title: Modern American homes,
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The public is realizing more and more the value of outdoor life, as evidenced by the fact that large and small cities have country clubs, which are located in the most attractive spots of the region, forming in most cases the nucleus for a colony of country homes. The steadily improving means of transportation have also enabled the city man of moderate means to live at some distance from his place of business and enjoy all the advantages and comforts which are derived from a home in clean, fresh air, amongst trees, shrubs, and flowers. It is interesting to note that this tendency towards country life — the "back to nature" movement — has produced, in a way, a new architecture which is very direct in its expression, and which is endeavoring all the time to eliminate the superfluous and fanciful. This new type of home has utility as its fundamental principle. It must embody all modern improvements and it must be economical in its general makeup. Another demand, which comes from the faculty of the average American to adapt himself quickly to his surroundings, is that the modern country home shall seem a part of the scenery, a requirement which has encouraged the architect and the owner to use local materials in the buildings, wherever possible. Such modern improvements as the central heating plant and sanitary appliances have also helped considerably to change the general character of the American home, making the plan of the house a very flexible and interesting composition. It is high time that this tendency to build an individual home be fostered and encouraged, as the over-crowding of our cities has resulted in an abundance of the poorer types of apartment and of tenement house, neither of which are conducive to a healthy development or to an increased efficiency of a nation. Such forms of dwelling are undoubtedly necessary, but there are so many instances where they are built by speculative interests without due regard to the demands of health and good sanitation that the people should be diverted, to as great a degree as possible, from the cities into surroundings where living conditions are more ideal. In our day especially, where concentration of energy has been developed to such a high degree, it is absolutely essential that the men and women, who are crowded together during the day time in very congested business districts, have the opportunity to enjoy a complete change of environment after the strenuous working hours. It is with the idea of stimulating this increasing appreciation of good building and of comfortable country homes on the part of city people that this book has been published. By far the largest part of the publication shows houses of moderate cost, quite within reach of the great mass of modest salaried men. It has been the aim to illustrate these in as concise a form as possible, giving floor plans in most cases, in addition to exterior views of the building, and sometimes even interiors. Wherever possible, the cost of the building has been given, but attention should be called to the fact that the cost must be considered in connection with the date of erection of the building and the locality, inasmuch as these two factors will sometimes affect the cost considerably. The cost of building and labor has steadily increased of late years, and it is also a curious fact that building in or near a large city is considerably more expensive than building in a small town or in the country. It has been the aim to show as large a variety of types and styles of homes as possible, not only as to plans, but also as to materials used. Special attention is called to "The Uniformity of Modern Floor Plans," Plate 45, and "Studies of Different Exterior Treatments of the Same Plan," Plate 46. An examination of these two pages will enable the reader to appreciate some of the fundamental points to consider when studying the plans of a house or when contemplating the building of a home. It has been deemed advisable to include illustrations of a few larger homes in order to show that in the best type of these expensive residences the same feeling of simplicity is adhered to that constitutes the charm of the smaller house. A few pages have