Chapter II: Part 2

House 6533 is one of the few designs in which a separate dining space was allotted. Many people do not consider a separate dining room essential in the small farmhouse, and additional space adds to the cost, but in this case the arrangement adds to the spaciousness of the interior without greatly increasing the cost.

The rear entry is large enough to serve as laundry and washroom, and constitutes a back way from the kitchen to the bedrooms and bathroom without passing through the living room.

The kitchen, with cross ventilation and ample cupboard and counter space, is a pleasant workshop for the housewife, and is so arranged that easy service to the dining alcove is possible.

The bedrooms and adjoining bath are grouped together, allowing that portion of the house to be closed off from the living portion.

In the cellar is the heating plant, with fuel bin.

The house is kept low to give it an appearance of hugging the ground, but in no case should the joists be below the ground level. Shingles, beveled siding, or clapboards may be used for the exterior surface.

[25] Prepared by Max Uhlig for the department of agricultural engineering, Massachusetts Agricultural College.

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HOUSES OF MORE THAN ONE STORY

In many respects houses of more than one story are better suited for farm use in the Northern States than single-story buildings. They are more economical in foundation and roof construction, and are easier to heat. They should be arranged with one bedroom and a bath, or at least a toilet, on the ground floor. A cellar for fuel and vegetable storage and a central heating plant are usually needed with this type of house. The laundry may also be located in the cellar if suitable drainage and a grade door to the outside can be obtained, but in a poorly drained location it is best to keep the laundry above-ground. In building a cellar advantage should be taken of the slope of the ground to obtain good lighting and an easy entrance on the low side of the slope.

To avoid uncomfortably warm second-floor bedrooms in summer cross ventilation should be provided in each room. Insulation of the ceiling is valuable both in summer and in winter.

It is very convenient to have a bathroom on the second-floor as well as one on the first-floor, especially if rooms are to be rented to tourists when the family does not need the whole house.

PLAN 6534[26]

Floor areas: Superstructure, original house, 1,420 square feet; with
living room addition, 1,720 square feet. Cellar, 775 square feet.
Porches, 285 square feet.

The first-floor and cellar plans of house 6534 are almost the same as the original unit of no. 6525 (p. 32), but there are comfortable bedrooms, a bath, and closet space on the second-floor. If funds are available to build the living room wing indicated, the entire dwelling will breathe the traditional southern spirit of hospitable spaciousness.

The hall and stair arrangements of this house are very good. Persons coming in at the back door can leave wraps in the vestibule at the head of the cellar stairs and go directly to any downstairs room or to the cellar, yet there is little lost space.

If the house should at some time be occupied by a small family, the entire upstairs could be shut off. Persons wishing rooms for tourists will find either the upstairs bedrooms or the downstairs bedroom and bath very suitable for this purpose.

[26] Prepared by H. B. Boynton and J. M. Thompson for the department of agricultural engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

PLAN 6535[27]

Floor areas: Superstructure, 820 square feet. Porch, 30 square feet.

This might well be considered the smallest story-and-a-half farmhouse that could be practicably built. The designer has utilized the space to good advantage, omitting a bath in the original structure for the sake of economy. The working drawings show a future addition to the house which provides a bedroom and bath on the first-floor. The alternate floor plan shows a dormer in the rear like the one on the front, to make room for a second-floor bath.

A distinctive feature of this compact design is the =L=-shaped kitchen with its well-grouped and well-lighted working surfaces and dining table. The arrangement of an =L=-shaped room is often a problem when enlarging or remodeling. The living room is arranged for both day and night use, with a folding bed in a closet.

[27] Prepared by C. T Bridgman for the department of agricultural engineering, Iowa State College.

PLAN 6536,[28] FOR THE NORTH

Floor areas: Superstructure, 1560 square feet. Cellar, 400 square
feet. Porch, 210 square feet.

This design illustrates a type of farmhouse frequently built in recent years because of its simple lines and economy of construction. It illustrates the pleasing possibility of fitting the farmhouse to sloping ground, with ample light in the basement and easy flights of steps between the house proper, the large workroom at the rear, and the cellar.

