Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/21

 WOMAN'S HOMr of unwelcome if not unsavoury odours into places where they are least appreciated. Size of rooms must receive careful atten- tion, particularly if you already possess furniture. Empty rooms are deceptive. The tape measure is the best test. Specu- lative builders crowd as many rooms as possible into the space available, and by embellishing them with attractive (?) decoration blind the incautious observer to their scantiness of cubic space. The smallest villa should have one large sitting-room, even if the second one is cramped in consequence. It rarely happens that the two living-rooms which form the usual complement in houses of moderate size are in daily use. The room in which the family most often gathers is the one deserving of most floor space, and should have the most cheerful aspect. One has to consider the internal arrange- ments of the house, not only from the point of view of the convenience of the occupants, but also from that of the persons responsible for its order and cleanliness. Practical housewives will tell you that a house of many stairs and passages exacts much more labour than one of similar size in which these parts are planned to occupy a minimum of space. On the other hand, narrow passages and stairs involve a crop of inconveniences of another kind. Do not allow your judgment to be in- fluenced by external features. Builders indulge in flights of fancy in the form of gables, verandahs, and other embellish- ments designed to please the eye of the inexperienced. Such features may or may not detract from the convenience of the house internally, but it is obvious that they represent value which in many cases would be better spent inside the house. Without question a detached house is more desirable than a semi-detached or terrace house. The party walls of the modern builder are never so thick as to deaden all sounds from " next door," and neighbours differ widely in their habits and codes of ethics. Music is shorn of much of its proverbial charm when heard through I nine inches of brickwork. Basement houses would scarcely commend themselves to any modern candidate for householdership. They are a legacy from the chaos of early Victorian times, and are rarely sanitary. Their below-ground rooms have no better prospect to offer than a panorama of shuffling feet, and the oblique and deficient lighting is depressing to the healthy and unbearable to the invalid. In the choice of a house in the country one has to beware of deficiencies which have mostly been eliminated from town and suburban houses. Unless a quite modern building, the country house suffers from a primitive and incom- plete sanitary system. The bathroom may be conspicuous by its absence, and the other conveniences situated in inaccessible quarters. Rarely is there a good hot-water service, and kitchen appointments are modelled on the happy-go-lucky practice of a century ago. Bound up with the house question is that of the garden. Apart from horticultural considerations, the garden is a very real convenience, if not a necessity, to the house- holder. See to it, therefore, that you are vouchsafed at least a few square yards of mother earth within your boundaries. SITE Apart from such considerations as con- venience for shopping, proximity to. a rail- way-station, pleasant surroundings, and ques- tions determined by the choice or special needs of the prospective tenant, the site of the house should be examined as to those natural features which make for health and comfort. Site involves certain conditions attaching ideal situation for a detached house. Aspect N., site sloping slightly toS. Shelter from S.W., E., and N.E. winds. Gravel subsoil to situation — e.g., shelter from the boisterous winds and driving rain, which in our climate come mostly from the south-west, and from the cold and cutting winds of spring, which usually blow from the north, north-east, and east. Shelter may consist of trees, adjacent buildings, or high ground. An ideal site for a country house should be open to the south, with a slight slope in that direction ; partly sheltered on the south- west, and more fully sheltered on the north, north-east, and east. Excess of shelter implies stagnation of air. The cottage in the wood may be attrac- tive by reason of its picturesque situation, but usually is unhealthy and gloomy indoors. Individual tastes have to be considered, and affect the choice of situation. Seclusion is a valuable feature if attained without the sacrifice of fresh air and a pleasant outlook. Another point is warmth and dryness, which is intimately connected with the nature of the soil and subsoil. Houses on a hillside or on high ground are preferable to those at a lower level. Sir Douglas Galton condemns all sites situated