About Tudor-Style Homes
Based on medieval English architecture, the Tudor home style takes its name from the ruling dynasty of the time. This classic home style is enjoying a surge of interest, says Cheryl Durst, executive vice president and CEO of the International Interior Designers Association. In times of stress and recession---when consumers don't want to appear glamorous---tasteful Tudor lines and understated interiors are soothing. Tudor-style homes herald an era of family, permanence, legacy and comfort. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Tudor style flourished with English King Henry VIII and ultimately ended when his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, began to reform the country and change the style. The period ran for just over a century, from 1485 to 1603. The Tudor revival style of architecture was popular in the United States from 1890 to 1940. Tudor homes dominated New York's Forest Hills neighborhoods during the 1920s.
Features
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Tudor architecture evolved out of Gothic design. According to Durst, it was a slight study in contrasts. Interior spaces of Tudors became more intimate as opposed to the spaciousness evident in the late Gothic period. The pointed arch gave way to the flattened Tudor arch. Tudor style included smaller, more ornate windows and doors and clustered chimney stacks. The most obvious feature of interior décor was the widespread use of oak paneling, often extending from floor to ceiling
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Materials
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Wood was used to create the skeleton of the house and then filled in with brick or plaster. Bricks were often laid in a herringbone pattern, made possible because they had no structural responsibility. The wooden posts took the strain, while bricks served as decorative infill. A hybrid form featured the lower story built in stone and the upper in wood. Where brick was too expensive, plaster was the choice, resulting in the typical "black-and-white" small Tudor house.
Identification
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Homes built in the revival style are often two stories with steeply pitched roofs. They generally have ornamental half-timbering on the gables in which beams of wood show through the wall material. Timbers are filled in with plaster, stucco, brick or stone. Doorways have round or Tudor arches. The main door is set back in a dark entryway. Tudors have bay windows projecting from the exterior. The windows are tall and narrow with many panes.
Considerations
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Durst points out that it can get expensive to replicate Tudor details. Timber framing on the Tudor style is vulnerable to warping, infestations, mold and water damage.
Benefits
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A Tudor is a home of rare beauty and original character. The expansive rooms can easily accommodate large families.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit home, image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
