Archive for the ‘home style’ Category
Name That Victorian Style Home!
Many people think they know what they’re looking for when they want a “Victorian style” home. However, “Victorian” is a misnomer. It refers to a period of time, rather than a type of housing. The homes you think of as Victorian actually have their own names and origins. When you’re looking for a specific type of home, it may help to know the exact home style you are looking for.
Most Victorians share a number of features, including bay windows, ornate detailing of eaves, dormers and columns, and wraparound porches.
The style most popularly known as “Victorian” is actually the Queen Anne style. This home type was named, not so much for architecture during the reign of Queen Anne (from 1702 to 1714), but for the misattribution of the term from descriptions in William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel “The History of Henry Esmond, Esq., A Colonel in the Service of Her Majesty Queen Anne”.
You will know a Queen Anne by its asymmetrical design: windows, turrets, porches on multiple stories and the exquisite detailing on nearly every part of the home, including “gingerbread” trim, decorative moldings and sculptured columns. The bay windows that afford residents a “window-seat” are also a defining feature. The Queen Anne is unique for its enduring presence in popular culture as “Victorian”, but it is not the first, nor the last Victorian era home style, being in vogue from the 1880s to around 1910.
The first style known as “Victorian” is generally agreed to be Gothic Revival, which emerged in the early-mid 1800s, around 1840. These homes were patterned after medieval churches, with the steeply sloping roof and pointed-arch windows that were characteristic of those buildings.
Since middle-class Victorians could not afford the detailing that went into a classic Gothic Revival home, they went with a squarer, less ornamented style that came to be known as Folk Victorian.
The Italianate, reminiscent of the great manses of northern Italy, albeit in a smaller form, came into vogue in the 1860s. The segments of the house were often built asymmetrically, to evoke a feeling of the rambling Italian villas it was trying to emulate.
Second Empire homes were in vogue at the same time as the Italianate, but features a “mansard roof”- a roof that is as flat as possible to make the most of the attic area. Dormer windows are usually installed in the attic in this type of home.
The Stick style, emerging in the 1880s, is known for the contrasting planks on the exterior of the home and sometimes for the big overhanging porch on the second story.
The Romanesque Revival and Shingle styles are unique among Victorian era homes, as they have little or no ornamentation. However, their construction makes up for that. Due to their construction materials and design, homes of this design were the domain of the super-wealthy or for public buildings.
The Romanesque Revival is an all-stone building, with plain detailing for windows, doors and eaves. The Shingle style is just as it is named – shingles cover everything on the exterior. The Shingle eventually evolved into a more economical form that the middle class could afford and it is this kind of home that has survived into modern times.
It is a good idea to get a good idea of what kind of Victorian home you are looking for. It is quite possible that some of the lesser known Victorians are hiding in your local MLS without proper identification.
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Tags: Home Building 101: Choosing Home Plans
Home Building 101: Choosing Home Plans
Choosing Home Plans
Looking For a New Home Plan?
Start Out by Identifying your Needs:
An architect identifies clients needs.
They help clients develop a program.
When you develop your own program, write down your needs.
Be open and truthful asking yourself what you expect from your new home. Considerations in this area include space requirements. Note: The amount of space and the type of space –taking into account anticipated changes in your family’s size. Will you need to accommodate aging parents or a growing family? Will you need a home office to fit your future job plans? Do you plan to live in your new home after retirement? Will a child return home after college? Do you have the space to accommodate an elderly, ill or disabled person?If you are less concerned with the perceptions of others your instincts may be the guide. You may need to search to strike a balance between personal needs and making a statement. Your program must also address your budget. Remember to leave dollars for landscaping and furnishings. An under-furnished new home with little landscaping can be a real disappointment. Adding 10 percent to the total cost is a good percentage to add to cover unforeseen changes, additions and upgrades that inevitably occur.
Home Sizing
The program that you develop may be somewhat of a wish list and reality may force modifications. This realization will probably occur when you determine an affordable square footage for your new home. The size of the home you build is the most important factor.
You can determine the average cost per square foot for new homes in your area by calling the local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders. Multiply the square footage of the home that you wish to build by the average cost per square foot to determine a general cost. If you find yourself staring at a grand total that is far beyond your budget, you’ll have to scale down the design or choose a new one. If it’s close to your budget, you can adjust the options, extras and finish materials to stay within budget. Developing a budget and calculating costs will take time and research, but it is an action that needs to happen.
Home Exterior Style
Decide the exterior style of your new home. Many people know what they want, but if you are unsure, this is simply what appeals to you. Home designs are very regional and this should be kept in mind. Choose appropriate house designs for your region. If you choose to be unique, this could affect your resale value.
Unsure of your home plan preferences?
Certain characteristics of each plan style may help.
Country Home Style This is the most popular style Nationwide. Country Style Characteristics include a large front porch or a wraparound porch, and a steeply pitched, gabled roof line that runs lengthwise. The farmhouse style is often lumped in with country-style designs. This house is typically a rectangular or L-shaped home, often two-story, and is derived from homes built in agricultural communities around the turn of the 20th century.
Traditional Home Style
This term describes classic designs with regional characteristics. Cape Cod Floor Plans for Free are at this cool web site – http://www.homeplansforfree.com/index_files/page0005.html
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Ranch Home Plans
, and saltbox designs are all regional (and historical) styles. Simplicity is a common characteristic of traditional designs. They display little ornamentation, simple roof lines and small-paned windows that are often spaced equally (ranch styles may be an exception).
Victorian Home Style
This traditional-style home has strong historical origins; roof lines are intricate and include towers, bays and eyebrow windows; ornamentation and decoration are in the Victorian, and ornate porches are a prevalent feature. Materials usually include shingles or narrow-lap wood siding. This style is more appropriate for two-story homes, although one-story designs with Victorian features are also becoming very popular.
Contemporary
This broad category embodies many styles and shapes of homes. The common factors are an absence of ornamentation and decoration, and in general, little reference to older styles. Contemporary homes display bold geometric shapes, lots of glass, and windows with out shutters or decorative trim. Roof lines often range from flat to very steep.
Choosing Home Plans
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