been devoted to typical apartment houses of different sizes. It is only quite recently that the living porch has been made a feature of the flat, in an attempt to give it one of the most attractive features of the individual home. There is also a tendency in some localities to take away the box-like appearance of the ordinary flat building by giving it a pitched roof, and by increasing the size of the court on which the flats face. However, this fact is to be emphasized that not even the nicest flat can take the place of a home with a garden around it. The latter will mean somewhat more work, but is amply compensated for in the advantages that come from having a place where one can enjoy and appreciate the seasons of year in the open, and thus gain physically and mentally, to a remarkable degree. H. V. VON HOLST CONTENTS Plate I Plates 2, 3 Plate 4 Plate 5 Plate 6 Plates 7, 8 Plate 9 Plate 10 Plates 11, 12 Plate 13 Plate 14 Plate 15 Plates 16, 17 Plate 18 Plate 19 Plate 20 Plate 2 1 Plate 22 Plate 23 Plates 24, 25 Plate 26 Plate 27 Plate 28 Plate 29 Plate 30 Plate 31 The Two -Story Home A Simple Home as Part of the Landscape An Attractive Small House in Harmony with Its Surroundings An Interesting Fireproof Dwelling An Excellent Type of Stucco Country Home with Decided Colonial Feeling A Brick House of Simple but Dignified Design A Wayside Modern Home with all the Charm of an Old English Cottage An Architect’s Home A Beautiful Type of Modern Suburban Home A Quaint Old-Fashioned House A Modern Suburban Home with Original Treatment of Exterior A Low-Cost Suburban Home A Modest Suburban Residence with Excellent Lines A Solid Concrete Country House A Small but Well- Arranged Home at Moderate Cost An Inexpensive Frame House of Good Design A Tile and Plaster House of the Square Type A Fine Type of Suburban Home An Inexpensive Southern Cottage A Delightful Low-Cost “Square House” A Commodious-Looking Country Home A Frame and Stucco Country House An Effective Suburban Home of Moderate Cost A Frame and Shingle Dwelling of Unusual and Effective Design An Inexpensive Suburban Home Four Country Houses Showing Different Exterior Treatment Brick and Stucco Dwelling with Decided Colonial Aspect Plate 32 Plate 33 Plate 34 Plate 35 Plate 36 Plate 37 Plate 38 Plate 39 Plates 40-42 Plate 43 Plate 44 Plate 45 Plate 46 Plates 47, 48 Plate 49 Plate 50 Plate 5 1 Plates 52, 53 Plate 54 Plate 55 Plate 56 Plate 57 Plate 58 Plate 59 Plate 60 A Cement Plaster House, Almost Severe in Its Simplicity Cement Plaster Houses A Well-Planned Cement Plaster House of Dignified Character Four Suburban Homes in the Vicinity of Chicago, Illinois A Design in Keeping with Its Environment Two Effective Stucco Houses Colonial Farmhouses Four Simple Comfortable Homes A Compact Home in a Small City Four Typical Old-Fashioned Homes Two-Story Country Houses of Moderate Cost The Uniformity of Modern Floor Plans Studies of Different Exterior Treatments of the Same Plan The One -Story Home A Simple Country Home of the Bungalow Type An Interesting Suburban Home with Garage in the Basement Four Small Houses Showing the Value of Well-Placed Foliage A Concrete Bungalow of Moderate Cost Country House with a Sleeping Porch Low-Cost Bungalows A Picturesque Bungalow — Bungalow of Rustic Character Two Effective Bungalows of Low Cost Four Charming Pasadena Bungalows A Summer Bungalow of Distinct Merit Inexpensive Bungalows A Charming and Inexpensive Bungalow Plate 61 Six Attractive Bungalows Plate 62 Two Delightful Seashore Cottages Plate 63 An Easy Housekeeping Cottage Plate 64 Four Picturesque Western Bungalows Plate 65 A Simple Bungalow with Convenient Interior Arrangement Plate 66 Four Attractive California Bungalows of Moderate Cost Plate 67 Two Attractive California Bungalows Plate 68 A Forest Home of Rustic Charm Plate 69 Tent-Houses for Summer Days Plate 70 An Artistic Bungalow of Moderate Cost Plate 71 Small Attractive Homes of Low Cost Plate 72 An $ 1 1 00 Summer Cottage Plate 73 California Bungalows Plate 74 A Cozy Bungalow for $2,600 Plate 84 Plates 85, 86 Plate 87 Plate 88 Plate 89 Plate 90 Plates 91, 92 Plates 93, 94 Plates 95, 96 Plate 97 Plate 98 A Colonial Plaster House A Lake Shore Residence of Novel Exterior A Well-Built Brick and Plaster House A Thatched House A