THE rectangular brick house with plain roof is ordinarily not at all distinctive or individual in appearance, but the advantages of construction and space requirements have made it perhaps the most popular type of home of moderate size and price. An occasional home builder takes the square brick type, with its undoubted utilitarian advantages, and makes of it a house that is both individual and attractive.
Such a house is that of J. W. Barnhart, 9944 S. Robey Street, in eight room size colonial. It is almost square, entrance door is in the center, and no covered porches are used, but several unusual devices have been used to destroy the monotony of the type. The most interesting of these is the window construction. Windows are exceptionally large and those of the first floor are recessed beneath large brick Roman arches. A round piece of verde antique marble set above each window is an interesting touch of color on the mixed brick wall.
Another feature is the light colored foundation stone line around the house. Entrance is from a small cement entrance porch, with iron railings, under a large door arch. The entrance hall occupies the middle of the house. An arch to the left gives into the living room and French doors on the right to the dining room. It also contains the stairs to the second floor.
The living room is 14×24 feet. The center of the outer wall is occupied by a brick fireplace. Three windows provide ample light, as they are each 52 inches wide, of 16 glass construction. French doors from the living room open into a 12×14 foot room with brick walls and red tile floor. Double casement, full-length windows are on three sides.
The dining room is of moderate size and contains a built-in china cabinet. A swinging door opens directly into the kitchen, large built in cupboards are built in the rear door.
The stairway to the basement is from a small rear hall. The basement is finished in cream and grey, and contains a fully furnished den, lighted by a large grated window; laundry room, fruit closet cooled by overflow from the refrigerator; furnace and coal rooms; and a storage room fitted with two ventilators to insure dryness.
The second floor of the house contains a hallway with doors opening into the 14×24 foot owners’ bedroom, sleeping porch, two other bed rooms, bath, and large linen closet.
The trim throughout the house is white enamel and mahogany. Lighting is by side candles, except in the dining room, where a silver and glass colonial chandelier is used.
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