A House and Garden in Switzerland

The house and garden which forms the subject of the following illustrations was designed for a hillside site in Switzerland. The site is a somewhat small one, only slightly more than one-third of an acre in extent, and is bounded on its upper and lower sides by roads which do not run parallel to each other. The house is placed parallel to the upper road, and gains a certain air of snugness by being placed somewhat below its level, so that from the entrance gate one descends eight steps into the little square entrance court. From this court vistas to right and left end in garden ornaments backed by clipped hedges. The house is symmetrically disposed, with its central arched doorway with black door relieved by metal, and on each side this recessed central portion is flanked by the projecting gables with their chimneys.

Turning to the right from the entrance court and passing the angle of the house is a small part of the garden specially arranged for children, with its swing, giant’s stride, and flower beds, while in one angle, the masses of dark shrubs which surround it are cut out into a circular recessed retreat, one of those enclosed nooks which especially recommend themselves to children. The woodwork of the swing and giant’s stride is painted in gay colours, and in the centre of the four flower beds is a circular tank, lined with turquoise-blue tiles, in which gold-fish and other aquatic pets are kept. The furnishing of this part of the garden would also include a low garden seat and table.

Descending some nine steps which pass the bay-window to the children’s room one reaches another terrace, at a lower level, from which access may be gained, through a verandah or porch, to a billiard-room on the lower floor. From this terrace also opens a small garden pavilion from which one reaches the flower garden and lawn below by means of a sloping path on the bank of shrubs above which the house and its terrace rise. On turning the corner of the house by the drawing-room bay-window one passes along the terrace which runs parallel to the garden front of the house. At the opposite end of this terrace one turns to the right down a wide flight of steps leading to the rose garden. Half-way down these steps is a landing from which to the right one looks through a shady archway of clipped shrubs into the bright flower garden with its central dipping-well and terminal pavilion. To the left from the same landing one looks into the pergola. The rose garden is laid out in square form with a circle of climbing roses on arches round another dipping-well. Here also is a semicircular recess for a seat, and passing down another flight of steps one reaches, through an iron gate under an arch, the lower road. Divided from this rose garden by a hedge is the lawn with a semicircular recess at the end for another seat, and adjoining the rose garden to the north is the shady pergola with its roof of leafage on the level of the court which adjoins it to the north. In this pergola one passes through a door, not without a suggestion of mystery, up a flight of steps into a square court. To the north of this are the kitchen premises with a drying-yard for linen which is placed half outside and half under the arched wall of the house, so that the clothes can be dried under cover in wet weather. This drying-yard immediately adjoins the washhouse and laundry. Above this one passes the back entrance, and turning the corner of the house reaches the entrance court again.

It is a garden of many vistas, a garden of mysteries and dramatic effects of light and shade, and within its narrow confines are included apartments for all weathers and all moods. From the rose garden, as shown in the sketch, the house soars above its terraces and steps, and so this aspect of the building is in marked contrast to the view from the upper road from which it appears so low and so snugly ensconced in its surroundings.

On entering the house one finds oneself in a roomy square low porch from which an inner door opens into the central hall, which one sees beyond the low-ceiled gallery which forms a picturesque approach to the dining-room from the drawing-room. The drawing-room is divided from the hall by folding doors, and these two rooms together afford an ample floor-space. In each the open fireplaces are important features. In the hall the fire is placed under a wide arch of masonry, and in the drawing-room a corner fireplace is arranged with copper hood, wide open hearth, and tiled wall-spaccs. The dining-room has a recess which would be used for the less formal meals, and adjoining this and conveniently placed for service are the kitchen premises. The hall is two storeys in height with a gallery and lofty bay-window overlooking the terrace and garden.

From the deeply recessed doorway adjoining the fireplace of the hall one reaches a garden-room and little upper terrace, from which the lower terraces and garden are reached by a flight of steps. The children’s room and study occupy the opposite wing of the house to the kitchen, and both open out to another square verandah.

Below this main floor-level is another floor which from the garden side becomes on a level with the main terraces. Here, besides the necessary washhouse, laundry, heating-chamber, servants’ hall, bathroom and w.c, and the cellars, there is also a billiard room with large ingle fireplace and verandah opening on to the terrace.

On the bedroom floor are four bedrooms, three dressing—rooms, two bathrooms, and a linen-room over the porch. Two of the bedrooms have v/ide balconies with flat roofs.

On the attic floor are four attics and a large studio.

The walls of the exterior are finished in creamy white with red tiled roof.