r its charm and decided not to supplant it by a modern home. But
the house stood too near the road; there was no privacy and no freedom
from dust. It was of such solid construction, however, that its moving
could be easily accomplished. So, slowly but surely, it slid down the
hill and finally rested on the foundations which had been designed for
the summer house.
[Illustration: The Entrance Porch]
Under the direction of Mr. George Hunt Ingraham, the remodeling was
begun. The old lines of the roof were left unaltered, and although more
room was needed, dormers were left out in its reconstruction. Nothing,
the new owners felt, could so destroy the lines of the house as to break
them with intrusions such as this. The long, unbroken skyline is one of
its greatest charms, and even the long slope at one side, reaching down
and over the one-story kitchen ell, has been carefully retained and adds
not a little to the harmonious effect of the whole structure. At the
front was added a small porch showing Colonial treatment, in the center
of which hang graceful vases filled with iris. The same latticed effect
was carried out across the front of the house in the space between the
windows of the first and second stories. On either side of the main
dwelling, outdoor living-rooms were secured by the introduction of
screened piazzas, the roofs of which were painted with water-proof
paint. One of these living-rooms opens on to a water-garden with its
arches of roses at one side of the house. It is fitted up with willow
furniture, in the coverings of which is introduced the prevailing
flower, the iris, which is also shown in the table cover and the shape
of the vase filled with the same flowers. The opposite porch is also
fitted up as a living-room and overlooks the home garden. The exterior
of the house is painted white with conventional green blinds, the
chimneys following the same treatment, while the windows remain
unchanged. The massive stone fireplaces were not taken out, although the
old kitchen chimney had to be altered slightly in order to meet present
needs. The house to-day overlooks extensive grounds and is embowered in
a wealth of rambler roses and iris. It resembles the old house in its
lines but shows in its remodeled form a most wonderful effect and
reveals what beautiful results can be obtained by correct restoration.
[Illustration: From the Garden]
The house is named "Iristhorpe," the name being chosen by the mist
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