Correspondence, 1912-1913: Design and construction

Letter from George Grant Elmslie to William Gray Purcell (March 18, 1913)

Dear old man,

Yours with your house memo at hand.

I think your own plan is a fine one, no taffy, and will work out beautifully-- But here, if you want the high living room and a sense of continuity in form and color my grimace is the better smile of the two. In fact I had the high ceiling idea that is ground level as well as the normal and usual for this scheme in mind and knit woven with it was the idea of an "all together" of what didn't maybe quite appear to you but which I feel can be made real. Yes it did appear to you or you wouldn't have liked it all. If you decide on your smile I don't think I'd have a high ceiling in the L.(iving) R.(oom).

Somehow or another I don't feel the naturalness of it with just the opening through against the wall and nothing specially attractive about it. It seems just a little bit like "let's lift up the Dining Room Edna...it will be fun," and lifted it up you did.

The other seems more of an organism. Maybe it isn't, but it seems to gradually lead from the one motif of use into another in a kindlier way. And when you get indoors you see something of interest right away. You don't look up a flight of step(s) to a blank dining room wall. You look at the resolving motif as I call it between the rooms with some play of seat, desk, hanging flowers, etc. and feel pleasant about it.

And then the porch and over sleeping porch; what? I have a mighty great hesitation in suggesting the thing to do. The question of cost is imminent and if there is in my grimace quite an element of the appealing there is in yours maybe a fitness and reasonableness that more than counterbalances the appeal.

Your second floor of my plan is a beaut with that chimney coming where it does would be an excitement. I'd flat grovel the 2nd floor, plateau-ize it in fact. Here. Stop, and get busy. Willie I wish we dared tackle it. If in any way I could vitally help you to get something really useful and economical and wise!

Sorry I get on your nerves. Sorry. Sorry.

Just remember 20 hours a day for me and chances for improvement going glimmering. How long! God only knows. I see nothing but rocks and a sunset--I seek out, try to find quietness. I daily do. Someday it will come. And one man more or less when he is tired beyond endurance is not of much consequence anyway. That is the main point after all our egotism and vanities.

People abroad sail on "Amerika" the 29th and Chicago 7 or 8 of April. They are well and eager to get home.

I hope I won't give one more item of trouble for at least 2 days!

From office,

Geo.

(over).

It would be pretty fine to boost the business up 8'0" and get maid's quarters down below. There are so many possibilities that it is rather upsetting in the end ever to put down to a reasonable basis.

Well we will see what we will see.

Geo.

Sater said he would be over at 4 with the sketch for inspection before shipment.


Sketch for fireplace mural
Miles Sater
(Poor color reproduction)
 

research courtesy mark hammons