Frame and Plaster Suburban Home Examples of a New Style of Domestic Architecture in and about Chicago A Fireproof Country Mansion of Distinct Colonial Character A Well- Designed Suburban Mansion A Substantial Brick Mansion An Attractive Country Residence Combining Elegance with Good Taste A Modern Half-Timber House The Apartment House The Tent- House, Boathouse, and Garage Inexpensive Tent-House for the Summer Season Boathouse and Camp in the Adirondacks Four Small House Garages Four Private Garages at Low Cost The Larger Home Plates 79, 80 A Modern Colonial House Plates 8 1 , 82 An Attractive Home with Shingled Exterior Plate 83 A Well-Designed Frame Dwelling Whose Chief Characteristic Is Simplicity Plate 75 Plate 76 Plate 77 Plate 78 Plate 99 Plate 100 Plate 101 Plate 102 Plate 103 Apartment Building of Excellent Design Suburban Flat Building Two-Family Apartment Building in a Large City A Pleasing Group of Apartments A Modern City Apartment Building Miscellaneous Buildings Plates 104, 105 Plate 106 Plate 107 Plate 108 A Modern School House for a Small Community Public Library at Kearney, New Jersey Institutional Buildings A Small Stone Church of Unusual Merit ACKNO WLEDGM ENT HE publishers of "Modern American Homes" wish to express their grateful apprecia- tion of the hearty co-operation of the architects who kindly offered the products of their art and skill and furnished the plans and details which add so materially to the value of this work. The designs and studies which have been obtained directly from or by permission of the architects are indicated by the names which appear upon the plates. Other material has been secured through the cooperation of "The House Beautiful," "American Homes and Gardens," "Country Life in America," "House and Garden," "Western Architect," "National Builder," "Brick Builder," and "Ladies’ Home Journal." The assistance of the latter publication has been particularly valuable, the designs published by its permission being shown on Plates 1,12, 18, 22, 39, 43, 52-61, 63-75, 77, and 78, Copyright 1909, 1910, and 1912, The Curtis Publishing Company. A work of this kind must of necessity be only a compilation but it is hoped that the care and judgment which have been exercised in the selection of the material and the helpful comments of the author have resulted in a work of genuine merit — areal contribution to architectural literature as well as a stimulus to the seeker after a well-designed, well-built, and livable home. TO THE COL'S 5CR.EE /VEO VESANDA 10'-O'WlCE FIRST FLOOR PLAN; The Main Rooms Are Finished in Cypress Stained a Flemish Brown. The Walls Are Covered with Burlap The Fireplace in the Main Bedroom Is a Very Desirable Feature A Simple Home as Part of the Landscape Closer View of Entrance and Front Windows Lawrence Buck, Architect, Chicago, Illinois THIS house was built by the architect for himself in 1904, at Rogers Park, Illinois. Since then he has built the new fireproof home shown on Plate 4. The plans and exterior are very simple and the arrangement, grouping of openings, and detail give it the artistic expression it enjoys. The exterior walls are covered with a cement stucco. The entrance feature is handled admirably, there being no attempt to make it a porch — just enough to give the necessary accent. The living porch, however, is made the feature of the house, provided with screens for summer time and movable sash for winter. The house was built for $3,000. View of Fireplace and Cozy Corner of Living Room PLATE 1 Well-disposed wood members. The roof shingles are left unstained, the walls are a grey plaster, and the woodwork is stained a red brown. Built for Mr. Frank N. Olmstead, Walden, Illinois. For plans and specifications, see plate following. PLATE 2 Interesting example of absolutely fireproof construction. On the inside, the wood trim has been reduced to a minimum by having plaster jambs, the door openings being in some cases capped by unique brick arches. The floors of the kitchen and bedrooms are of maple, and all of the remaining floors of concrete with cement base. It was built in 1911 at a cost of about $6,500. Interior View Showing the Possibilities of Artistic Development with Fire-Resisting Materials PLATE A Fine View of the Garden Is Had from the Dining