Floor Plans: Suburban Home, Huge Pantry, Bay Window...No Plumbing - 7/3/2006 - Home Remodeling Interior Decorating Design

Floor Plans: Suburban Home, Huge Pantry, Bay Window...No Plumbing

Design: Suburban Home No. 2
Architect: Oscar S. Teale

By today’s standards, “Suburban Home No. 2,” featured in the February 1871 issue of Manufacturer and Builder magazine, was remarkably inexpensive. At an estimated construction cost of $2,840, it was described as “a neat cottage designed for the accommodation of a small family.”

And if it was lacking in some things today’s buyers take for granted — like indoor plumbing — it also had some features that contemporary buyers would find very appealing.

A 4-foot by 9-foot bay window embellished with decorative woodwork was the focal point of the front elevation, the slate roof could be expected to provide decades of service, and the 9-foot ceilings on the main level lent volume and a sense of spaciousness to the admittedly small house. Perhaps the most appealing feature by today’s standards (as least among buyers who enjoy cooking) was the large, 8-foot by 12-foot pantry fitted out with closets, shelves, drawers, etc. — just about everything a gourmet cook would need.

Smaller Than the Homes of Today

At about 1,400 square feet, the home was significantly smaller than today’s typical new home, which averages 2,434 square feet. On the main level, it had an entry hall, a 12-foot by 16-foot sitting room and a 12-foot by 16-foot combined kitchen/living room in addition to the pantry.

Two 12-foot by 16-foot bedrooms and an 8-foot by 9-1/2-foot bedroom comprised the second floor, but the house had no bathrooms. Underlying the whole was a full basement accessed by the main staircase and served by a dumbwaiter located in the kitchen.

Carpentry, Masonry: Money Well Spent

According to the architect’s estimates, the carpentry could be expected to cost a total of $1,777, which would cover 5,500 board feet of lumber, windows, doors, 230 flooring boards, paint, a variety of other materials and labor.

The mason’s work, which would include finishing all walls with a triple coat of plaster, was expected to cost $988. And the roofing, primarily slate with tin over the bay window and the veranda, was expected to cost $125.

The grand total for a finished Suburban Home No. 2 ― $2,840 or roughly $38,837 in today’s dollars.

In an interesting historical footnote, an Internet search for the home’s architect, Oscar S. Teale, reveals that this house was most likely one of his earlier designs. Teale later became known for designing churches. An avid amateur magician, Teale served as a pallbearer for Harry Houdini. He also designed the famed magician’s memorial.