The partition between the main rooms downstairs is carried up to divide the second-floor, giving these bedrooms ample size and good cross ventilation and making a strong construction that will not sag in years to come. A second bathroom may be provided in the storage space by the chimney, thus adding to the comfort of the home and making the upstairs rooms suitable for rental to tourists if desired. The roof should be insulated to give comfort both in summer and in winter.

The downstairs hall, lighted by the windows on the stairs, is compact and provides easy communication between all rooms. The living room is well-lighted and has good wall spaces for furniture. The combined kitchen and dining room, with the sink at right angles to the outside wall, as shown in the interior view, gives the housewife three walls of continuous work surfaces and in addition light and the view from all the windows of the room. Children can play or older members visit in the dining end with slight interference to the housewife's work. This is especially helpful on chilly days in the fall and spring when the kitchen stove provides the only heat in the house.

The part basement furnishes space for a furnace and for storage of fruits and vegetables.

[28] Prepared by C. J. Poiesz and Eldred Mowery for the Bureaus of Agricultural Engineering and Home Economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

PLAN 6537[29]

Floor areas: Superstructure (including enclosed porch) 1,520 square
feet. Cellar, 840 square feet. Terrace and steps, 100 square feet.

House 6537 is similar in many respects to no. 6536, and has much the same advantages, though the rooms are somewhat smaller. A second downstairs bedroom can be added beside the bathroom, if needed, or the two bedrooms on the second-floor can be left unfinished if funds are not on hand to complete the building in the beginning.

The sketch indicates the roof line sweeping down snug over the window of the first-floor bedroom, a feature which is carried out with similar success in plan 6538. Designs of this type help to keep a two-story home from appearing too tall and make it a more harmonious unit in the farmstead scheme.

[29] Prepared by T. A. Zink for the department of agricultural engineering, Purdue University.

PLAN 6538[30]

Floor areas: Superstructure, 1,740 square feet. Cellar, 385 square
feet. Stoops, 80 square feet.

House 6538 may be roofed in a number of ways, with slight alterations in the arrangement of the second-floor. The appearance is, of course, greatly altered; but in each case is pleasing. With the modernistic flat roof, any waste spaces caused by the sloping roofs in the other designs are eliminated. The storage room on the second-floor then becomes suitable for a child's bedroom, a sewing room, or an office, and the flat-deck porch roof will serve as a sleeping porch.

The plan is simple and well proportioned. Since the arrangement of the entrance is a little unusual, the location of the driveway and the path to the barn should be given careful study before deciding upon the site and placing of the house.

Construction should be simple. In the case of the modernistic house, concrete or stucco is suggested for the first story and boards and battens for the second.

[30] Prepared by W. K. Bartges and Earl Barnett for the department of agricultural engineering. University of California..

PLAN 6539,[31] FOR THE NORTH

Floor areas: Superstructure, original house, 1,100 square feet; with
kitchen addition, 1,270 square feet; with all additions shown, 1,620
square feet. Porches, original house, 90 square feet; completed house,
285 square feet. Cellar, 565 square feet.

Thousands of farmhouses in all parts of the North and Middle West have begun like house 6539, and the development illustrated for this one should offer helpful suggestions both to farmers who plan to build new and those who expect to remodel present houses. It is a very practical design, expressing honest dignity.

The plans on this page show the original unit, which would supply a comfortable yet economical dwelling, with a basement for fuel and storage. The first addition might be either the new 7 kitchen and porch or the downstairs bedroom, bath, and laundry. If needed, a third upstairs bedroom and a bathroom can be added over those in the first-floor addition, as shown in the working drawings, with little loss of material or work, because the downstairs bedroom has a flat-deck roof. This would increase the floor area of the superstructure to 1,900 square feet.

[31] Prepared by J. M. Deibert for the Bureaus of Agricultural Engineering and Home Economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

PLAN 6540[32]

Floor areas: Superstructure, 1,380 square feet. Porch, 70 square feet.
Cellar, 760 square feet.