Room The Central Stairway Makes a Small Hall Up-stairs Possible. The Maid’s Room and an Ample Storeroom Are on the Third Floor An Excellent Type of Stucco Country Home with Decided Colonial Feeling Oscar C. Gottesleben, Architect, Detroit, Michigan The brick house shown on Plate 6 is of the same plan and dimensions, the difference in the two houses being in the exterior treatment and in some of the interior finish. The conjunction of the agreeable and the practical has been a condition that was constantly kept in mind while building this little place on a corner city lot 50 feet X 1 7 1 feet in size. Its itemized cost is as follows: Masonry, $1,900; carpentry, $1,450; painting and glazing, $175; plastering, $228; tiling, $44; galvanized iron work, $54; electric wiring, $55; electric fixtures, $80; hot-water heating, $400; hardware, $75; decorating, $125; walks, fence, and sodding, $1.40; plumbing, $365; total, $5,091. Compare the Window and Porch Treatment with That of the Brick House Shown on Plate 6 Note the Difference in This Adaptation of a Salem Doorway and Lattice Treatment with That on Plate 6 P. ATE 5 FICHTFLOOI^PLARTi Very Little Room Is Wasted on the Hall Space. The Main Hall Is But 5 Feet by 8½ Feet Having the Stairway in the Center Gives Room for Three Large Chambers Upstairs A View of Two Houses Built from the Same Floor Plans. The House in the Background Is the One Discussed on Plate 5 The Rear of the House Presents as Dignified an Appearance as the Front A Brick House of Simple But Dignified Design Oscar C. Gottesleben, Architect, Detroit, Michigan THIS is an example of a substantial house of the colonial type. The plan and dimensions are the same as those of the stucco house shown on Plate 5, the only difference being in the exterior, with minor changes in interior finish. The two houses make an interesting study of the effect of different materials and different roof contour. The exterior of the brick house has a gable roof while that of the stucco house has a hip-roof and a dormer in front. In the matter of plumbing, the fixtures are all about one “stack,” or main drain and vent pipe, so that economy is carried to a point of perfection in that respect. The house is the residence of the architect. Its cost is similar to that given on plate preceding. Climbing Roses Will Cover the Arbor at the Front Door ELATE 6 SECOND FLOOR A Wayside Modern Home with All the Charm of an Old English Cottage Joy Wheeler Dow, Architect, Summit, New Jersey THIS house, which was built for Mrs. Elizabeth G. Dow, shows what can be accomplished by a clever adaptation of the design to the natural contour of the land, and by a careful study of the requirements of the different rooms in the house. The walls are of hollow tile plastered which, with the thick slate used on the roof, makes the outside of the house practically fireproof. The loggia has a floor of red quarry tile. Built in 1910 at a cost of about $8,500. For interiors, see plate following. The Porch Treatment, the Dining Room Bay Window, and the Lattice Work All Serve to Reduce What Would Otherwise Be a Stilted Appearance of the Back of the House The Use of the Plain Wall Enclosing the Kitchen Yard Adds Great Charm to the Composition PLATE Fireplace and Bay Window in Dining Room A Wayside Modern Home with All the Charm of an Old English Cottage Joy Wheeler Dow, Architect, Summit, New Jersey THE homelike quality in this house is very evident. The architect has a keen appreciation of the effective simplicity of the English country house and has adapted it to the modern requirements. The leaded glass windows are very effective and the same design has been repeated in the doors of the bookcases. For plans and exterior views, see plate preceding. Clothes Yard and Kitchen Entry PLATE 8 View from Lake Oconomowoc. The House Faces South, Overlooking the Water PATH ROOM KITCHEN POUCH LIVIAG LOOM VECAADA FLORA FLOOR PLACE From the HOUSE BEAUTIFUL MAGAZINE An Architects Home Alfred C. Claus, Architect, Milwaukee, Wisconsin "THIS is a fine example of the possibilities of simple country house architecture, and shows excellent handling of a plaster house. The value of garden features to the design has been recognized by the owner and developed. The varied window treatment gives a picturesque