House and Garden 
THE ENTRANCE COURT OF “GARTH HOUSE” 
to revive these traditions in modern work. 
More or less success has marked this attempt 
on the part of a number of firms, some of 
whose work has been presented in this mag¬ 
azine. A subtle and sane use of them is 
evident in the work of this architect. The 
agreeable masses and skylines of the houses, 
the large wall surfaces and small windows, 
the color of the most beautiful red brick: 
all these are a direct growth from those 
simple and humble cots which nestle in the 
English countryside, an intimate growth of 
the soil and unnoticed despite the signal 
their chimney smoke raises through the sur¬ 
rounding verdure. 
Following the simple impulses of bygone 
times these new houses are free from the 
architectural “feature” to which Mr. Bidlake 
has a special antipathy. Into his pupils he 
instills the avoidance of that which has be¬ 
EDGBASTON 
come a disfigurement of dwellings instead of 
an ornament, and his own work proves the 
power of proportion, skyline and color 
when undefiled by fussy features or tawdry, 
unmeaning detail. Neither do the houses 
depend upon furnishing to hide graceless 
barrenness, for what has not been done at 
elaborating the interior resolves itself into the 
beauty of restraint. The plans are distin¬ 
guished by the close communication be¬ 
tween the rooms and the spaciousness of 
corridors when corridors are necessary. 
These are then made wide enough to be 
habitable and to add to the attractiveness 
and hospitable appearance of the house, in¬ 
stead of detracting from it. The simplest 
and commonest materials are used to the 
best effect, notably in the interest given the 
ceilings by means of arching, and the wood¬ 
work is almost all unmoulded and unpainted. 
173 
