-room. A writing 
desk on one side and a bookcase on the other, with a 
passageway between them, for a door is one very good 
way of fixing it. A long screen almost across the room 
is another way. And a third way is to make the division 
with draperies. Any skillful housewife will think of 
other ways in which it may be done. 
In the city, perhaps, it is not possible 
to keep cool in summer by opening the 
windows. There are no fresh breezes 
to blow into the open doors. The sun 
beats down on city streets and shut-in 
spaces and reflects back into the close 
rooms. The dry dust and hot, re¬ 
flected sunshine is all one can get. 
But in the country it is different. 
The heat is tempered by the moving air. 
Not only that, but there is a healing 
balm in every whisper of the breeze. 
Air which comes across the water has 
a peculiar, dank, dewy, fresh coolness 
to it which is worth a barrel of nerve 
cure to the tired city man. And the 
breeze which blows across the meadows 
brings with it the mingled scents of the 
flowers, grass and opening fruit blos¬ 
soms. It also brings the songs of the 
birds and bees. To shut it out is a 
crime against nature. 
These are the facts which should de¬ 
termine the plan of the summer home. 
Let us not forget them. Let us build 
our summer cottage of whatever di- 
Heavy partitions between the rooms are inadvisable. A book-case, with intervening curtains, will allow greater 
circulation 
The successful house will partake of the nature of its surroundings. This is made possible 
as in this instance, by the use of a foundation of native stone 
In the sleeping department we can have a dormitory 
arrangement with one room for the men of the family 
and another for the women, or we can have sliding 
screens made up of panel board to slide in grooves, and 
place them wherever necessary. This last is a very 
good arrangement. The number of rooms can depend 
on the requirements of the moment. 
Such a house is adaptable to all conditions. There is 
never any occasion for saying to a guest that there is 
not room. Instead of that it is possible to promise a 
private room if necessary. The condition of flexibility 
is fulfilled and economy promoted at the same time. 
To promote the circulation of a breeze is the next 
desideratum. And the way to do that is equally simple, 
but more likely to add somewhat to the cost. Because, 
in spreading a house out laterally, it is necessary to in¬ 
crease the foundation and the roof area without increas¬ 
ing the dimensions of the rooms. But in a summer 
house, where the foundations are not likely to be ex¬ 
pensive, this increase is nominal and the advantages 
