The Gentleman's House: Or, How to Plan English Residences, from the Parsonage to the Palace; with Tables of Accommodation and Cost

by Robert Kerr

Robert Kerr (1823 – 1904) was a British architect, architectural writer and co-founder of the Architectural Association. He was a prolific writer as well as lecturer on architectural subjects. Geoffrey Tyack describes his book The Gentleman’s House, or, How to plan English residences, from the parsonage to the palace (1864) as "the most lucid and encyclopaedic account available of mid-Victorian domestic planning". Kerr was also the editor of the third edition of James Fergusson's History of the modern styles of architecture (London 1891) which he expanded.

Contents:
PART FIRST.
A Sketch Of The History And Development Of Domestic Plan In England.
I.—Programme:
II.—Eleventh Century—Saxon:
III.—Eleventh Century—Norman:
IV.—Twelfth Century:
V.—Thirteenth Century:
VI.—Fourteenth Century:
VII.—Fifteenth Century:
VIII.—Sixteentm Century:
IX.—Seventeenth Century:
X.—Eighteenth Century;
XI.—Nineteenth Century:
PART SECOND.
FIRST DIVISION: THE FAMILY APARTMENTS.
Section I.—General Considerations.
I.—Programme:
II.—Privacy:
III.—Comfort:
IV.—Convenience:
V.—Spaciousness:
VI.—Compactness:
VII.—Light And Air:
VIII.—Salurrity:
IX.—Aspect And Prospect:
X.—Cheerfulness:
XI.—Elegance:
XII.—Importance:
XIII.—Ornamentation:
Section II.—The Day Rooms.
I.—Dining-room:
II.—Parlour Dining-room:
III—Morning-room:
IV.—Breakfast Or Lu.ncheon-uoom:
V.—Drawing-room:
VI.—BOUDOIR:
VII.—Library:
VIII.—Billiard-room:
IX.— Entleman's-room Or Business-room:
X.—Study:
XI.—Saloon:
XII.—Private Family Suite:
XIII.—House Conservatory (and Winter-garden):
XIV.—Smoking-room:
XV.—Gentlemen's Odd-room:
I.—An Ordinary Bedroom:
II.—An Ordinary Dressing-room:
III.—General Arrangement of The Rooms:
IV.—Family Bedchamrer Suite:
V.—Guests' Suites:
VI.-- Other Special Bedchambers:
VII.—Miscellaneous Bedchamrers:
Section IV.—The Children’s Rooms.
I.—General Remarks:
II.—Nurseries And Suite:
III.—Schoolroom And Suite:
Section V.—The Supplementaries.
I.—Cloak-room:
II.—Lavatory/, &c.:
III.—Bath-room:
IV.—Plunge Bath, &c.:
V.—Water-closets:
Section VI —The Thoroughfares.
I-general Remarks:
II.—Porch:
III.—Entrance-hall:
IV.—Garden Entrance:
V.—Luggage Entrance:
VI.—Other Secondary Entrances:
VII.—Gallery, Corridor, Passage:
VIII.—Central Hall, Cortile:
IX.—Saloon, Ante-room, Vestirule, Lorry, &c.:
X.—Staircases:
SECOND DIVISION: STATE ROOMS, ETC.
I-general Remarks:
II.—State Dining-room: -
III. —State Drawing-rooms:
IV. —Ballroom:
V.—Music-room, Concert-room, Private Theatre, &c.:
VI.—Great Lirrary, Museum, &c.:
VII.—State Galleries, Galleries Of Art, &c.:
VIII.—Domestic Chapel:
IX.—State Guests' Chambers:
X.

Genres: Architecture

411 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2010

About the author

Born and raised in Nebraska, Robert Kerr has called Iowa home for more than thirty years. He attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney, The University of Kansas at Ft. Hays, and the University of Northern Iowa. He holds a master s degree in psychology, and his career path has led him through stints as a welder, a carpenter, a mental hospital attendant, a mortician’s assistant, and a general Man Friday for an electrical engineer. Since 1976, he has been a school psychologist in Central Iowa. He and his wife, Joan, have rehabilitated five houses, including a Victorian-era house that inspired Completely Restored. The father of two grown children, he lives with his wife in Ankeny, Iowa. Completely Restored is Robert’s first novel.

Reviews

[Devrun Ellerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Consider this a reference book

Carefully indexed, I use it to try to answer specific questions about old houses. I was hoping for more floor plans.