Pueblo House

Before the coming of the Spaniards into the Southwest there lived a sedentary Indian population in cities, which had developed an appropriate native architecture. Their houses, were terraced to several floors and built up into picturesque, natural masses of stone or adobe. The "flowing" quality of line which asserts itself in their elevation probably comes through the Indian appreciation of nature's disregard for right lines. He therefore shows no respect for them nor for mathematical right angles. Thus his plans, as well as his masses, show many pleasant little inexactnesses which impart to their houses a quality of life that no mathematically accurate structure can possibly have. There is a human friendliness in the houses, the rounded and softened lines of which were stroked into place by the bare palms of the Indian masons who built them.My interest in Southwestern archaeology influenced the decision to build a small adobe house and combine the Pueblo style with the Modern trent harmoniously. No architect was employed, but our contractor, a native Arizonian, gave us invaluable help in designing the house.

Adobe bricks are made of a mixture of clayey loam, straw, or other suitable bonding material and water. When dried in the sun it becomes hard and durable. In this country, the use of sun-dried brick has almost entirely replaced the older custom of the Pueblo Indians of piling the mud in layers on the wall. So we, like the Indian, decided upon plebeian adobe for wall construction, using the 4x12x18", 48 pound brick. Pine logs were brought from Northern Arizona for the roof beams and Coconino flagstone, for floors. These native Arizona products reduced our building cost considerably.The adobe walls are plastered on the outside with a cement mixture and covered with earth colored stucco. Modern felt and asphalt roofing over one-inch insulation board insures a perfectly waterproof covering and obviates the invariable mud streaked walls and damp interiors of the type of construction of former days. Thus, modern building materials improve upon the older utilities without a sacrifice of the old-time beauties. Steel sash windows is another modern change incorporated into the plan.

The living room was designed for comfortable living. The rough Coconino flagstone floor is treated with a filler and waxed, bringing out all the colors of the Grand Canyon sandstone. The pine log beams in the ceiling, projecting beyond the walls outside, have only the outer bark removed and most of the inner bark left on, finished with a transparent sealer that imparts a rich brown to the inner bark and shows the natural wood where the inner bark was removed. Plaster was used in-between log beams to emphasise their rugged beauty.

From the earliest days of civilization the fireplace has been an important feature of the house and adds much to the cheerfulness of a home. This was built into a corner on a raised flagstone hearth, flanked on each side by recessed cabinets with heavy wooden shelves and used for books and prehistoric pottery. A large recessed bookcase on the east wall is a necessary adjunct to our home. The heavy wooden shelves are built flush with the wall and painted the same color as the wall. No decoration was introduced, since books are bright hued and in themselves form a decorative spot.

Walls and the plaster between the log beams in the ceiling are painted a rich cream, showing considerable texture. The woodwork is painted a shade darker. Wrought iron hardware is used and two rustic hanging lamps with glass chimneys are suspended from the ceiling. No draperies are used other than Venetian blinds of cream to match the walls.

Monterey furniture in the Desert Dust finish was chosen and bright Navajo rugs to add color, for the floor. A gay Mexican serape hangs from a wrought iron arrow shaft over the doorway leading into the hall. A firecloud grain olla of prehistoric days stands on the floor behind the entrance door.

And woodwork are finished with a flat cream enamel. A combination laundry tray and sink are built over a cabinet under the kitchen window. The window sill, drain board and Work counter are of satin finish cream tile trimmed with a glossy black tile border. The china cabinet above the work counter is painted white inside, to show off my colored pottery to good advantage. A recessed wall cabinet for mops, brooms, etc., helps me keep those necessary utilities out of sight. A table top stove and an electric refrigerator help to minimize work in the kitchen. A chromium stool with white leather top completes the kitchen. The dinette end is furnished with a Monterey folding table and four chairs in the Desert Dust finish. A pair of India homespun draperies hand dyed the colors of Arizona sunsets are hung from a wrought iron rod. A Hollywood door leads to a large flagstone terrace overlooking the Cactus garden in the back yard.

The hall ceiling is plastered and furred down to conceal the cooling ducts. Two recessed linen cabinets, a telephone niche and a wall recess for the hot water heater adds much to convenience. Walls and cabinets are painted cream with black hardware.

The front bedroom is now being used as a nursery and furnished accordingly, later to be refurnished in Monterey. The ceiling has four log beams and a pine slab on either side with plaster in-between. Walls, ceiling and venetian blinds are finished in cream, while the beams have only a transparent sealer finish. The floor is earth color cement. A large closet off this room now serves as a trunk room.

The bathroom is completely modern, for in my perusal of archaeological books I have been unable to find any mention of bathrooms. The walls, ceiling and woodwork is finished with a flat cream enamel. White fixtures with chromium trim are used. The walls of the bath cove are covered with turquoise blue tile and a white oiled silk shower curtain is used.

A recessed medicine cabinet with a venetian mirror is placed above the lavatory. Towel bars are attached to the sides of the lavatory, which stands on chromium legs. The floor is covered with marbleized cream linoleum.

The master bedroom in the rear also has the log beam ceiling and earth color cement floor. Walls, woodwork and venetian blinds are cream and the pine beams are finished only with a sealer. The windows placed in opposite walls make it easy to arrange the Monterey furniture and leaves an unbroken wall for some choice oil tinted photographs of cactus blossoms. A large closet takes care not only of our clothing, but also suitcases, boxes, etc., on the upper shelf and serves as a temporary photographic dark room as well. A hanging lamp of weathered bronze is suspended from the center beam.

Upon completion of the house my husband built a fence of river boulders around the 50x125 foot lot, by excavating a shallow trench and standing the boulders on end side by side, packing adobe around them and spraying the fence with water to embed the bolders more firmly. The walks were built in the same manner, only these were lined with flagstone and gravel and occasionly watered to settle the gravel and encourage grass to grow between the flagstones.

The walk in back ends with a graceful curve at the garbage can that stands on a low platform lined with flat river boulders. Gravel was spread over the entire lot to the thickness of two inches. Desert vegetation was planted such as Cacti, Ocotillo, Palo Verde, Ironwood, Spanish bayonet, etc. A Creosote Bush hedge runs along the alley and Prickly Pear forms the hedge on either side of the yard. A graveled lawn needs no cutting and our desert plants need no watering.

A metate and mano repose under the hydrants in front and back of the house; a string of chili peppers hang from the wall lamp on the back terrace and a couple of porch chairs add much to evenings spent on the terrace.

There is much more to be done, a garage with a studio and dark room to be built, an outdoor fireplace to cook steaks in the back yard, an Indian ladder for the house, more cacti to be planted and a desert tree or two. It has been such fun working out our plans and on completion having everything just the way we want it at a cost that would not burden any low income family. By keeping within our budget and spending only what we could afford, we have achieved a comfortable home without sacrificing quality or endangering our credit. After all, no home is a comfort if the owner has over-taxed his budget to elaborate on useless gadgets and spacious grandeur which one cannot afford.