Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/931

 1595 VILLAS IN VARIOUS STYLES. 90/ parts sliding bel)ind each other, there not being sufficient space for half of it on each side, a window being in that situation, as will perhaps have been noticed in the ground plan, although none appear there in the elevation. 1846. The Invisible Jflndou:. The lower part of the walls of the vestibule are paneled for about seven feet from the floor, and the two centre panels, to the right of the arch in fig. 1 594, form a concealed door, open- ing into a passage lighted from the porch, and leading to a water-closet. Both this latter and the staircase on the other side of the porch are lighted through the external niches, by the very simple contrivance ex- hibited in fig. 1595. It will now be perceived that these niches are something more than mere archi- tectural ornament ; that they are of direct utility ; and, although small windows might certainly have been employed in this instance, niches must be considered prefer- able to them, because the others would, besides cutting up and de- siTojing the breadth of the com- position too much, have clearly indicated that there was some small closet or other just here. Now these apertures are completely concealed, and, by being made to slope downwards, transmit the light more directly than common windows of the same dimensions would do in a wall of the same thickness. In regard to the situation selected for this water-closet, some difference of opinion may be entertained as to its propriety. Many will say that the door leading to it is too close to those on that side of the vestibule ; and so, undoubtedly, it would be, were there not an intervening passage, which removes much of what might be considered objectionable. 1847. The Staircase. Although this leads only to a few sleeping-apartments above, and would rarely be ascended by visiters, as the house itself is not upon a scale to afford much accommodation for resident guests, it being more of a villa than a mansion, it has been thought proper to render it one of the most effective parts of the interior, as well because it forms the approach to the library, as because it would be very conspicuous from the vestibule, whence it would be viewed through the open screen. The staircase is a square of seventeen feet by thirty-four feet in height, or a double upright cube. On two of the sides are three open arches, and on the others three blank ones to cor- respond, so as to produce perfect symmetry of design. The ceiling is arched and groined, with fans at the angles ; and the upper panels of these latter, together with the compart- ments formed by the intersecting ribs of the groining, are filled with ground glass of a warm tint, just sufficient to shed a mellow Claudish glow over the whole space. Above this transparent roof is a second external skylight, which not only sei-ves as a protection to the lower one, and to exclude wet more completely, but helps to preserve a more equable temperature on the staircase, which, together with tlie vestibule, might be warmed bj- hot air, steam, or hot water. By lining the walls in the space between the upper and lower skylight with white glazed tiles, the Ught would also be considerably increased, and powerfully reflected down ; and as there would be a small door from the passage leading to the garrets opening into this intermediate space (which door woidd, of course, always be kept locked, to prevent the possibility of accidents, by any one incau- tiously stepping out), the under skj-light could at any time be cleaned and dusted with very little trouble ; a plank, or some small machine constructed for that purpose, being laid on the ribs of the ceDing, to securely support the person so employed. As to the decoration, it may perhaps be thought in too expensive a style, yet would in reality be far less costly than it appears ; for most of the ornamental work would be of cast iron or composition painted to resemble stone ; and, as their situation would preclude the possi- bility of their being closely inspected, the embeUishments might, with very little actual finish, be made to appear even elaborately wrought. Were the staircase rather more spacious in itself, and did it also lead to a number of bed-chambers and dressing-rooms for strangers, the compartments formed by the blank arches might be painted either in chiaro-scuro or fresco, as their subjects could be distinctly viewed from the open corridors, with which they would be upon a level ; yet, such not being the case, it would hardly be worth while to do so ; and most readers will perhaps be of opinion, that there is already