A distinctive home of moderate size is that of Nelson C. Brewer at 9316 S. Robey St. The house is of original design, built of dark brick with battered walls, which slant gently inward from the ground to the roof.
The front wall line is straight, the entrance porch on the right side being set in the corner, its railing a continuation of the front and right wall lines. It is entered under a brick archway directly in front of the door. A hall occupies the center of the house from which entrance can be gained to the living room on the left through an open archway, to the dining room on the right through French doors and to a small back hallway through a door at the rear. It also contains a large coat closet and stairs leading to the second floor.
An unusual feature of the house are the windows, which are casements throughout, of unusually large size for this type. Fixtures on the first floor are of hammered brass, both wall candles and overhead indirect lighting being used in the living room.
Opposite the archway leading into the living room, which is 22×16 feet, is a large fireplace, the mantel being of narrow grey brick. Large casement windows on either side of the fire place and in the front wall make the room unusually light. An arch in the rear wall of the living room leads into sun room, 11 by 16 feet, in which the walls are of rough brick and the floor dark red tile. From this French doors open on a small pergola.
The dining room, in the right front corner of the house, is finished in white, walls being paneled. A swinging door leads from the dining room to the kitchen, through a service pantry containing ice box and china closets. The kitchen is of moderate size and conveniently arranged with built-in cabinets. A small rear porch is reached from a door in the left wall. Another door in the right wall of the kitchen leads to the rear hallway, in which are the basement stairs and a rear door, as well as a door to the sun room which allows communication with the kitchen without having to go through the front rooms.
The stairs to the second floor have an easy rise, with broad landing half way up. Doors from an upper hallway give access to two bedrooms and bath on the right side of the house and an exceptionally large and light owner’s bedroom on the left, off of which are bath room and another small bedroom. Built in chests of drawers are in the walls. All bedrooms have large closets.
The house as a whole is well balanced and compact, without giving the objectional cubical effect.
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