Americans are learning what their ancestors knew: a house can give you the best years of your life. Not just any house, of course. A house today must have all the modern mechanical blessings technology has devised to cut household labor and to create leisure for living. It should have an ingenious floor plan, designed for the comfort of the family, for convenience and privacy. And it must be beautiful in itself, in relation to its environment and to those whose home it is to be. The General Electric Wonder House shown here, built for a young family on an arm reaching into Miami's Biscayne Bay, is one example. It has all the mechanical blessings, from a petal pink dishwasher to a heating and cooling system operated by electricity. It has a floor plan that makes every inch of its 2,046 square feet count for pleasant living. Its 100' x 150' plot, complete with a swimming pool economically built of concrete blocks, is landscaped for practicality as well as beauty. On the theory that grass looks greener when there isn't too much to cut, the architect used four paved areas to break up the lawn, providing space for children's play, sunning and car parking.
IN THE MASTER BEDROOM, the early morning sun is reflected in a cheerful yellow and white color scheme. The golden cotton carpeting is not only cool and pleasant underfoot but practical because it will not mildew and is washable. Curtains are made of Fortisan, which does not stretch or shrink, is resistant to sun. At night, they can be drawn across the window wall and lighted by fluorescent tubes concealed behind the wood valances.
ON THE SCREENED PORCH, which is an extension of the living room, wrought iron furniture is covered with weatherproof sail cloth. The wide roof overhang shades whole rear of house from the hot, high midday sun.
IN THE LIVING-DINING ROOM, sofas with slip covers of washable white cotton are accented by pillows in all shades of Caribbean blues, blue-greens and pale yellows. Dining chairs are upholstered in Larkspur Blue tropical leather which remains soft and luxuriously smooth no matter how hot or humid the weather. Sand-colored carpeting of viscose and nylon does not show footprints and is impervious to moths and mildew. Curtains are the same as those in the bedroom, making one continuous sweep of pattern.
_______________________
source: House and Garden Magazine | November 1955
0 Comments