I may be purchasing an old victorian home…well I think it was before the former owners added their own brand of “remuddling.” I was wondering if there is somewhere that I might look to find house plans as close as possible to this structure so that i might restore the home to its original glory. Possibly I could send a picture to anyone who might be interested in identifying its original architecture.
Thanks as always,
Jim
Replies
There's a book by George Nash, Renovating Old Houses, that deals with bringing old houses back to life. I'm not sure if it identifies styles,
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1561583251/002-7597833-8772859?v=glance&n=283155
I have a copy of that book, and it is excellent, but IIRC it doesn't really cover architectural styles (Victorian, Queen Anne, etc.), except to note that the type and amount of work you do will be dependent to some extent on what kind of house you're working on. For example, if you're working on a historic Greek Revival, you'll most likely want to be doing more "restoration" than "remodeling". On a 50's ranch, "remodeling" per se might be more likely. He also notes the difference between "preserving" and "restoring". (Preserving = keeping as much of the original as possible, even to the extreme of using original methods and materials to replace unrepairable original work; restoring = maintaining the original look and feel of the structure (moldings, floors, windows, wall textures, etc.), but perhaps using modern material (synthetic trim, modern floor finishes, fiberglass LowE vs single-pane wood windows, etc.)
Good book; would recommend it...
As always, when I have posted requests, remarks and thoughts, I am always amazed with the depth and bredth of this forum's membership...thanks!Jim
I don't know whether you have access to a public library, but there, or maybe by using the Internet, you could look up books or articles on "Architectural Style" and that may give you examples. A lot of earlier styles, especially Victorian, had lots of small special purpose rooms (like the front and back parlors) and often had servants quarters. Usually kitchens were small and the house tended to be dark inside. Victorians had a lot of "fussy" details (which are usually done away with by remodelers when they add vinyl siding). There is one pretty good book on Victorians IIRC with a title of something like The Painted Ladies that has lots of examples of Vicorians, especially exteriors.
A field Guide to American Houses
by Virginia and Lee McAlester
isbn 0-394-73969-8 (paperback)
Touches on all styles and their sub-styles. Lots of photos etc.
Check on http://www.oldhousejournal.com which is an excellent resource for people trying to restore homes. Pretty good magazine, too.
people trying to restore homes.
That's a good way to put it.
LOLCorporate business today measures everything by the size of the silver dollar.
and to think how funny I could be if I actually tried?
good one!
haven't hit their forums in a while ... maybe tomorrow I'll need a laugh.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I think you ae confusing the Old House Journal with This Old House.Like trying to compare a Milwaukee hole shooter with a Ryobi throwaway, or a good Vaughn framer with a $4.95 chinese picture hanger.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
nope ... Old House Journal.
try reading thru their forums ... if they still have them.
used to read thru coupla years back ...
some of the worst information I ever read ... all laid out nicely in one place!
the mag isn't half bad ... but at it's best it's a glossy picture book.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Yer right, I just checked - ain't the forum I thought.
Goldhiller and I used to frequent one that ---I can't remember now.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Maybe you are thinking of the http://oldhouseweb.com site? Pretty decent homeowners resourse, with lots of "What kind of house is this?" threads. Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
That doesn't look familiar, but they might have remodeled in the last couple years...thanks anyway
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I stopped getting the Old House Journal after they sold out to color and gloss....just like the neighborhoods, and turned to crap. It was a wonderful thing in its day.
Old House Journal has been in existance much longer than This Old House, and I believe it might have been them that started the 'remuddling" term. They started out as a neighborhood pamphlet in the early 70's on 7th Ave in Brooklyn's Park Slope. They had a wealth of houses right in their own back yard, and the small pamphlet turned into a little b&W monthly magazine and then I think in the 90's it was sold to a large national Co. I still have my collection from the mid 70's when I lived in the Slope.
It is pretty good, as is th Nash book. I think they are the ones who brought the term "re-muddling" into the lexicon
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
there's usually a photo on the back page of a particularly egregious remodel - sent in by readers, I think.
I could waste my whole life sending in pics of houses around here -
You and me got a talk. Seriously though, I'll be picking up 50 or so window sashes tomorrow from a guy near the Tappan Zee bridge which I'll be using for my 1888 beach house. He did not want them to end up in the dumpster. I'm sure I'll have leftovers. Let me know if you need any. the're all wavy glass from what he tells me. go to old house journal .com and check out there swaps and sales area. The're free to me so the're free to you.
Kevin
Edited 2/24/2006 11:02 pm ET by dockelly
thanks for the offer...i will have to assess and get back.Jim
Picked them up this weekend. Ended up with less than I thought, alot were regular glass from replacements along the years. Still have more than I'll need, probably. Let me know.
I second the McAlester book - thats a great little resource. You might also search for Dover publications - they more or less specialise in that sort of thing. I have all kinds of reprinted source books, catalogs, etc from the turn of the century. you can get worlds of ideas from them from what moldings were made, cut away views of windows, door details, etc. Some give very specific info (remember, they're talking to people who are ordering this) as to what their stocks and grading are like, how to specify what you want. Some have finished "plates" - what I call high quality pencil drawings, of finished rooms done in a style or line of moldings.
But you'll cry when you see quartersawn oak crown priced at $1.20 . . . per thousand feet!
"A bore is a man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you." -Bert Taylor
You might try talking to the old timers in the neighborhood to see if any have pictures of your house before people "improved" it. If there is a Historic Society in the area they may also have pictures and information about the house.
great idea...had not thought of that one. i will have to look around. thanks.
The place I'd recommend starting would be with the closest historic society in your area. They are always happy to assist anyone who wants to restore an old property and oftentimes have reams of information to give you regarding just about anything you want to know.
Also they are a good source for finding funding options, grants, registering your house once finished, etc.
Those people usually have made their career out of historic research and I always find that they bite on such projects with great enthusiasm.
A good source for period fixtures and features would be an architectural salvage yard. We have a few in this state and they are great for finding such things as period door handles, fireplace mantles, ballusters, columns, windows, doors, etc.
I just picked up a book called "Renovating and Restyling Vintage Homes" by Lawrence Dworin. He has at least 6 chapters devoted to Victorians from exterior detail work to kitchens and porches.