Design No. 16 — A Country Villa
This villa, which has just been erected in Berkshire, in the neighbourhood of Windsor, is intended as the country residence for a lady of rank. The living rooms are large and noble, and the accommodation for a small establishment ample. The plate (page 182) shows the garden front, and above is the ground plan. The two principal rooms, the drawing and dining-rooms, are respectively 25 feet by 18 feet and 21 feet by 18 feet. They are to the left of the hall; this, of moderate size, leads to the principal staircase, which is of very easy ascent, each step rising less than
6 inches. The second landing opens to the servants’ staircase; b (see page 183) is the kitchen, size 15 feet by 14 feet, with the larder h, leading directly out of it,—g is the scullery, with an oven, and a shoot into the dustpit m, n is the housekeeper’s room, and j the butler’s pantry; c is the lady’s room or study. This was enlarged, by taking down the partition, marked on the plan by the dotted lines, to allow of a splendid oak cabinet being placed there. A door in the room opens direct into that of the housekeeper; k is the dairy, and l a place for coals. The wine cellar was at first intended to be placed under the principal flight of stairs, descending a few steps; but a large one, b (see page 184), was afterwards made.
The plan of the upper story shows it containing two large principal bedchambers—each with a dressing-room, and a large room with two fireplaces serving as a nursery, but which could at any time be made into two rooms by putting up partitions.
The servants’ sleeping apartments, the housemaid’s closet, and the servants’ staircase, occupy the remaining portion of the plan.
The cost of erecting the carcase of the building, including the wine cellar, was 1108l. The cost of finishing, putting up the principal staircase in Portland stone, and leaving all work required to be painted with two coats, but exclusive of papering, stoves, ironwork, marble mantelpieces, conservatory, verandah and exterior decorations to roof, was 1550l. Mr. Hockley, of Kensington, was the builder. When the mansion was finished so far, all ornamentations, &c., formed an agreeable occupation for the lady to complete from favourite examples seen by her on the Continent. The extra parquet flooring in the dining and drawing-rooms is from Switzerland. This cost 148l. All the stone flooring of the hall, staircase, passages, and conservatory, is covered with tiles from Italy; these are about 8 inches square, but not so well made as the English kind, although more artistic. Each has a small figure put in by hand, which is different on every tile. The tiles are faced with a white china ground and look extremely well. The common tiles cost 16s. per 100. The grotesque figured tiles, of which the illustration on page 189 shows four, cost 2l. per 100. They were supplied by M. Giustiniani, of Naples. The marble chimney-pieces were to be supplied from Italy. The ironwork of the staircases, and the panel to fill up the opening in staircase, shown dotted in the upper plan, were supplied from Paris. It is different from any ironwork that can be procured here, of elegant design, and covered apparently with a thin coat of zinc. This gives it a silvery metallic appearance, and it does not require painting; it is really a coating of glass, and is termed the lavenant process. It it said to be a great preservative of the iron, and can be put on in different colours. Each of the windows of the principal rooms, and the hall, is fitted within with Price’s steel revolving shutters. These cost 75l. The upper windows on the outside have iron balconets, likewise from France, and the roof, surrounding the principal parts, is finished with the French cut pine patterns. They were supplied by M. Jules Millet, of 12, Boulevard du Temple. The entrance door has the two upper panels filled with French castings, executed in a fashion different from the English mode; but one quite worthy to be followed. The iron panel is placed on the outside, with a light iron glazed casement fitted behind it. This in warm weather can be opened, so as to admit fresh air into the hall. The plan and elevation of the casement shown from the inside, on page 187; by the side of it is one quarter of the external iron casting.
It may be remarked that these French patterns, both in iron and wood, are not finished off as clean as they would be in England. The castings appear just as they came out of the sand, and the wood pattern exactly as the machines or saw left them; but they are extremely elegant, and the metallic appearance of the ironwork is very pleasing.
The former house is pulled down, except a portion, permitted to remain, which is formed into a decorative building for the garden; the plan (page 188) shows a the old kitchen, b the wine cellar made into an ice-house, d a lock-up closet, f a prospect tower, c a closet in a small enclosed garden, and e, a garden seat.
On page 190 is a pattern sent from Paris for the staircase railing.