quality to the house. This charming home, which is located on the north shore of Oconomowoc Lake, Wisconsin, about 35 feet above the level of the water, was built in 1907. The cost, including the terrace, electric lighting plant, lighting fixtures, and complete system of plumbing and heating, was $8,000. The View of the Two-Story Living Room Shows the Attractive Fireplace and Balcony Above PLATE 9 A Z-O" L 10-6 A Beautiful Type of Modern Suburban Home Tallmadge & Watson, Architects, Chicago, Illinois This residence of Mr. Elias V. Day, River Forest, Illinois, is an excellent type of modern home architecture. It shows an interesting treatment of the exterior finish with wood boarding. Vertical boards running into the second story and tying the compositions together. The light panels in the second story are covered with canvas having a pebbled finish resembling plaster. This is cheaper than plaster and practically as effective. The house was built in 1907 and cost about $6,300. PLATE 10 BALCO Cool in summer. The fireplace is of exceptional breadth and with the cozy high-back chimney seats gives a quaint and pleasing charm to the room. The design of the dining room is very well carried out. For exterior views see plate preceding. PLATE 12 Tracy, Illinois, in 1912, for Mr. Maurice LeBosquet at a cost of $7,700 including sidewalks, but not the architects' commission. Front and Side View of House Showing Entrance Porch FOUR FLOOR, PLAIN, AND PLASTER Living Room Looking Toward Dining Room End and Showing Inglenook at the Right A Modest Suburban Residence with Excellent Lines Tallmadge & Watson, Architects, Chicago, Illinois This residence, which is the home of Mr. Gustavus Babson, Oak Park, Illinois, is a successful attempt on the part of the architects to solve the problem of the high cost of building. Its architecture was determined entirely by considerations of economy both in the materials used and in the method of putting them together, regardless of precedent. The rough character of the material harmonizes with the strong design. Narrow boarding is used on the lower part, while the panels in the second story are of pebbled roofing felt which resembles plaster. The interior trim is plain birch. The house was built in 1906 at a cost of $4,600. A Solid Concrete Country House Vernon S. Watson, Architect, Chicago, Illinois Pfj&Sai A Solid Concrete Country House Vernon S. Watson, Architect, Chicago, Illinois Pfj&Sai QUIET lines and a few touches of interesting detail, such as the porch rail and the wood screen, produce a pretty effect about this country house, the residence of Mr. Wyatt-Cronk, Oak Park, Illinois. The screen is built to hide the working space in the back yard. The wide overhang of the shingled roofs and the setting of foliage give a restful look to the house. Plaster makes the best possible background for trees and shrubs. For elevations and floor plans, see plate following. PLATE 10 and other well-placed foliage about the dwelling. The interior arrangement is excellent, the big sweep through living room, hall, dining room, and porch being very effective. While the gambrel roof gives the low effect characteristic of this type of house, the use of the dormer windows makes the second story as roomy as the first. The house cost $3,027. An Inexpensive Frame House of Good Design Charles E. White, Jr., Architect, Chicago, Illinois This house, the home of Mr. Robert Kermen, Oak Park, Illinois, is an example of a very simple and compact design as may be noted from a study of the floor plans. The arrangement of the windows is particularly good in that it affords good cross ventilation in each room. The exterior walls are covered with siding; the roofs, with shingles. The house was built in 1907, at a cost of approximately $3,000. A Pleasing Design with Unique Window and Roof Treatment. The Enclosed Veranda is Exceptionally Fine A Tile and Plaster House of the Square Type Walter Burley Griffin, Architect, Chicago, Illinois Living Room with View of Veranda This house, the residence of Mr. Harry E. Gunn, Tracy, Illinois, was built in 1911. The exterior walls are of hollow terra cotta blocks plastered outside and inside directly on the tile. The outside plaster is grey; the wood trim, a ruddy brown; and the sash, an orange