http://picasaweb.google.com/virginiagriffin/ShermanStHo...#5164884584331067714

I've never seen anything like the shape of this house. The upstairs is comprised only of four dormers..can anyone give me info about its style or ideas on where to look? The interior is totally without built-ins but has an open entry/living/dining room.



Thanks!
Virginia

Hello Virginia,
Welcome to the Ats and Crafts Forums. Those are some fine looking pictures and unless my eyes were deceiving me it looked like the hip rafters had an oriental curve in them and the interior trim appears to be more modern than I am accustom to seeing in the A&C style home.

I could be wrong but one of the rooms seem to have covered up what might have been some A&C sidewall box beams but, other than that I don't believe it matches the A&C style.

It seems that someone has remodeled the home and made it more in the modern appearance.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

Thank you!

That's a cute four square you have there! Your wood floors are pretty and I like the bathroom too!

Virginia --

You will soon discover that many of us have various ways of describing and categorizing old houses. Even among architects and professional historical preservationists there are no solid guidelines for determining something as elusive as style. ;-)

That said, I'm guessing that your house was built in the 20s-30s time frame? The interior arches, doors, and kitchen all seem to date from the 1930s. The windows appear to have been replaced ... that would have been a wonderful clue to its design antecedents.

Your house shows a number of bungaloid features including the wide front porch, exposed rafters, and compact story and a half size.

The four dormers and roof with the bell cast curve are unusual. I don't recall seeing anything quite like it. With the "layers" it makes me think of a wedding cake. I tend to see the bell cast curved roof on late Queen Anne style houses more often.

I'd call it a late eclectic bungalow, but not a Foursquare, which are two-stories by definition.

Eclectic is usually a term employed when a house is a hybrid and not a single "pure" style. Antique Home has a number of pages with style characteristics.

Regardless of what style you want to call it, it's a cool house and the lot is to die for.

It was built in 1900, but as you say, it has clearly been remodeled. Maybe we'll eventually
paint it a non-wedding cake color.

Thanks for the help!

Its original build date accounts for the roof then. Have you any pictures of the house when it was originally built? Sometimes they end up in the historical society archives?

R.

I don't have any original photos, but I haven't closed on the house yet - I'll start searching when I've moved in. I think a previous owner has begun collecting info for a National Historic Register file, so I should be able to find a lot more eventually.

I saw a house in Pasadena that had a roofline very similar to this. I was told that it was built in the 1920s? and the roof was modeled after a Japanese pagoda. That would explain your roof pitch. This house also had a similar smaller square section rising out of the first floor. It was used as a sleeping porch in the old days as windows were on all four sides of the square second floor to allow for good ventilation.

In summary, I think you have several styles in here but most likely there is some bungalow in there based on the roof.

Mike

In my area, all old homes are listed as being built in 1900 by the agent.

My was listed as such, but my deed shows 1912 and is more or less confirmed being I have the GVT book of plans, circa 1912-1916 showing the plans for my home.

So, once you have the deed, it may show different. Some folks need to dig deeper.