A steel-framed 1954 house from Springfield, Ohio.

5/08/2023 04:53:00 PM

This is a steel-framed post and beam house designed by architect John Kline of Springfield, Ohio. The open treatment of living-dining area makes the house doubly spacious. Service and mechanical elements are grouped. Kitchen, laundry, bathroom and heating unit go back to back for economy and best arrangement of space. The central core serves as a buffer between living and sleeping areas of this very workable floor plan. On the terrace side, living-dining areas has 20 running feet of clear wall. Half of this opens for summer living.

Glass enlarges and enriches this home visually. On private side it makes garden part of living-dining area.

From living to dining to terrace: a study in continuation. Flagstone flooring, wall, storage units, upper glass and ceiling flow to the outdoors. For an actual relationship during summer months, largest glass expands slides all the way to open the pipe column at right.

From kitchen to outdoors: limitless space gives hundred times what you paid for when adds to work center. Cabinet is a partial screen, yet space below is open for friendly relation between kitchen and living-dining area.

Living area: a big 21x19 1/2 feet at dead end of plan. At no point do you cross the room to reach another - giving flexibility in arrangement of furniture.

Parents bedroom: clothing storage runs full length of wall (17 feet) and is divided for husband and wife. Bedless half of room is adult "retreat". Second bedroom: The ceiling floats on a cushion of light and sky. Another storage wall lets room serve two youngsters.

Here's a simple rectangular plan that combines with post-and-beam framing to give a light, open structure. Steel beams propped on steel columns support the roof of this modest-size home. With a roof independent of interior wall support, you've a free hand in locating partitions a big factor in boosting spaciousness.