Campbell/Waring House Spaces and provisions as noted on architect’s construction drawings

Room names shown in bold caps and quotations in the list below are the identifications of the Campbell House spaces as given on the original architect’s plans. Each space’s general proximity and connection to other spaces is noted along with numbers and orientations of windows. Interpretation is in italic.

The list is arranged by the three levels and two blocks that form the habitable parts of the house: Basement Main/First Floor – Carriage House Block Main/First Floor – Main House Block Second Floor – Main House Block.

Basement “STORAGE” – Located under dining room. Does not extend under dining room bay. Opens into ‘’LAUNDRY’’ via short, unlabeled hall. Has two high windows on west side.

“LAUNDRY” – Located SW corner of main block under kitchen, opens into ‘’STORAGE,’’ and stair hall as well as ‘’TOILET ROOM.’’ Three freestanding “tubs” are shown arranged side by side running north to south along the west side of the room. A floor drain is indicated near center of room. Has high double windows on west side; two high single windows on south side.

“TOILET ROOM” – Located off NE corner of laundry. Opens into ‘LAUNDRY.’ Contains toilet and sink.

“HALL” – Located NW corner of main house block, opens into service stair leading upstairs to kitchen. Also opens to “PERSERVE ROOM” and “LAUNDRY.” Has one high window facing south.

“PERSERVE ROOM” (sic) – Located east of hall. Opens onto “HALL.” Has one high window facing north. Shown as fitted with wrap-around shelves.

It’s interesting that, despite his famously fastidious nature, Benedict (or his draftsman) made this grammatical error: obviously, this was the “PRESERVE ROOM,, a cool space or larder used for storing food stuffs.

“BOILER ROOM” – Located north of storage and east of ‘’LAUNDRY’’ and ‘TOILET ROOM.” Shows a large rectangle at its center labeled “boiler”.

“FUEL ROOM” – Located north of ‘’BOILER ROOM.’’ Probably used to store coal that would have been the initial fuel for the boiler.

Note: Basement level exists only under main house block west of formal curved stair. Areas below east portion of main block and underneath carriage house are unlabeled and are presumably either unexcavated crawl space or perhaps (in the case of the garage) soil is at grade level. There is no suggestion on the plan that excavated basement was ever intended for the east end of the main block, contrary to lore arising from ghost stories.

Main/First Floor – Carriage House Block “GARAGE” – located at north end of block behind two double-leafed garage doors. Opens to unlabeled vestibule alcove at SE corner. Alcove opens to exterior pedestrian door and interior door to “MAN’S ROOM.” Garage has two windows facing west.

“MAN’S ROOM” – located at SE corner. Opens to “BATH #1,” closet, and small unlabeled vestibule with exterior pedestrian door off of garage. Has double window facing south. Closet has a single window facing south.

“BATH #1” – located at west end of “MAN’S ROOM.” Contains toilet, lavatory and built-in tub. Appears to be intended for sole use of occupant of man’s room. Has single window facing south.

Main/First Floor – Main House Block “LIBRARY’ – Located at east end of main block. Opens to ‘’DRAWING ROOM” and onto private stair to Owner’s Chamber#1 on second floor. Exterior door opens to exterior “TERRACE” that runs across south face of house. Has three windows facing east; two, facing south. Fitted with library shelves. Has fireplace on north wall.

‘DRAWING ROOM’ – Located center of main house block. Opens to ‘’ENTRANCE HALL,” ‘’LIBRARY,” ‘’OFFICE,’’ and to exterior via small door to north. Has paired “Palladian” windows facing “Terrace” to the south.

Period photograph shows that doors and transom to the library were not original; they are likely an early addition in that detailing and leaded glass are similar to that in ‘’DINING ROOM.. Chandelier at center of Drawing Room is original; other four ceiling disk pendants were added later, probably when the building was converted to public use.

Wood floors are probably maple and were originally stained dark. Little of the floors showed, however, because of custom European area rugs that were designed to fit the space (see historic period photograph.) Custom stenciling/painting was supposedly completed by John Thompson to a “Celtic” scheme conceived by Benedict. Celtic reference is assumed to refer to Campbell family heritage.

‘ENTRANCE HALL” – Located at crossing of two formal axes, the Entrance Hall opens to the “VESTIBULE’’ on the north side, the ‘’ENTRY’’ on the south side, the ‘’DRAWING ROOM’’ on the east side, and the ‘’DINING ROOM’ and the rear “SERVICE HALL” on the west side. The apse (half round) area at the west end where the circular stair exists is open to the upstairs.

The Chinoiserie (Chinese-influenced) chandelier at the center of the stair is believed to be original to the house and is credited by current DBG CEO Vogt as having been designed or selected by Benedict. It is unknown whether Benedict designed the chandelier in detail or merely selected it from a stock source. The architectural drawings are incomplete, but in general do not include detailed drawings of the extent that would suggest Benedict actually designed custom fittings such for the chandelier, sconces, or escutcheons (face plates)

‘‘VESTIBULE’’ – Located on north center of main block. Opens to outside through main north entry door. Also opens to ‘’OFFICE’’ on the east side, ‘’FLOWER RM” (west side), and ‘’ENTRY” on the south side. Floor is terrazzo (polished concrete with decorative stone chips, laid on wood subfloor.) Detailing of the floor joist bracing is seen in the margins of the plans.

‘‘TERRACE’’ – Located outside of south center of main block. The front flagstone terrace that extends from the front (south) building entry east across the façade in front of the “DRAWING ROOM.’’

