File:American homes and gardens (1912) (17534162594).jpg

Title: American homes and gardens
Identifier: americanhomesgar91912newy (find matches)
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Architecture, Domestic; Landscape gardening
Publisher: New York : Munn and Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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October, 1912 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 367 of course, desirable to have genuine old pieces if one can go to that expense, but nowadays all of the good shops carry reproductions of the best examples of furniture by Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sherarton. aagggaaagggggggggaglg» HI SII *gSSM^HiSIiSSS'H'SSM'lSSaSl'Si "MOUNT PLEASANT" ON THE SCHUYLKILL (Continued from page 353) gggggggggggggagaggggaa§a a a a a a a j^a a SggjgilSlgHSSglJIIlg! glimpses and only disappear entirely when we look directly at them to be assured of their reality. They all form a part of this as of any old house, intangible and elusive, to be sure, but none the less real. So much, then, for the past. Let us look within the house as it now is. A spacious hallway as wide as a room runs through the house from east to west. In Summer if the doors at the ends are open, delightful prospects open up in either direction. The detail of classic ornament on cornice, pilaster and door trims is wonderfully rich and re- markably well preserved. To the north of the hall is the great drawing-room, running the full depth of the building, with windows looking both east and west. In the middle of the north side is a full-throated fireplace, above which is an elaborately wrought overmantel in whose central panel one instinctively feels that a canvas from the brush of Gains- borough or Kneller ought to hang. The door frames, with their heavily molded pediments, are exceptional. In fact, all the woodwork, both downstairs and up, is richer in elab- oration of detail than is usual in our Colonial Georgian. The walls of the drawing-room are colored yellow, thus making an excellent foil for the white paint of the wood- work. To the south of the hall is the dining-room, beau- tifully panelled all the way to the ceiling above and on both sides of the fireplace. The kitchen is in the basement. East of the dining-room is an L extension from the hall and there is a wide, easy, wainscotted staircase, with a balus- trade of gracefully turned spindles, ascends to the second floor. The hall arrangements above are the same as be- low—the L extension for the staircase and the wide central passage running from east to west. At the opposite ends of the hallway, immediately above the pediments of the doors on the floor below, are Palladian windows of excel- lent proportion and refined detail. South of the hall, and directly over the dining-room, is the great bedroom, where the wood carving is richer than anywhere else in the house. The overmantel is carved with an exuberant wealth of de- sign rarely seen, and deeply-tooled acanthus brackets at the door heads support ornate lintels and pediments. On the north side of the building are two ample chambers, each with a spacious corner fireplace. The third floor is reached by a narrow staircase built in the walls and hidden from view by closet doors at the entrance to one of the bed- chambers. Although the third floor rooms are low-ceiled with sloping walls and dormer windows, it is said that Ar- nold and his lady frequently occupied one of them when the number of their guests made it expedient to vacate their larger quarters below. Whether these old Colonial houses be large or small, they all have a message for us. They have a breadth of proportion combined with a quiet dignity and honesty of purpose that we to-day should do well to cultivate in our building. It is gratifying to say that "Mount Pleasant" has fallen into good hands. The city has entrusted the propertv to an automobile club, "La Moviganta Klubo," whose mem- bers and officers have spent liberally for intelligent restora- tions and repairs. A competent custodian is in charge.
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An excellent example of a bedroom in the Colonial style

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