HOUSE AND GARDEN 
December, 1910 
34i 
In the dining-room the wall covering is a robin’s-egg blue in color, contrasting pleasantly 
with ivory-white woodwork and the furniture of dull mahogany 
villas — a roof relieved from undue severity 
by the dormers—and they so unobtrusive 
that the composition is not marred, as dor¬ 
mers have an unhappy faculty of doing un¬ 
less very carefully handled. In its entire 
architectural treatment there is in the house 
that blending of various types which pre¬ 
cludes it being classed as belonging dis¬ 
tinctively to any one—and yet is this not 
a purely natural outcome of American life 
of to-day? Our customs are decidedly our 
own, the requirements of our mode of 
life differ from those of all other lands, 
varying climatic conditions exist, and all 
these combine to make necessary, or at least 
desirable, a type of domestic architecture, 
which, while it may recall more or less viv¬ 
idly those of other lands, shall be indigenous 
to America. Thus, while Georgian and 
Italian motifs are discernible in Dr. Gil¬ 
christ’s house, by virtue of originality in 
handling and perfect adaptability to exist¬ 
ing conditions in this country it may be 
classed as an interesting example of “Amer¬ 
ican Domestic” architecture. 
Of great importance are the roles played 
by material and color in domestic design, a 
point apparently not always appreciated. 
The color scheme of the St. Martin’s house 
is particularly agreeable and restful in its effect, the exterior walls 
being finished in plaster, warm ivory in tone and so rough of text¬ 
ure that a splendid play of light and shade is attained thereby. 
Against this back¬ 
ground, on the south 
or garden elevation 
of the house, are 
ivory white trellises 
— a desirable feat¬ 
ure, permitting as 
they do the soften¬ 
ing effect of vines, 
yet protecting the 
wall surface. Ivory 
white appears again 
in the window and 
door frames, the 
doors and the win¬ 
dow sash, while the 
copper rain-conduc¬ 
tors, the shingles, 
stained a weathered 
brown and utilized 
for both the main 
and minor roofs, the 
dark green painted 
shutters and blinds, 
all add pleasantly 
contrasting notes of 
color. For the con¬ 
structive woodwork of the entrance and living porches, a weath¬ 
ered brown stain was again employed, thus allowing the full 
beauty of the wood’s natural grain to appear. 
The main entrance, marked by a glass-enclosed porch, is on 
the north side of the house, to that exposure being relegated all 
the halls, the stairways and the pantry, while the library, the 
dining-room and the chief bedrooms have the benefit of either 
southern or western outlooks, the bay-window in the dining-room 
bringing into that apartment the morning sunshine as well. From 
the dining-room French casements lead to a brick-paved terrace, 
which, lying to the south of the house, connects with the large 
living-porch — the porch, by its advantageous western exposure, 
being assured of any wandering breeze. 
From the living-porch, entrance to the chief room of the first 
floor — the library—is effected by French casements, which, in 
the interior, are centered by a broad chimney-breast. Chaste 
simplicity predominates throughout the entire interior, the library 
fireplace, strikingly symbolical of that quality, being faced with 
ivory plaster, unadorned save for the gray moldings which out¬ 
line it, the cartouche of carved wood emphasizing the center and 
a shallow shelf above. Ecru Japanese grass-cloth covers the 
walls, giving a pleasing background for the furniture and the 
(Continued on page 386) 
A stone wall coped with brick bounds the northern and eastern edges 
of the property, inside of which the land is terraced down to the 
plateau 
On the second floor a long gallery joins two 
distinct suites of rooms, each consisting of 
two bedrooms and a tile-floored bath. Here 
all the woodwork excepting the mahogany 
stair-rail is ivory-white 
