94 
f 
House & Garden 
Qenui/ze ^eed‘^u?ntture 
The Charm and Luxurious Comfort of Artistic Reed 
Furniture is emphasized by our Distinctive Models. 
HIGHEST QUALITY 
BUT NOT HIGHEST5IPRICED 
CRETONNES, CHINTZES, UPHOLSTERY FABRICS 
Interior Decorating 
REEP SHOP, Inc. 
581 FIFTH AVENUE 
“Suggestions in Reed Furniture” forwarded on receipt of 25c postage 
Individuality in 
{Continued ji 
ing, and, for the most part, a beneficial 
guidance in our architecture. 
The attendant misfortune, inevitable, 
I suppose, has been that the entire pop¬ 
ular understanding of architecture has 
become so limited by “style” that any 
building not obviously “English,” “Ital¬ 
ian,” “Colonial,” or what not else, has 
been eyed askance. 
The card-index minds of many stylists 
do not admit the supposition that the 
works of some architects may be so 
architecturally sound and vigorous,' in 
and of themselves, that they can exist 
serenely for all time entirely without 
the necessity of an historic or racial 
label. The stylist forgets that at the 
times when most of his favorite “types” 
of building were being built the archi¬ 
tects were not at all aware that they 
were creating “period” architecture and 
furniture. They were designing in ac¬ 
cordance with their sincerest and best 
convictions on the subject—and if a 
few things are being designed in, the 
same way today, regardless of “style,” 
we do well to look at them carefully. 
The elusive relationship of “style” to 
the work shown here is one of its most 
interesting peculiarities. There is often 
a good deal of suggestion of the mod¬ 
ern English type of country house 
(which is more a manner than a style), 
sometimes a glimpse of the Italian, but 
for the most part a use of these only as 
a sound basis for an essentially personal 
rendering. 
His Georgian houses are more defer¬ 
ential to precedent, but even these 
abound in quaint architectural surprises 
which probably shock the narrower 
stylists as much as they delight the 
more liberal appreciators of true archi¬ 
tecture. 
A word or two should be said here 
about conservatism and radicalism in 
architecture. Far be it from me to 
wish to appear to advocate disregard 
for precedent. I am, indeed, accused by 
certain advanced friends of being a 
“reactionary,” which I gather is a cur¬ 
rent sociological term for “ultra-con¬ 
servative”, and not meant to be com¬ 
plimentary. My contention has always 
been: “If you cannot improve upon 
precedent, or create something equally 
good, by all means adhere faithfully 
and reverently to precedent.” 
But this is a terrific “if”—especially 
in architecture. “Original" architecture, 
Country Homes | 
■om page 92) 
wilfully and deliberately “original” ' 
architecture, has never been anything j 
like successful. It has always seemed 
forced and self-conscious, as, indeed, it i 
is actually likely to be. Unusual and , 
refreshing as Mr. Lindeberg’s country 
houses are, there is always about them ! 
a spirit of sincerity and a freedom from 
affectation which makes each one its ; 
own best argument for whatever de¬ 
partures from precedent may mark it. 
Beyond these aspects, there are cer- ' 
tain others which would tend to baffle i 
a strictly architectural analysis of these i 
country houses, because they are con- . 
siderations not commonly classed as 
architectural. Un-architectural, but very i 
potent, they contribute strongly to the 
whole effect, if, indeed, they might not ! 
be said to dominate the whole effect. 
Humanity, for instance. These houses 
have a vivid human quality, a friendly ; 
domesticity which makes for personal¬ 
ity, and for the simple warmth that is . 
lacking in the more mannered and pre¬ 
tentious type of country house. Their 
quaint chimneys bespeak open fire¬ 
places within, and their doors are 
doors of welcome. 
Then there is an indefinable spirit, 
due, perhaps, to their spontaneity, that 
can only be called “cheerfulness,” and i 
which* is by no means easy to pin ! 
down in so many words. The secret ' 
underlying this may be that he enjoys 
the designing and building of them, and , 
that this enjoyment finds expression. 
They do not look as though they had 
been dully labored over, or evolved ‘ 
from any formula, even a very good 
formula. They have a great deal of the i 
spirited feeling that would result if it ; 
were possible to build a house from the i 
first sketch of it, inspired, spontaneous, j 
untrammeled by the necessary exigen¬ 
cies of scale drawings. They succeed, ! 
in fact, in' coming out from beneath the ! 
T-square and triangle without any of : 
the hard angularity and unhappy re- ! 
straint which so often destroy the charm ; 
of the first drawing for a house. 
They are a direct projection, these I 
houses, of the architect’s vision, of his ^ 
unusual creative ability, and of his j 
architectural personality in terms of ■ 
modern American dwellings. Conse- : 
quently, unimaginative, measured ap¬ 
praisal of their charm and sincerity 
would conspicuously fail to appreciate i 
them intelligently. 
The Commuter Builds a Rest House 
(Continued from page 33) 
at one side, climbing the winding 
stairs, which have been introduced into 
one side until they reach the rest room 
which has been so uniquely designed by 
the present owner. There is little sug¬ 
gestion of the practical use of the build¬ 
ing as one enters this room, which is 
about 20' square with windows de¬ 
signed to frame outside pictures on 
three sides of the square. Wonderful 
views are seen, particularly through the 
telescope which has been so placed that 
it brings the view quite close. 
The color scheme is brown and yel¬ 
low, with a touch of pink. The walls 
are covered with Chinese matting above 
which is an unusual frieze; at first 
glance you think it a series of Japanese 
prints each one different in design, but 
in reality, it is a series of stencils from 
which the prints are made. The hang¬ 
ings are plain brown. 
The central figure at one side is a 
large field stone fireplace decorated on 
either side by quaint Chinese raincoats 
which lend a touch of coloring. The 
same Chinese idea has been further car¬ 
ried out through the use of a bamboo 
screen. Over this are gracefully hung 
long clusters of wistaria. The ceiling j 
is beamed, while the paneling is oak. ^ 
Touches of yellow have been introduced | 
that give to the room a warmth of 
color. The same tone is shown in book- 
ends, yellow candles and candlesticks. 
The furniture is Belgian, an old carved 
chest being used as a window seat. 
Here during the winter months, 
week-end parties are held. There are 
accommodations for five guests. Off 
one side of the fireplace is a kitchenette, 
with sink, table, shelves filled ’with 
china, and all the accessories necessary 
for a party. A built-in cupboard at 
one side provides a place for food. 
On the opposite side of the fireplace 
is the entrance door. There has been | 
developed at the end of the small entry 
a large closet built into the chimney 
breast where all sorts of odds and ends ■ 
can be tucked away. 
This unique rest house and water 
tower combined is a favorite resort of 
the family, even during the summer 
season, for it is here they can escape i 
from the confusion of guests, to find j 
rest and enjoyment in the quietude and , 
the fresh pure air. 
