A house like this, will conveniently accommodate a family of six or eight persons; but some economy and contrivance will be needed, in storing away articles of dress and bedclothing. For this end, in the bedpress, _k_, of the parlor, _b_, (Fig. 18,) a wide shelf may be placed, two feet from the ceiling, where winter bedding, or folded clothing, can be stowed, while a short curtain in front, hung from the wall, will give a tidy look, and keep out dust. Under this shelf, if need be, pegs can be placed, to hold other articles; and a curtain be hung from the edge of the shelf, to conceal and protect them. Both the closets, _f, f_, should have shelves and drawers. The garret can have a window inserted in the roof, and thus be made serviceable for storage.
Figure 20 represents a fireplace and mantelpiece, in a style corresponding with the doors.
Such a cottage as this, could be built for from five hundred to nine hundred dollars, according as the expense of labor in the place, and the excellence of the materials and labor, may vary.
Figures 21 and 22, show the elevation and ground-plan of a cottage, in which the rooms are rather more agreeably arranged, than in the former plan. The elevation, (Fig. 21,) has a piazza, running across the whole front. This would cost nearly two hundred dollars; and, for this sum, another story might be added. An architect told the writer, that he could build the two-story house, (Fig. 23 and 24,) without a piazza, for the same sum, as this cottage, _with_ one. This shows the poor economy of these appendages.
The ground-plan, (Fig. 22,) will be understood, from the explanation appended to it.
_a_, Porch. _b_, Entry. _c_, Stairs. _d_, Parlor, 16 by 20 feet. _e_, Dining-room, 16 by 16 feet. _f_, Kitchen. _g, g, g_, Bedpresses. _h, h, h, h_, Closets. _i_, Store-closet. _j_, Back entry and Sink. _p_, Cellar stairs. _o, o, o_, Fireplaces.]
The parlor, _d_, is designed to have the doors (shown in Fig. 19) placed at the end, where is the bedpress, _g_. This will make it a handsome parlor, by day, and yet allow it to be used as a bedroom, at night. The bedpresses, in the other rooms, can have less expensive doors. A window is put in each bedpress, to secure proper ventilation. These should be opened, to air the bed, on leaving it. These can be fitted up with shelves, pegs, and curtains, as before described. If the elevation of the first cottage be preferred to this, as being less expensive, it can be used, by altering it a little; thus, instead of the projection for the entry, make a slight projection, of the width of one brick, to preserve the same general outside appearance. Let the windows extend down to the floor, and the beauty of symmetry will also be preserved.