THE LIVING-ROOM 
the surroundings. Our plot of land was in New jersey, 
on the summit of a ridge that overlooked the Hack¬ 
ensack Valley. Rugged trees and rocks abounded, 
therefore the house must fit in with these and look 
as far as possible as if it had stood for many years. 
What more fitting then than the simple lines of the 
Dutch Colonial, with its gambrel roof and walls of 
brick or stone! In place of these materials, stucco 
was substituted, it being less expensive, yet giving 
a firm durable surface and resembling grey rock in 
color. 
Over a galvanized woven wire secured to furring 
strips, two coats of Portland cement were applied, 
mixed equally with sand and fine gravel. This gave 
the whole exterior from the ground to the eaves an 
even thickness of about one inch, and has proven to 
be a substance more impervious to heat and cold 
than clapboards or shingles. 
Boston ivy (Ampelopsis Veitchu) planted close to 
the base in two years’ time grew up over the surface 
to the very eaves, its leaves and tendrils rich green 
through spring and summer, and golden yellow and 
red in the fall. Nature herself seemed to second our 
efforts, and woodbine and other wild plants sought 
resting place here, adding bright clusters of berries 
in harmonious spots of color. 
Soon after the house was completed a street was 
laid around the hill and to meet this, a roadway 
graded at a slight incline, passed around the rear of 
the house and ended in a circle, the center of which 
was planted with raspberry vines and shrubs. Be¬ 
yond this, the land formed a square and was laid out, 
a kitchen garden on one side, on the other, beds of 
roses and garden flowers. 
Experience gained from several years in city 
apartments, where sunlight and good ventilation 
were a secondary consideration, resulted in plans not 
only for a spacious porch, but for rooms that should 
be well lighted and that would admit of sufficient 
fresh air. 
When we came to design this “spacious porch,” 
the solution of the studio problem here proved a joy, 
for the extra floor space required up-stairs necessi¬ 
tated a considerable overhang,—and so our porch 
made itself,—open on three sides to the summer 
breezes. A jog in the design of the house, further 
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