39. Small Georgian

While the standard Georgian made excellent sense for people with larger families, others chose to build a smaller version that possessed most of the same style points. Let's start with a home on Minister's Island, New Brunswick, that can only be reached when the tide is out! If it looks a little shopworn, it's because it has been sitting here since 1797!

What to look for (clues)

• Rectangular in shape (with the wide side facing the road).

• Very symmetrical.

• A gable roof on the sides.

• Original versions were very plain.

• There are many stone Georgians, both 'normal' and small, west of Waterloo, Ontario. The exteriors may also be of brick or wood.

Where to find it

Georgians appear in large numbers throughout the eastern half of Canada. The home with the verandah is in Kitchener. The small stone Georgian is found east of Stratford.







Time Periods
Ontario - anything before 1800 is very old and rare.
Quebec - there are buildings from the 1600's.
The 1700's are common.
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick - Buildings from the 1700's are around.

38. Edwardian # 1 - Main Form

The Edwardian style was named after Queen Victoria's eldest son who assumed the throne in 1901. The style was popular from approximately 1900 to 1930.
These large homes can be found in the wealthy sections of large towns or cities.

What to look for (clues)

• Large, squarish houses of 2 1/2 to 3 storys. Most use a dark red brick.

• Large paned, sash windows, topped by an unmoveable, small glass transom that's often filled with patterned, coloured glass.

• Large portico or verandah supported by (usually paired) small columns on top of brick or stone piers. The verandah may have a gently arched roof.

• A large brick, central, roof dormer complete with two or three windows.

• Window decorations often include horizontal stone lintels and windowsills above and below the windows.

Where to find it

The 'Main' Edwardian is fairly common. Some areas of Toronto possess many. The house pictured here is in Kingston (a wonderful city to 'mine' for architectural homes).
The Edwardian is confusing in the fact that I know of three similarly large Edwardian forms that are quite different from the 'main' version.

37. French Colonial / Plantation House

This style (the only colonial style originating in North America) followed the French settlers along the St.Lawrence River, then, with the French explorers, down the Mississippi River and along the Gulf of Mexico.
The style became very popular in the U.S. South East from 1760 to 1815. It served as the main house for many plantations (sadly with the accompaniment of slave shacks). Due to flooding in the area, the bottom story was usually maintained for storage purposes.

What to look for (clues)

• These are large buildings with a second floor that has a deep, shaded verandah that extends all around the house.
  

• There's a fairly steep gable roof with protruding dormers.

• Paired French doors at the front and back (sometimes with transoms) allow the wind to sweep away the heat of the day.

• A wide central staircase or pair of staircases (one at each end) leads to the gallery on the second floor. (The 2nd floor was also above most of the flying bugs!)

• Vertical board shutters on strap hinges can cover the glass when storms approach.

Where to find it

The beautiful version shown here is in Aylmer, Quebec, near Ottawa. It is presently being used as a museum.
One of my favourite examples was near the coast in Pensacola, Florida. Although it had survived numerous hurricanes, two particularly brutal storms hit the area since I last visited. I feel it is always a tragedy when one of the historic veterans is destroyed.

36. 'The English Style'

This English house style began appearing in the Quebec City area some time after the British conquest of New France around 1760. It later spread to some of the English-speaking provinces but remains rare outside of Quebec.

What to look for (clues)

• The house is built at street level usually touching the sidewalk. You must go down 2 or 3 steps to reach the centered main doorway. There is a large window on each side of the door.

• A verandah runs the width of the second floor but (originally) provided no access to the ground.

• There are 4 large openings on the 2nd floor. One is a doorway to the verandah. This door is not above the main lower entrance, making the building asymmetrical.

• The roof is a hip-style, but the front and rear portions have been elongated. This creates a ridge where the roofs meet. Two dormer windows appear on the front section. Two large chimneys are on either side of the back section.

• The large windows are double casements and swing inward

Where to find it

There are 4 examples along Avenue Royal in Beauport, a city adjoining Quebec City. This area is 'a gold mine' for people interested in architecture. Beauport, alone, has identified 677 historical homes!
To my complete astonishment, the house shown here exists in Elora, Ontario!

35. The Italianate - # 2

The second type of Italianate is very prominent in many Ontario cities. These buildings have great dignity and whisper a quiet wealth. They vary considerably in their adornments.

What to look for (clues)

• A large rectangular or square building of brick or stone.

• Symmetrical.

• Shallow hip roof (usually without a cupola).

• Large eaves with heavy brackets.

• A portion of the facade projects forward. In the vast majority of cases this is the center third of the facade. Generally, this projected area is topped by a small gable that breaks the roof line. Identical two-story bay windows may also exist.

• With the exception of the bay windows, Italianate windows are usually slightly arched at the top. If not the windows, the casing or vertical bricks above the windows will possess the arch.

• The entryway is often given great prominence in the form of a columned porch. This normally includes a balcony on top of the porch. Some of architecture's most dramatic doors appear on these houses.

Where to find it

The Italianate - # 2 is usually an urban style.
The examples shown are in Perth.

34. The Italianate - # 1

The Italianate has been an important and common building in Ontario. Since there are two rather distinct shapes, I have chosen to divide them into Italianate # 1 and Italianate # 2. Although they share many of the same decorative touches, there are also some distinct differences.

