110 Turn-of-the-Century House Designs

Book excerpt: With its wealth of representative styles and its emphasis on craftsmanship and exterior design, the late-Victorian era ranks among the halcyon days in American house building. This survey of the era's traditional designs—reproduced from a rare edition—offers a complete and authentic guide to faithful restorations or re-creations. A New York City-based firm prepared and published this catalog in 1897, selecting the very best models from more than 12,000 houses built from their plans. Designed with style, utility, and low cost of construction uppermost in mind, it features hundreds of illustrations, including perspective drawings and floor plans. Details of interior and exterior materials and potential modifications include remarks on the particular amenities of each house, plus estimates of building costs. Antique collectors, home hobbyists, and fans of traditional design will find this volume a valuable reference and an endless source of inspiration.