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The house
plans featured on this page are representative of the Victorian
style, which became popular in America during the late 1800's.
Victorian style developed
and was quite popular from about 1820 to the early 1900's.
Victorian homes are most commonly two stories with steep roof
pitches, turrets and dormers. Porches are often large with
turned posts and decorative railing. Decorative gable trim,
corbels, and a variation of exterior finishes. This style
actually is a combination of several other main styles like
Italianate, Second Empire and Queen Anne. Designers began
to implement characteristics of several styles to create what
is most commonly known as Victorian. This style is sometimes
viewed by critics as cluttered or overpowered with trim work
and ornamentation, however these are the attributes that made
Victorian homes so popular during the 1800's. During the late
1800's and early 1900's there were a great deal of Victorian
style homes built by developers in the area. Today, Victorian
homes are still being built throughout the United States.
It remains a popular architectural style and can nearly always
be found in the older neighborhoods of America. Many people
seek these types of homes in good condition for restoration
because of their timeless appeal. Many of these homes can
be found on the historical register, like Chatillon-DeMenil
Mansion.
Victorian America had fashions in house design, exactly
as we have fashions in clothing or hair style -- except
that well-to-do Victorians took the design of their homes
far more seriously than we take our hair. The Victorians
were highly status-conscious, and in Victorian America,
nothing displayed your status like your house.
House fashions literally started at the dinner table. Most
wealthy Victorians spent what would seem to us to be an
incredible amount of time socializing: it was not uncommon
for them to either attend or host a dinner party 2 to 5
times a week. Victorian dinners were formal and long, consisting
of many courses served over as much as three hours. Afterwards,
the gentlemen would retire to the game room for cigars,
brandy, and billiards or cards, while the ladies would retire
to the drawing room for needlepoint, possibly music, and
have sherry or tea.
In short, your social circle saw your house a lot, so it
was important that the house be impressive -- that is, designed
in the latest fashion. The house of a successful Victorian
family was more than merely a home; it was a statement of
their taste, wealth, and education.
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