The Bournville Village Trust 
having the rooms 
of the house fol¬ 
low one behind 
the other with a 
stairway stuck in¬ 
to one side, and 
windows only on 
the back and front 
of the dwelling. 
On the contrary, 
they have been so 
built as to make 
all the rooms free¬ 
ly accessible to air 
and sun, and 
wherever possible 
the larder faces 
the north and the 
kitchen northeast. 
The cottages 
are semi-detached 
in blocks of four, 
and no more than two homes are exactly 
alike. The houses are roofed with hand¬ 
made tiles of various colors, and common 
“brindle” bricks form the external walls. 
I n many cases the walls have been white¬ 
washed, and the plinth or base-course tarred 
about two feet high. The woodwork is 
painted a bright green, or red, or peacock 
blue, etc. The casement windows so common 
HOUSES ON ELM ROAD 
HOUSES AT HOLLY GROVE 
to England are universally used at Bourn¬ 
ville; and whether open or closed, they add a 
great deal of picturesqueness to the exteriors 
of the houses. The interior walls of the 
cottages are plastered and color-washed with 
attractive tints. Dark, serviceable staining is 
the treatment of the woodwork in the halls, 
and brighter tones are found in the living- 
rooms. In some of the more expensive 
houses, the best 
rooms are fres¬ 
coed, and brass 
and iron grille- 
work play a part 
in the decorations. 
Much consid¬ 
eration has been 
given to the health 
of the villagers in 
the laying out of 
the town, and the 
sanitary system is 
almost perfect. 
In addition to the 
house garden, 
open spaces or 
parks have been 
laid out so that 
there can never be 
any danger of in¬ 
creasing the den- 
302 
