24 
House & Garden 
A STUDY in the TEXTURE of WALLS 
Stone, Brick, Stucco and Wood Are Combined to Make an 
Entrance Detail of Unusual Interest 
O NE of the architectural details that a 
true lover of beauty eventually comes to 
appreciate is the texture of wall surfaces. A 
wall is to the architect what a tapestry or a 
rich fabric is to the decorator, only the archi¬ 
tect is limited in his handling of it. More 
credit, therefore, is due him when he produces 
a rare and artistic effect. 
The subject of this present note is a small 
section of the walls close by the entrance to 
the residence of F. O. Zenke, Esq., at River- 
dale-on-Hudson, N. Y. The architect was 
Dwight James Baum. The view shows a cor¬ 
ner of the elliptical entrance feature and the 
large chimney nearby. The effect desired here 
was of the old world architecture, as found in, 
perhaps, the corner of a courtyard of an aban¬ 
doned English manor-house or inn. 
There are three materials used—rough tex¬ 
ture tapestry brick of six shades running from 
red and browns to purples; the stucco on the 
chimney, on the walls and the joints of the 
brickwork (which are approximately 1" wide), 
is of a yellowish gray mortar. The stones are 
gray local stone carrying some rust in them 
which ties in harmoniously with the cream of 
the stucco. The trim is of chestnut stained and 
A :variety of elements combined make an 
unusual entrance. D. J. Baum, architect 
the blinds are painted a pale dull green tone. 
These elements are combined to produce an 
effect of permanence and solidity without being 
monotonous. There is subtle affinity between 
them, between the wood and stone and brick 
and mortar, which makes for a pleasing har¬ 
mony. Final touches of greenery in the win¬ 
dow boxes and in the foundation planting re¬ 
late the walls to the grounds. 
Such a detail is worthy of preservation be¬ 
cause it can be used in future homes. It is the 
sort of idea that should go into that scrapbook 
you are making, of the house you will build 
some day when the A. E. F. comes back and 
life is normal again. You will find, scattered 
through the pages of House & Garden, dozens 
of pictures of equal value. That is why they 
are selected and shown. 
One might also speak of the contrasting con¬ 
tours. The arch of the door is repeated in the 
arch of the little window in the side wall, and 
further suggested in the bow of the bay window 
over the entrance. Contrasting with these are 
the straight lines of the door window that 
lights the cloak room inside. Here are simple 
harmony and contrast side by side, and ef¬ 
fective because each is used with restraint. 
THE DOOR THAT IS INSIDE THE 
An Example of Simple Treatment Applicable 
in Varied Types of Home 
I N the last analysis, an idea is val¬ 
uable to you only when you can 
apply it to your own problem. 
Women understand this in dressmak¬ 
ing. They see a gown which is far 
beyond the possibilities of their 
purse, note its cut, draping and de¬ 
tails, and then go home and apply 
the ideas to the gown they are mak¬ 
ing. Interior decoration ideas come 
in the same category. As they stand, 
they may not be suitable for repro¬ 
duction in your house, but their prin¬ 
ciple can be applied to your problem. 
The doorway here is a case in 
point, and a study of it will uncover 
some simple rules well applied. 
First there is the nature of the 
opening itself. The wall is quite 
thick, and makes possible a deep-set 
door. The simple plaster finish, 
which is a concomitant of the beamed 
ceiling, has not been broken save by 
a chair rail and base board. In it¬ 
self the door opening might be com¬ 
monplace enough, but it is made un¬ 
usual by the small window to the 
right. This little window repeats 
the treatment of the doorway. It is 
to the door what a repeated melody 
in plucked strings is after a full 
orchestra has presented the theme. 
Distinction is also found in the 
nature of the doors themselves. They 
are of leaded glass. The narrow 
lead mullions furnish a delicate con¬ 
trast to the width of the frame and 
Because it preserves the individuality of a room and links it to the adjoining 
rooms, the glass door is advisable. Wilson Eyre & Mcllvaine, architects 
HOUSE 
the sturdiness of the beams over¬ 
head. Almost any interior is en¬ 
riched by using contrasting ele¬ 
ments whether they be in color or 
line. But the contrast must be 
subtly presented, else the two ele¬ 
ments would merely clash. 
Finally, the door frames a view 
—and lets you see the view beyond. 
Here is a subject worthy of much 
consideration. We Americans seem 
to have a fetish for doors that close 
rooms in—solid oaken or cypress 
or pine doors that set themselves 
sternly against any visual com¬ 
munication with the next room. 
Either that or no door at all. But 
the absence of a door is almost as 
great a mistake as a solid door. 
Each room should be an entity, a 
personality that is distinguishable 
from the others. But it should be 
related to the others just as people 
with distinct personalities are re¬ 
lated. Doors preserve this dis¬ 
tinctive personality, hence they 
should be used. Glass doors fur¬ 
nish a relationship between room 
and room, hence their advisability. 
In addition to this is the sun¬ 
light which a glass door lets in and 
the silhouette value of narrow mul¬ 
lions, that break the view sufficient¬ 
ly to make it illusive. From these 
it can be readily seen that the glass 
door is pre-eminently the door for 
inside the house. 