‘‘ENTRY’’ – Located center south side of main block. Opens to main house entrance along south façade and ‘’ENTRANCE HALL”

“FLOWER RM” – Located north center of main block. Opens to ‘’VESTIBULE” on east side. Shows counter along north wall, sink on west wall and shelves on south wall. Has double window on west side.

This is the space used today as a toilet room. Plan and purpose were changed during or after construction. It appears that shelving at the south side was eliminated and the counter and cabinet originally planned for the north wall were moved to the south wall, opening space for the installation of a toilet that was not envisioned in original plans.

“OFFICE” – Located center north side of main block. Opens to ‘’VESTIBULE” to the west and ‘’DRAWING ROOM” to the south. This space, which today still houses office functions was apparently always conceived to serve a business function.

‘DINING ROOM” – Located south center of main block and to the west of entry axis. Opens to the main circular staircase and the “PANTRY.” Has two windows facing east, two windows facing west and a large projecting bay with four windows facing east, south and west. A note on the plans explains the hole noted in the middle of the room: note reads “Buzzer to kitchen.” Buzzer button is missing. Button was likely used to summon service staff from kitchen.

“PANTRY” – Located north of Dining Room. Opens to “DINING ROOM” and to “KITCHEN”. Has one window facing south. Room is fitted with cabinetry and shelves.

‘’KITCHEN’’ – Located west of Pantry. Opens to “PANTRY,’’ ‘SERVANTS’ DINING ROOM,’’ and ‘’SCULLERY.’’ Has two windows facing south and two facing west. Room is fitted with cabinetry and a sink along the west wall.

‘SCULLERY” – Located north of Kitchen. Opens to Service Entrance and Kitchen. Has a large sink with drain board at the east end. Other provisions are illegible. Has a window facing west and another facing south.

‘SERVICE ENTRY” – Located NW corner of main block opens to outside at service porch as well as to basement stair, “SCULLERY” and “SERVANTS’ DINING ROOM.”

“SERVICE HALL” – Located north center of main block. Opens to recess under main curved entry stair, to service stairs to second floor, and to closet. Has window facing north.

‘SERVANTS DINING ROOM” – Located north side of main block. Has two windows facing north. Opens to “SERVICE ENTRY,” “SERVICE HALL,” and ‘’KITCHEN.” Has an unlabeled closet and what appears to be a possible lift or laundry drop. Notation is illegible.

Second Floor – Main house block ‘SERVANTS’ RM #1’’ – Located west end of north side. Has one window facing north and one facing south, as well as an ancillary space labeled “Closet.” Opens to unlabeled rear service hall.

‘SERVANTS’ RM #2” – Located south of “SERVANTS’ RM. #1.” Has one window facing south and one facing west, and subsidiary space labeled “Wardrobe.” Opens to unlabeled rear service hall.

“BATH #2” - Located north side. Opens to unlabeled rear service hall. Has one window facing north. Has lavatory, toilet and built-in tub.

“SEWING RM” – Located south central, just east of “SERVANTS’ RM. #2.” Has a double window facing south and two ancillary spaces, one a built-in “Case” and another labeled “Closet,” Closet is shown as having a built-in “Case.”

‘SITTING ROOM” – Located south central just west of stair hall and directly above “DINING ROOM.’’ Has a double window facing south; one facing east and another facing west. Has a fireplace along north wall. Opens to “SEWING ROOM” and ‘’STAIR HALL.’’

‘’OWNERS’ CHAMBER #1’’ – Located at NE corner of main house block. Opens to ‘’BATH #4,” “HALL,” private stair to ‘’LIBRARY,’’ and “OWNER’S CHAMBER #2.” Has two windows facing east and two facing north. An angled fireplace abuts the private stair in the NW corner of the room. Shown with one double bed.

‘‘OWNERS’ CHAMBER #2’’ – Located at SE corner of main house block. Opens to ‘’BATH #5,” ‘’HALL,’’ and ‘’OWNER’S CHAMBER #1.’’ Has two windows facing east, a triple-window facing south, and a single window facing west. Shown with one double bed.

‘’GUEST’S CHAMBER’’ – Has a double window facing south that is part of engaged windows shared with “BATH #4.” Also has window that is expressed on outside as part of projecting corbeled Tudor balcony. Opens to long “HALL” and dogleg hall as well as to ‘’BATH #6.”. Shown with two single beds.

“BATH #6” – Has a double window facing south (engaged with stair hall group). Contains toilet, lavatory and built-in tub as well as two wardrobes.

‘’STAIR HALL’’ – has a double window facing south that from the exterior is part of engaged windows over south vestibule. Opens to ‘’SITTING ROOM’’ north “HALL,” ‘’BATH #6,” and another long “HALL” off of which the cedar closet and various chambers (bedrooms) are accessed.

‘’CEDAR CLOSET” – Opens onto long “HALL.”

‘’CHAMBER #4” – Bedroom on north side above the north entry. Has a triple window, two closets. Opens onto ‘’BATH #3’’ and the long “HALL.” Shown with one double bed.

Note: Information for this list was gathered in the spring of 2018 as part of a joint presentation to the Docent program by Jim Arneill and Bill Powell. In preparation for the presentation, Allaina Wallace, Head Librarian at the Helen Fowler Library, researched availability of plan depictions of the Campbell Waring House. Information recorded in this document was drawn from visual observation of documents found in the J.B. Benedict Architectural Records within the Denver Public Library Western History Department, reference OVFF5. OVFF5 contains 24in. X 48in. blackline prints of original blueprints from Benedict’s construction documents. Collection includes first and second floor plans and some, but not all, elevations. Blackline prints also include post-construction markup by electrician, presumably recording circuitry.