“If people would plan their homes according to their actual needs and tastes, the face of America wouldn’t need lifting so often.” ~Ida Brown, AIA 1899 – 1983
There is a educational exhibit at Liriodendron Mansion in Bel Air, Maryland about The Early Women of Architecture in Maryland. Liriodendron is the home of one of four founding fathers of Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Howard A. Kelly.
To put this exhibit into perspective for you, Catholic University in Washington DC did not begin their architectural degree program until 1945 and many of the architects featured in this exhibit were born in the last two decades of 1800.
Ida Brown, AIA was a forward thinking woman whose thoughts came nearly a century before today’s men and woman who advocate for simple living! Ms. Brown, it seems from this quote was all about the wise use of space and designing for purposeful living. It seems she didn’t see any sense in rooms no one went into and actively used. Such are the thoughts of advocates for simple living today. And by all means include spaces which suit ones own tastes – if you are an artist, for instance, accommodate for that in building an appropriate artist studio. If you are a car enthusiast who loves tinkering with autos, build the best garage geared toward functionality which will hold all the automotive gadgets and vehicles.
As a five generation custom home building company, we at Batton Builders, Inc. share the reason we have enjoyed what we do so much! It’s challenging, interesting and we’ve echoed many times over the same sentiments as architect Rose Greely, FASIA, who is also featured in the exhibit at Liriodendron Mansion.
The story behind the building of Liriodendron Mansion is very interesting. Check it out on their website. Guess who it’s been said designed the home? Dr. Kelly’s wife! She was not a licensed architect but she knew what she wanted – a home like those in her European homeland which would house her husband and nine children beautifully!
We at Batton Builders, Inc. hope you enjoyed this glimpse into some of the early architects here in Maryland and a home of historical importance! Go check it out if you have never seen it before it is a beautiful landmark in Bel Air, Maryland, the “Heart of Harford County.”
