We often forget the elegance of the modern bathtub, but think of the labor of our forefathers when the bath night came around. The water had to be heated on the stove, the tub gotten out and filled with cold water from the pump, and then warmed up with the water in the teakettle, and after all was finished the water and tub had to be removed. It was quite an event, and there is no wonder that a bath was taken only once a week. But what is it to have a bath to-day, with plenty of hot water, a thermostatic control of its temperature, a fine shower, and a warm bathroom. But such things as a bathroom with its modern lavatory, water-closet, and bathtub and tiled floor and wainscot are commonplace things, and are always expected to be installed in a house. One does not question the advisability of spending money on this equipment, and so it will be in the future with much of the machinery which we hesitate to buy to-day on account of the additional cost in the construction of the house.
If one is willing to spend the money, electrically operated shampooing-machines can be installed, curling-irons, vibrators, ozonators, hair-driers, shaving-mugs, heat-baths, etc., but these seem luxuries to us yet. But will the next generation look upon them this way? A very elegant bathroom may also be equipped with built-in receptacles in the tile wainscot for holding soap, sponges, toilet-paper, tumblers, tooth-brushes, etc. Fine white-enamelled medicine-cabinets are not uncommon to see built into the walls. Glass rods for towels and glass shelves for miscellaneous objects add much to the practical up-keep of the bathroom. Faucets over the bathtubs and lavatories are now covered with white enamel and have porcelain handles, so that the work of polishing nickel ones is done away with. Water-closet bowls are designed with such deep water-seals and with such powerful flushing-jets that they do not need the cleaning that the older types required. Tubs are built into the walls and down on the floors, so that dirt cannot collect under them, as it did under the old leg-supported tubs. Thus each year brings forth more improvements that are helping to reduce the labor of keeping house.
XVII
CONCRETE WORK AROUND THE HOUSE
Concrete has become such an excellent servant to the needs of various objects built around the house that no apology will be offered for devoting a chapter to its use. Of course, one is familiar with the artistic flagstone walk with open joints through which the grass is allowed to grow, and one cannot deny the beauty of brick pavements; but in spite of these the concrete walk is found about more houses wherever one goes than any other type, and, although in most cases very ugly, yet it cannot be relegated to the past even by the most fastidious, for its existence depends upon very fundamental qualities of practical serviceability. And likewise, although we may not have seen concrete walks that had the charm of rubble-stone or brick, yet they are coming to be used more and more, for they can be made to appear very beautiful if properly made. Concrete garden furniture, concrete pools, fountains, garden ornaments, tennis-courts, and other familiar adjuncts to the lawn about the house, are making themselves evident on all sides. There is something about the material that lends itself to such uses, for even the owner of the house can get out and work in it, and need not call in a contractor.
| Rough Cast Finish or Splatter Dash | Pebble Dash |
However, much of the prejudice that exists against concrete is due to its usual ugly appearance, which is no fault of the material but of the one who built with it. We see too much concrete that is dull, pasty, and gray, and marred on the surface with cobweb lines of cracks; but this need not be. Concrete surfaces can be made as brilliant as any other material by properly treating it. All that is needed to do this is to carefully study the methods of producing textures, and texture is nothing more than breaking up the surface into small patches of light and dark, so intermingled that they give interest. For example, after the forms have been removed, the outside of the concrete can be covered with cement mortar, thrown onto it with a whisk-broom, which will make the mortar stick to the surface in little lumps and hills. The light playing over such a surface will cast shadows in the hollows between the lumps and light up the tops of the lumps. This will give a texture of interest that is pleasing to the eye. On the other hand, the cement mortar may be plastered over the surface of the concrete and used as a sticking bed to hold small pebbles of different colors and shades thrown against it. These pebbles will be colorful, some dark and dull and some light or sparkling like glass. Thus a play of broken light will be thrown back from the surface to the eye, and the observer will be pleased. Then, too, the outer layer of the cement, which was next to the forms, may be composed of white cement and some aggregate like small chips of marble. When the forms are removed it will be found that this beautiful aggregate will not show, but the entire surface will partake of the monotonous white or gray of the cement. However, if this thin coating of cement is removed, then the variety and sparkle of the aggregate below will be revealed. This might be done by striking the surface all over with a stone-cutting tool which is used to surface stones, or it might be done by a scrubbing or rubbing with carborundum blocks. There are innumerable ways by which texture can be developed on anything made of concrete, and experimenting in this line is a most fascinating employment. For this reason, if properly handled, concrete is particularly adapted to the making of all kinds of house accessories, since it is also easily shaped in moulds.