How ELECTRICITY made an Old-world House into a Modern Home

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 49, 20 June 1930, Page 36

How ELECTRICITY made an Old-world House into a

Modern Home

-ING-A-TING! Ting-ting-ting ! ‘That telephone PD} again. Wearily, I answered, "Yes, oh, yes; and who is it?" "Only Elsie," came the reply, "but don’t answer if you don’t want to. I know just how you feel. But I have some news that I thought you would like to be the first to hear." News from Elsie is always welcome, so bracing up, I said, "Oh, what.is it this time?" "Oh, just nothing, dear; but I’m getting married again." "Well, surely you don’t call that news, do you?" I retorted. Elsie is always getting married again. She is one of those ‘women (we all know them) whom men refuse to allow remain unmarried. I verily believe, when she was in her cradle, some small boy of six proposed for her. "Oh, well, if you’re going to be horrid about it, and all that," she said. "Y’m not, I am really thrilled," I lied, "and do tell me all about the great big HIM for this time." "Oh, nothing about him, dear, except that he has such a dreadful name. He’s called Benjamin. It’s about the house I want to talk to you. It’s odd, and it’s such a nice house, and he won’t give it up or live anywhere else. I don’t see how I can live in it the way itis now. That’s what I want you for." "Glad to be wanted, anyhow," I said. "You’d better come up here and talk about it." "Oh, no, you be a darling and motor out with me to see the old home. Lunch here first." Well, of course, Elsie is one of the people you simply can’t let down, so dccordingly we lunched and motored.

A s we lunched, | she confided that Benjamin was the owner of a good old family property in a neighbouring district. I heard that he was. a: retired sheepfarmer, who had happily made his money before the fall in prices. Seemingly, Elsie is to be the mistress of it, if she so wills. She bemoaned the fact that it was hopelessly out-of-date. She reminded me of the days when we dressed for our first balls by candle-light-but nevertheless, she was determined never to do it again, be Benjamin never so fascinating. Well, the new old house proved to be a charming home, as you may,

guess, but how neglected! Presenting a blank front to a wonderful old hedge that must have been many a year a-growing, it had one storey above the ground floor, and had been added to on either side. The back view was really the more charming of the two, looking out over a sloping landscape. We stood and looked, plan after plan tumbling into our minds. First of all, of course, the front of the house will now have to be the back, and vice versa. The present front, but henceforward the back, will be given an added charm. It will have a verandah, built at very little cost, and there Elsie will install not only electric lights, but plenty of heating points, so that breakfast, tea and supper can not only be served there but made there in fine weather. A couple of gateways will be cut into the hedge on either side of the house, and a drive made right round to the back-now the new

front of the house. At each of the gateways we shall hang an electrically-lit lantern. This new front is much the most interesting part of the building, and to it we propose to add a porch, in colonial style. ‘It shall have a really dignified lamp at fs

entrance. This part of the house now consists of a really fine old kitchen, with some good old beams. One wonders who first put them up and with what dreams of families to be. Now it is going to be the hall, and a fine one it will make. So much less room will be required for the electrical kitchen, with its electric stove, water heater, etc., and space for cooking operations, that a side room will suffice. With the old-time range removed, the old kitchen makes a truly,. delightful apartment. The stove spac¢ bricked up and an electric dog-grate installed, the mantelpiece becomes a feature of the room. Central lighting will be installed in the form of, preferably, a futurist pendant, with a standard lamp flanking a Chesterfield sofa. (Concluded ou page 40,),

A House to a Home

--- (Continued from page 33.) at one side of the fireplace, and a table bearing a lamp at the other. The table lamp should do double duty, lighting both the occupant of an easychair at the fireside and a writer at the table. So much for a comfortable general living-room. Two erstwhile bedrooms at one side of ‘this hall will now serve as dining-room and kitchen, with a'serving hatch between. The kitchen will boast a central light, partly concealed and affixed to the ceiling, with brackets over the range and sink. ... The dining-room will have its own especial pendant over the dining table, and wall brackets over the mantelpiece, to be used for reading, study, or when more general lighting is required. . On the other side of the new hall or lounge are two corresponding rooms. These we propose to make into a drawing-room for my lady, and a study for her man of wrath. The drawing-room will have a centre fitting for use in case of need, or: perhaps concealed lighting along the picture rail, to cast a soft, reflected glow over the whole room. [I think, too, that she will ask for one or more standard lamps-probably one to light @ cosy space near the fireside and another near the piano. The study will need little beyond a central light, preferably semi-indirect, and a green-shaded reading lamp. UPSTAIRs we found no less than ‘ four good rooms, arrived at by a fine staircase, terminating in a landing

nearly: as large as the new hall. For this, after planning for a lamp at the end of the stairs on the newel. post, we culled from the, old’ sitting-room one of those old settees with cane back and seats.. Somehow, it did not fit in with our ideas of downstairs, but here, with loose cushions and a fine old rug on the floor, it was ideal. It really made another sitting-room. When it began to look so nice, we let ourselves go here, and: planned for a single candle sconce on each of the three walls. Now, hush; . Not a word! ~ Never before had this house had a.bathroom! Obviously, if Elsie were about to live here one must be found, but where? There were four bedrooms corresponding to the rooms downstairs.. Should we sacrifice any ‘of our: beloved: landing? No, rather one of the bedrooms must go. And we let it go with a will... The two rooms over the kitchen and the dining-room seemed the most suitable for : lieration, so, moving the partition: between the two a little, we achieved a roomy bedroom and a noble bathroom. The bedroom, of course, will have its central fitting, its bedhead lamp, and .its. brackets over ‘the dressingtable, and I somehow think Dlsie will manage a little table lamp for a writing table. ND now the bathroom? That really will possess the mysterious quality called IT. I do not think it will have a central fitting either. Rather I think it will have two or more concealed lights of comparatively low power concealed around the cornice again. Do you know the sort? They make you wonder when you turn the light on where it is coming from. . There will be a shaving cabinet for

Benjamin, with a magnifying mirror and a light on either side of it, and another over the basin. We have not yet decided whether the basin and bath shall be sea-zreen.or mauve porcelain. © Hisie isn’t sure which will tone the better with Benjamin’s complexion. The guest rooms on the other side of the landing-no, it is much too nice to be called a landing, the upper hallshall be like unto the first. They, too, shall have their central lights to sit and talk by, while we brush the hair that we have not, the dressing table brackets by which to make our toilettes,.and their bedhead Iamps by which to read. . Benjamin, maybe, will be dismayed to find anything from 20 to 50 lamps installed in the old ‘home, but the consumption of current will be small, because each of these lamps will burn when it is wanted and only then. ‘The whole house will be enriched with lighting possibilities. . And now I am hoping Elsie will ask me to go to stay there!