First floor hallway
The entry and hallway illustrate Gropius’s use of traditional New England forms and ideas. The central hall with doors at both front and rear, reminiscent of eighteenth-century homes, ensures cross ventilation. Inside the front door is a mudroom, separated from the hall by a curtain rather than a door, that could be closed to keep out the cold and opened to enhance ventilation. White clapboards, a traditional New England material, are used in a non-traditional way to great effect. Brought inside and applied vertically, Ise felt that “their narrow vertical shadows relieve the white blandness and make an excellent background for artwork.” The central stair, again a New England tradition, is modified by Gropius. The curved staircase faces away from the entry, signifying the upstairs as private space.
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