International studio (27.1905/1906(1906))

The Country Cottage


more simple means has
been adopted occasionally
in our own country. In-
stead of the roofs mitreing
in a hard line the tiles or
stone slates have been
worked round the valley ;
this, it need hardly be
said, is rather an expensive
way of connecting two
roofs, and in carrying out
needs a great deal of care
lest the water should get
through; but once this dif-
ficulty is overcome the
result is worth the addi-
tional labourand expense.
Inside the cottage, the
consideration of material?
is no less important than

cour esofplain tilesshould
be used. Care should be
taken to avoid tiles having
that hard and metallic
appearance which neither
age npr custom can make
pleasant to the eye. The
gauge in tiling should be
from 3-5 to 4 inches—
never more than the latter;
and, when possible, the
tiles should be slightly
curved.' No one who is
familiär with old German
methods, as they may still
be seen for instance in
such towns as Heidelberg,
can forget the wonderful
charm of the tiling on
upper storeys and around
dormer windows, where
materials apparently hard
and unyielding have be-
come so plastic under the
artist’s hand, and allowed
themselves to be so cun-
ningly tucked and folded
round theawkward Corners
that the very touch of the
dexterous fingers seems
to dwell upon them still.
Without plagiarising this
delightful method of tiling
and slating, a similar but



PLANS OF A PAIR OF WEEK-END COTTAGES

G. LL. MORRIS, ARCHITECT