This plan is intended for use in the North, where the compact floor plan with cellar and inside chimney and the front vestibule will simplify the heating problem. The first-floor level is above the ordinary height of packed snow in winter, but the grade entrance gives easy communication with both the cellar and the main part of the house. This permits convenient use of the cellar as a washroom and laundry, if in a well-drained location, as well as for storage purposes.

The house is roomy and well-arranged, with a downstairs bedroom and bathroom. By a slight change to make the second-floor like the first, a bathroom or toilet could be arranged in the large closet by the stairs. Storage space is provided in the attic.

All second-floor partitions are directly above those of the first floor, thus making a strong, rigid house with the least framing material.

[32] Prepared by H. W. Orth and R. A. Gmeinder for the division of agricultural engineering, University of Minnesota.

VERY SMALL HOUSES

The dimensions of the houses in the very-small-house group are kept to the minimum by using the living rooms for sleeping rooms at night. These houses cannot be considered adequate for the typical farm family, but will serve for young married couples or for tenants with small families.

PLAN 6501[33]

Floor areas: Superstructure, 325 square feet. Stoop, 15 square feet.

In plan 6501, sleeping space is provided in double-deck beds screened from the living room by draw curtains. If more space is wanted later, a bedroom wing can be added at the end of the living room. To save space, the kitchen is planned for an oil, gas, or electric stove. With a house of this size, part of the housework would have to be done outdoors, and a paved or graveled space under a tree near the house would be a convenience.

[33] Prepared by H. E. Wichers, N. F. Resell, and O. S. Ekdahl, for Kansas State College.

PLAN 6502[34]

Floor areas: Superstructure, 600 square feet. Stoop, 35 square feet.

The special feature of plan 6502 is the well-arranged kitchen, with good storage space and a compact work area at one side of the direct line of travel from the back door. Some privacy at night is afforded by the double wardrobes and folding screen between the two beds in the living room. The side porch will serve the double purpose of workroom and sleeping porch. It should be screened and have curtains to keep out the rain. By adding 4 feet to the living room and an additional partition, a third room could be provided. A shower bath may be installed in the large closet as shown.

[34] Prepared by A. L. Matthews and N. G. Napier for the department of agricultural engineering, University of Arkansas,

PLAN 6503[35]

Floor areas: Superstructure, original house 520 square feet; with
addition, 825 square feet.

Small homes are often cut up into several rooms, with the result that in them a person has a "boxed-in" feeling. In plan 6503 the rooms are few, and each is used for more than one purpose. If the cost must be kept to a minimum, the bedroom and sleeping porch may be omitted in the original construction. The kitchen-dining room is unusually large for a house of this size, and the equipment is grouped in the front part of the room where the housewife can have a good view of the highway.

When the bedroom and sleeping porch are built, the bunk in the kitchen-dining room may be taken out to provide more dining space; or if one desires a cellar under part of the house, the cellar stairway may replace the bunk space. A large window and high-beamed ceiling are features of the living room. The chimney must not be too small; it is a feature of the house.

[35] Prepared by R. A. Deal and W. W. DeNeff for the department of agricultural engineering, State College of Washington.

PLAN 6504,[36] FOR THE SOUTHWEST

Floor areas: Superstructure, 430 square feet. Porches, 145 square feet.

Plans 6504 and 6505 were designed for the central valleys of California, where outdoor sleeping is invited, by the mild nights.

These were designed for temporary homes to be used later as shops, bunk houses, storage buildings, or for other uses, so concrete floors are recommended. Low-cost "frameless" construction is shown in the working drawings. There are no ceilings. The shower baths shown in the plans can be installed cheaply.

The kitchens and work porches are large enough for the needs of a good-sized family. Plenty of windows are provided for ventilation. The kitchen arrangement shows a wood-burning stove, and a large refrigerator placed against an inside wall for protection from the outdoor heat. It is expected that meals will ordinarily be eaten in the kitchen or outdoors.

