Victorian House Style developed and was quite popular from the end of the civil war to the early 1900’s. These homes are most commonly two or more stories with steep roof pitches, turrets and dormers. Porches are often large with turned posts and decorative railings. Decorative gable trim, corbels, and a variation of exterior finishes with multiple coordinated colors make them one of the most enjoyed house styles of all times.
In New England, as most everywhere in the country, there are really two distinct types of Victorian house style – Queen Anne and Second Empire.
Queen Anne is a completely playful style, who’s distinguishing features are: curved towers and porches, protruding bay windows, asymmetrical facades, steeply pitched roofs, vertical windows, embellished porches on multiple levels, and multiple chimneys with elaborate decorative brickwork.
Second Empire is a more stately style, who’s distinguishing features are: big and boxy forms with mansard roofs tiled with slate in “fish-scale” patterns, symmetrical facades, and heavy ornamentation such as “gingerbread” trim. As a side note, if you’ve ever been to Disneyland, “Main Street” is a typical 1800’s small town done in this style.
Because of the Victorian style’s timeless appeal, many people seek these types of homes in good condition for restoration and many can be found on the historical register.
A typical floor plan looks like this:
Also because of their huge size and large maintenance bills, many have been carved-up into delightful condominiums which command premium prices and seldom last long on the market.
If you like this you’ll like Mike Hunter, the House Hunter as your Realtor even better. He knows the Sudbury market and has represented many happy Sudbury households to buy or sell for years. Please feel free to forward his profile to others you feel would benefit from his services.
Call Mike 978-580-1069 today.
For a full list of architectural styles click here.
People also ask about other House Styles of New England click here
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