- Steeplechase Farm
- HOBI Award Winning Equestrian Estate
- Majestic Southern Colonial
- French Provincial Charm
- Back Country Georgian Manor House
- Old English Refinement
- Melding The Old With The New
- Straight Gabled Shingle Style
- The Belle Haven Yacht Club
- Georgian In-Town Estate
- Charming Guest House With A Secret
- Little Jewels
Of all of the countries that have contributed to American vernacular architecture, it is arguably England, which stands out as the most influential. Although early America was founded by the English, it was also founded by the Spanish in the south, the French in the North and west, and the Dutch and Germans in the middle. Each brought their countries styles with them, but the styles of England always were associated with the landed gentry. Most English styles are not styles in themselves, but rather that which was popular under the reign of a particular monarch; which is why we have styles with names like Edwardian, Georgian and Victorian and a lot of general confusion of exactly what style house we are looking at. Most of what we think of as English architecture today grew out of something called the Arts And Crafts movement.
Around the latter part of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution was in full swing. Factory produced products like windows, doors and fireplace mantels were suddenly available to middle class buyers, whose houses started to compete in grandeur with the upper classes. The result was the Arts And Crafts movement. It became a distinguishing feature to pay extra to have something hand crafted by an artisan rather than use the ‘vulgar‘ mass produced product.
This particular house is typical of what would be found in the English countryside, which is where one of the clients is from. True to the spirit of the movement, many of the wood details are hand carved and peg jointed, the stones are hand set with un-tooled mortar joints, and much of the metal work is hand wrought making it a true artisans dream.