color. The roofs are covered with canvas decks. The interior is finished in white oak, the beams shown on  Cottage Harmonize with Its Admirable Setting of Shrubs and with the Forest Trees beyond An Inexpensive Southern Cottage Designed by Robert C. Spencer, Jr., Chicago, Illinois The design shows an attractive feature in the commodious living porch which, in the southern climate, is a very comfortable spot for the greater part of the year. The porch is connected by French windows to the large and open living room which, with its dining alcove and cozy corners, makes a cool and inviting interior arrangement. The exterior walls are covered with yellow pine shiplap, left rough to stain. The ample overhang of the roof shelters the bedrooms and allows the windows to stand open, except during a driving rainstorm. This cottage could have been built in 1909 for about $2,000, itemized as follows: Masonry, $115; carpentry, lumber, and mill work, $1,220; sheet metal, $26; plastering, $240; painting, $92; glazing, $35; hardware, $43; plumbing, $220. Present prices would increase this estimate about twenty-five percent. PLATE 22 Cedar shingles. The interior finish is selected red birch throughout the main rooms of the first story. The finished floors are of red oak. The foundations are of brick plastered with Portland cement. For plans and sections, see plate following. PLATE 24 The Sholes House in River Forest, Illinois, Showing Commodious Living Porch An Effective Suburban Home of Moderate Cost Henry K. Holsman, Architect, Chicago, Illinois The front entrance faces east, thus giving the living porch the most desirable exposure, the south. The exterior walls in the lower story are covered with wide and narrow boards alternating, while from the second story windows to the roof they are finished with stucco. The windows are made wide and generous, in good proportion to the mass of the building. In this type of plan every room has good cross ventilation by having windows on both sides of the rooms. The interior is finished in hardwood. Built in 1906 for about $3,500. PLATE 27 roof "^h^pl^ fh n e C wbd C o 0 ws er are \ moTe ^ d lo ^ feet The second story portion, including the underside of the interior finish is of white stain and white. The whole color scheme is very harmonious with the surrounding trees. PLATE 29 and cost about $8,500, including plumbing and heating. PLATE 31 The interior is finished in southern pine. A rather unique arrangement of the buffet in the dining room is shown on the first floor plan. This house was built in 1905 for Mrs. C. E. Simmons, Oak Park, Illinois, at a cost of $5,000. The Oldfield Bungalow, Oak Park, Illinois. An Attractive Dwelling with an Interesting Treatment of Porch Rail. This Stucco House is Given a Most Delightful Accent by the Small Entrance Porch with Its Classical Columns. Residence of A. M. Tinsman, Wilmette, Illinois. Arthur G. Brown, Architect, Chicago, Illinois. Cement Plaster Houses These houses are notable for the almost total elimination of wood on the exterior, most of the windows having only plaster jambs, “stucco treated.” Such broad surfaces must be put on very carefully to avoid cracks in the plaster. An Unpretentious, but Very Homelike Cottage in Oak Park, Illinois. A Few Shrubs Would Help Bring Out the Charm A Well-Designed Cottage in Wilmette, Illinois, with Window Frames and Trim of Unplaned Lumber, Stained a Rich Brown. A Suburban House of Moderate Cost in Oak Park, Illinois. The Introduction of the Two Curved Gables in the Front Lends an Odd Interest to the Simple Design PLATE 33 A Well-Planned Cement Plaster House of Dignified Character Lawrence Buck, Architect, Chicago, Illinois This cement plaster house was built in 1908 and is the residence of Mr. E. H. Ehrman, Oak Park, Illinois. Its principal charm is in the design and arrangement of the windows. Note how the ledge over the entrance, the cornice of the living room windows, and the cornice over the porch are made to line up. The house is kept low on the ground, and this effect is emphasized by having the steps inside the entrance porch. Casement windows have been used throughout except in the service portion. The interior finish in the main rooms is oak. The dining room has a plain paneled wainscot. Cost $13,000. 