Big ideas . . . little house! These four words sum up the frustrating situation faced by many an American family these days, the way it was with William and Isabelle Rodger. In the early days of their marriage this Michigan couple invested in a piece of property in a fashionable suburb of Detroit. The house they planned to build for $15,000 had everything: space, good design, and every new feature for graceful living. Came the war and postponement. When, in 1948, they brought their house plans out of mothballs, their $15,000 dream wore a $40,000 price tag. The Rodger clan now numbered three. Daughter Jean needed a back yard of her own, Bill and Isabelle wanted to put down roots in a community with advantages for a growing-up family. They required a home in the fresh-air belt with a garden and space to entertain and room to pursue their hobbies, which are the creative and cluttery type. That's when they started studying their real needs, visualizing a compromise house that would fit the pocketbook and retain the best features of their $40,000 castle-in-the-air. The floor plan remained intact in principle but was scaled down. In the interests of space economy and possible resale value, a full basement took the place of a ground-floor utility room, provisions were made for converting the attic into living space at some future date. As the final bow to realism, the Rodgers bought a 7o x z 20- foot lot on level ground, consigning their fashionable neighbor-hood lot to the future. "Now that we look back," says Bill, "we're lucky in a way that we didn't build nine years ago. During that time our experience with rented property has taught us a good deal." They had sampled the inconvenience of the too-small house, the poorly-planned house, and the apartment with inadequate storage facilities. "And I had accumulated seven years of housekeeping experience," Isabelle adds. "I knew what I really needed and what I could do without. For example, I had never used my electric roaster because it was too much trouble to drag it out. I determined to have a special niche for it at work-level where it would be handy to use. As a result, my roaster has become my most useful helper."
Same pleasant sage green of exterior provides perfect foil for maple and pine furnishings, is special "recipe" of Mrs. Rodgers, given herein in tablespoons after a mix-and-try-and-mix-again method!
Louvered doors to shut off dining room are architect Bissell's wise idea, but evident in every room are signs of the Rodgers' handicraft. Built-in radio and record player in fireplace wall, map lamps with brass rings from a 75 mm shell are Bill's contribution ; draperies, paintings, and color schemes, Isabelle Rodger's
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