August, 1923 
37 
BUILDING INGENUITY into the HOUSE 
A Proof That Architects Do Not Forget Closets, and Can Think 
of Other Conveniences Besides 
N ot without reason is the popularity 
of built-in furniture growing constant¬ 
ly greater. For by its use, each room may 
be provided with features reflecting an air 
of stability and at the same time making 
it more truly livable. 
In the small room, such furniture af¬ 
fords greater floor space because it is built 
into the wall itself and, for 
certain types of pieces, need 
not project into the room un¬ 
less desired. It utilizes space 
that would otherwise serve 
no purpose, and conserves 
room where it is really re¬ 
quired. Since built-in furni¬ 
ture is structurally a part of 
the room, it is safe from in¬ 
jury by movers or cleaners. 
In the types that may be set 
into the wall, dusting is 
greatly simplified, as there 
is but one side to be cared 
for instead of three or four 
as when the furniture is out 
in the room. 
In rooms both large and 
small, the structural charac¬ 
ter of built-in furniture 
makes it an architectural as¬ 
set. It may be selected to 
conform exactly with the 
spirit of the room, and by 
judicious planning, may be 
so located as to have direct 
decorative relation with it as 
an entirety just as all fur¬ 
niture should be considered 
but too often is not. In 
keeping its place as part of 
the wall, built-in furniture 
is more reposeful than the 
sometimes restless pieces 
otherwise planted about the 
room. Its permanence lends 
dignity, and by its use the 
ESTELLE H. RIES 
young house-keeper is released from large 
expenditures for movable furniture which 
lacks many of these advantages. 
Most built-in features serve the purpose 
of closets in one form or another. Whether 
they are china closets, kitchen cabinets, 
linen chests, inter-room openings, built-in 
bookcases, window seats—usually, if not 
always, there is space for storing things. 
This is not invariably the chief purpose, 
but it is generally a subordinate one. 
For this reason, if for no other, built-in 
features are popular with housewives. The 
easiest thing in the world for a woman is 
to find things to tuck away in closets; 
whether it be clothes, linens, china, 
papers, childhood relics or 
what not, there are always 
more of these than she can 
usually accommodate. 
The time honored woodert 
china closet with its bent 
glass front and sides may 
well be dispensed with in 
the dining room. A well de¬ 
signed built-in cabinet which 
becomes structurally a part 
of the house, logically pro¬ 
vides a place to keep the 
china and will not suggest 
a museum exhibition as these 
things so often do. 
IVIany types of china 
closets and sideboards may 
be had “built-in”. Some of 
these are glass at the upper 
part, with small panes or 
fanlights suggesting the good 
old Colonial types, the lower 
part being a closed cabinet. 
Other architectural styles are 
available. Some may be 
selected that as far as the 
visitor knows, may be simply 
closed doors leading to an¬ 
other room, but they are in 
effect closets given to shelves 
for china and drawers for 
table linens, cutlery and 
other accessories. 
The built-in china closets 
and sideboards may either 
be flush with the wall, or 
may project into the room. 
Built-in cupboards add very greatly to the convenience and accom¬ 
modation of a study, where there are always magazines and loose 
papers which should be accessible but invisible. Bonn Barber, architect 
