DOI article:
British domestic architecture and decoration
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41876#0013
BRITISH DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE
AND DECORATION
N this and previous issues of “The Studio Year Book of Decora-
tive Art ” considerable attention has been given to contemporary
domestic Architecture in Great Britain, more especially to the
country house, which as a rule offers more scope for the display
of individual expression than does the town dwelling, where the
architect often receives but little assistance from, or is even hampered
by, the immediate surroundings. In the country, on the other
hand, if the site has been carefully selected the environments will not
only help him to determine the design and treatment of the building,
but will in most cases prove an important factor in the ultimate
success of his work. And for this reason it is desirable that the
architect should be entrusted with the general planning of the
It is then the country houses that we find more interesting
because of the freedom which they offer to the architect, and because
of the opportunity they give for the exercise of his ingenuity in
adapting the building to its surroundings, and it is from them that
we are better able to judge the true trend of contemporary work.
After carefully examining the numerous illustrations of country
houses which have appeared in the last few issues of this publication
one is tempted to ask—Is it possible to trace in these various examples
any distinct tendency towards a national style ? Such a question is
not easy to answer, for thoughcertain of the houses show some originality
of design, the majority reveal a distinct leaning towards one or other
of the traditional styles. We may say, however, that though many
of the houses are based obviously on the Georgian, it seems that the
greater number of architects are adopting as the foundation of their
designs the styles of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, and
adapting them successfully to the needs and requirements of the
present day. And the reason of this is not far to seek. The domestic
architecture of those periods was based on thoroughly sound and
practical lines. It was not only especially well suited to the climatic
conditions and to the natural characteristics of the country, but the
builders were compelled by force of circumstances to rely on the
local materials available. Thus it conformed to some of the funda-
mental principles of sound architecture. Mr. L. March Phillipps
has clearly put this point in a recent article in The Morning Post.
He says : “ The manor houses of Sixteenth Century England were
a perfectly spontaneous growth, an outcome of their environment.
They incarnated the ideals of country life as they never since have
been incarnated. The comforts, the joys, the responsibilities of that
i
AND DECORATION
N this and previous issues of “The Studio Year Book of Decora-
tive Art ” considerable attention has been given to contemporary
domestic Architecture in Great Britain, more especially to the
country house, which as a rule offers more scope for the display
of individual expression than does the town dwelling, where the
architect often receives but little assistance from, or is even hampered
by, the immediate surroundings. In the country, on the other
hand, if the site has been carefully selected the environments will not
only help him to determine the design and treatment of the building,
but will in most cases prove an important factor in the ultimate
success of his work. And for this reason it is desirable that the
architect should be entrusted with the general planning of the
It is then the country houses that we find more interesting
because of the freedom which they offer to the architect, and because
of the opportunity they give for the exercise of his ingenuity in
adapting the building to its surroundings, and it is from them that
we are better able to judge the true trend of contemporary work.
After carefully examining the numerous illustrations of country
houses which have appeared in the last few issues of this publication
one is tempted to ask—Is it possible to trace in these various examples
any distinct tendency towards a national style ? Such a question is
not easy to answer, for thoughcertain of the houses show some originality
of design, the majority reveal a distinct leaning towards one or other
of the traditional styles. We may say, however, that though many
of the houses are based obviously on the Georgian, it seems that the
greater number of architects are adopting as the foundation of their
designs the styles of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, and
adapting them successfully to the needs and requirements of the
present day. And the reason of this is not far to seek. The domestic
architecture of those periods was based on thoroughly sound and
practical lines. It was not only especially well suited to the climatic
conditions and to the natural characteristics of the country, but the
builders were compelled by force of circumstances to rely on the
local materials available. Thus it conformed to some of the funda-
mental principles of sound architecture. Mr. L. March Phillipps
has clearly put this point in a recent article in The Morning Post.
He says : “ The manor houses of Sixteenth Century England were
a perfectly spontaneous growth, an outcome of their environment.
They incarnated the ideals of country life as they never since have
been incarnated. The comforts, the joys, the responsibilities of that
i