Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/798

 646 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [April, tributed, it would not add materially to the expense. The crest of the roof should be tipped with light bronze. The stone in the walls, light gray in hue, should be laid as promiscuous rub- ble-work, pointed with mortar one shade darker. The Woodwork of the exterior may be finished in oil, mixed with a slight portion each, Venetian red, and ochre, leaving it the color of oak, or yellow pine. Of this compound, three good coats should be given. The sashes and window frames may be similarly treated. The front door may be of cherry-wood oiled. The interior of such a Cottage should be finished with yellow pine and chest- nut; the dressings of the former, and the doors and stairs of the latter. The ex- ceptions are the newel and hand-rail, which should be of walnut ; and the bal- ustersof some lighter and brighter wood, say dog-wood, maple, or birch. This Cottage Ornee has a peculiar jnquancy of taste, arising from its being- covered by a hip roof, whence diverge four gables ; the front and back ones of the main attic and those of the wings ; the four oriel dormer windows of the two latter front and back, cutting the eaves, and protected by canopy -gablets, the pendent-posts of the main gables, the varied outlines of the window-heads, the buttressed chimney, with its terra cotta top ; its simple base rising a little higher than the floors of the piazza and the en- trance porch, the latter itself with its twin pillars and twin pilasters on either side, its semi-circular interior sweep, corresponding with the architrave of the doorway, closed by two plainly- paneled folds ; and its gabled rooflet, with pendant post, harmonizing both the head and foot-lines of the oriels, the side brackets of the main building, its hip- roof and front gable, and the angular open-work of the verandah eaves — all which, coherent, quiet, and neat, pro- duce a feeling of modest but thorough content. COTTAGES. ACCORDING to country and sub- urban usage, the term Cottage, means a house of Aodest pretensions, varying much in size and accommoda- tions. In fact, it includes dwellings of all dimensions, from a hut to a villa, ex- cluding the extremes, and any number of rooms, from two up to a dozen. In city parlance, the word Cottage is applied to a tenement varying in its bulk and apartments, as before, generally plain in exterior, but often neat and occasion- ally ornamented, set upon one side of a lot ; and far enough back, from the street, to enable a higher and more stylish front, or main, building to be erected, by the owner, upon " the line," at some future period, when the original cottage becomes the ultimate back- building. Amongst active business men, and investing capitalists, opinions vary, and always will and should, concerning the wisdom of the entire investment of a man's means in landed property, either vacant or improved; and, in fact, were all men to speculate in any one direc- tion, the result would ever be disastrous. However, shrewd observers remark, that only those families remain rich, from generation to generation, whose managing members are careful to invest most of their capital in farm land, situ- ated from one to eight miles beyond the paved streets of prosperous cities and towns, while from two to four miles is preferred ; and, in the directions of growth, which, in the United States, is always understood to be anywhere from northeast around to west, and up stream, no matter what direction that may be. It is true, that unimproved land all around the compass may, and often does, pay handsomely, if near an improving mart, but the points fi rst noted are always the most encouraging. Yet, to obtain the extreme of profit in this branch of investment, requires great forecast and commensurate patience ; the children, in