PLAN 6505,[36] FOR THE SOUTHWEST

Floor areas: Superstructure, 410 square feet. Porches, 125 square feet.

[36] Prepared by W. K. Bartges and Earl Barnett for the department of agricultural engineering, University of California.

PLAN 6506,[37] FOR NEW ENGLAND

Floor areas: Superstructure, 540 square feet. Porches, 60 square feet.

Though the rooms in plan 6506 have been kept as small as possible in order to reduce cost, good use of space is realized in the arrangement. Additions to the house would enable it to accommodate an average-sized family.

A work-porch addition beside the kitchen and living room, between the windows, would provide a place for laundry work and for hanging outer wraps. A bathroom might be built by enclosing a portion of the front porch and enlarging the window to make a doorway from the hall. If desired, a third bedroom could be added at the end of the living room.

[37] Prepared by Bernhard Dirks for the department of agricultural engineering, Massachusetts State College.

PLAN 6507,[38] FOR THE NORTH

Floor areas: Superstructure, original house, 380 square feet; with
first addition 600 square feet. Porches and entrances, 50 square feet.
Cellar, first unit 380 square feet; with addition 600 square feet.

Plan 6507 is intended for snowy sections, and the first-floor is purposely raised above the winter snow level. The house can be built in either one or two stages.

No partition divides the kitchen and living room, which permits heating the house with the kitchen range in mild weather. It also aids ventilation in summer and facilitates serving of meals in the living room.

The steps to the cellar are outside the house, protected by a storm door. There is ample space in the cellar for laundry and storage. A cistern under the kitchen provides soft water.

[38] Prepared by S. A. Witzel for the department of agricultural engineering, University of Wisconsin.

PLAN 6508,[39] FOR THE NORTHWEST

Floor areas: Superstructure, first stage 385 square feet; second stage
605 square feet; third stage 755 square feet. Porches and steps, first
stage 20 square feet; second and third stages 70 square feet.

This house is designed for the minimum requirements of beginners on the land, the first portion being 16 by 24 feet outside. It may either be enlarged for a permanent dwelling or later used as a service building. The bedroom is ample in size, but the living room, because it must also be used temporarily as a kitchen and dining room, will be crowded. This unit may be made 18 feet instead of 16 feet wide. Later the kitchen and a small bedroom may be added at the rear of the first unit, with a side porch off the kitchen. The door between the kitchen and living room will then be changed to the right of the chimney, and a narrow hall taken off the rear of the front bedroom.

If an additional bedroom is desired, it can be added to the left of the bathroom, making the third stage for this house. The closet in the kitchen should be removed and a door cut through to allow easy access from the kitchen to the bath and bedrooms. The bedroom closets must be rearranged to allow for these changes.

[39] Prepared by R. A. Deal and W. W. DeNeff for the department of agricultural engineering, State College of Washington.

PLAN 6509,[40] FOR THE SOUTH

Floor areas: Superstructure, 525 square feet. Porches and steps, 90
square feet.

Plans 6509 and 6510, for the South and the Middle West, respectively, are low-cost houses for families that need only one bedroom. The kitchens are well-arranged and have good storage space. Closet space also is ample for houses of this size.

A storage and workroom, as shown in plan 6510, is a good feature for the North but is not so much needed in the South, where mild weather permits doing much housework outdoors. The living room fireplace and kitchen range should heat house 6509 comfortably under ordinary southern conditions, but in the North arrangements should be made for a stove or circulator heater as in plan 6510.

[40] Prepared by W. C. Breithaupt and H. W. Dearing for the department of agricultural engineering, Alabama Polytechnic Institute.

PLAN 6510,[41] FOR THE MIDDLE WEST

Floor areas: Superstructure, 740 square feet. Porches and steps, 60
square feet.

[41] Prepared by H. J. McKee and Arthur Wupper for the department of agricultural engineering, University of Illinois.

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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1934

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C.

Price 10 cents

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Transcriber Notes

All illustration were move so that paragraphs were not split. All plan footnotes were moved to the end of that plan. All plan illustrations were captioned and standardized to ALL CAPS.