Italianate # 1 tends to resemble a cube, frequently with a cupola balanced on the top (which reminds me of a wedding cake!)

What to look for (clues)

• The building is quite large and immensely solid with its square facade.

• Very symmetrical.

• Often has a shallow, hip roof (4-sided) with a flat spot in the center that sports a cupola or belvedere.

• Large eaves are supported by heavy brackets frequently seen in pairs.

• The second story windows can be very ornate.

• The facade commonly has large bay windows extending outward on both sides of the entryway.

• When properly painted in a variety of colours the effect is quite dramatic.

Where to find it

Generally the Italianate # 1 appears in an urban setting in an older and wealthier section of a large town or city. The building shown here is now a museum and contains much of its original house furniture. It is well worth visiting it in Baden, Ontario.

33. Arts and Crafts

The Arts and Crafts movement began in England, almost as a reaction to the frivolous, machine-made ornamentations being wantonly applied to many Victorian-era homes.
American architects expanded the idea. Their emphasis was on quality, natural products and craftsmanship. It was an 'upgrade' of the popular Bungalow.
Elegant Japanese and Swiss homes were influences.

What to look for (clues)

• Natural products of wood, stone and brick dominate. The walls may appear quite rustic in appearance.

• Low-pitched roofs and structural materials (beams) extending from inside to outside the house. Sometimes the outer portions of the beams are fake.

• A sprawling, horizontal format. Series of narrow, vertical (and occasionally horizontal) windows are common.

• There is an emphasis on welcoming entrances and usable balconies.

• The style existed mainly from 1888 to 1925.

Where to find it

The Arts and Crafts homes are quiet in demeanor and don't stand out. You'll find them with homes built in the time period noted above.
This particular house was built in Waterloo, Ontario in 1923.

32. The Saltbox

This housing shape dates back to colonial times in the United States when they used a box, shaped in this manner, to store salt, a very important commodity at the time.
Two and 2 1/2 story houses used to keep the box immediately behind the house (often a severely plain Georgian). Sometime prior to 1680, one of the builders simply extended his back roofline to make the shed a part of the house...and the new 'Saltbox style' was created.
(In the U.S. South-East, this style is call a 'Cat Slide').

What to look for (clues)

• The house must be sufficiently large so that the back roof could be properly extended. This roof is usually a straight line, but not always.

• The large chimney is generally located in the back center of the house. The Canadian version, as you can see, differs.

• Most early saltboxes are lacking any form of decoration.

• The entryway is usually in the center of the facade.

Where to find it

The Saltbox is generally located in the oldest sections of a town or city. The house shown here can be found along the Credit River in Brampton.
The most interesting Saltbox I discovered was in St. Stephens, New Brunswick. When the War of 1812 began the building was floated across the St. Croix River from Calais, Maine to St. Stephens. (There had always been a close friendship between the peoples of the two towns. Believe it or not, at least up until the recent changes, fire engines from both towns reacted to blazes on both side of the border!!)

31. The French Eclectic

This appealing house appears in different places in Europe using one of the following titles; FRENCH ECLECTIC / NORMAN COTTAGE / SCOTTISH MANOR. While not common, the style appears in unexpected places in Canadian cities. I know of 3 examples in Kitchener-Waterloo as well as another in nearby Guelph. All of the homes are distinct in their decorations. All of them are well-kept and attractive.

What to look for (clues)

• The entranceway is into a prominent, round, central tower.This is frequently topped by a fairly high, conical roof.

• There are house sections on either side of the tower, one of which usually goes off at an angle.

• Outside finishes are commonly stone, brick or stucco (sometimes with a Tudor-style timbering).

• Multiple, vertical, English-styled windows are frequently used.

• Small decorative touches often lean towards a certain culture. The sample that's closest to my home has fleur-de-lys carved into the shutters.

• 
  

Where to find it

So far, all of my examples have been in urban settings. The particular home on display is located in Cowansville, Quebec. The owners came out to their car as I was taking the picture. We chatted and they were delighted to learn more about the style of their special home. They apologized that they didn't have time to show my wife and I through their house. This is the typical friendly reaction that I receive from most home owners.

30. The Carpenter Gothic

The Carpenter Gothic came into existence after the invention of the scroll saw. This tool permitted carpenters to create fancy gingerbread/ bargeboard/vergeboard along the eaves and exotic verandahs through the creation of spindles and shaped posts. The rest of the house is often quite plain with clapboard or board and batten siding. Although the style may appear 'overdone' the end results are usually quite charming.








This Stoney Creek house was built in 1801 and named Squire Hall.

What to look for (clues)

• The verandah and eaves are dead give-aways

• The house is normally well-painted with white for the verandah and one or two colours on the remainder. (there are always exceptions to this.)

• There is usually at least one gable roof pointed towards the street.

• Additional fancy balconies may be added to any flat section.

Where to find it

Unfortunately, this style is relatively rare. The beautiful example exhibited at the top is at Mahone Bay in one of the loveliest villages in Nova Scotia.
The Stoney Creek example, in 1897, became the home of the world's first Women's Institute. The home belonged at this time to Erland Lee.
The third, slightly 'used' example is located in St. Marys. The picture on the right gives you an example of the detailing that went into these houses.
























In the United States the style is usually called Folk Victorian. (I still lament for a charming Folk Victorian that was used as a tourist bureau in Biloxi, Mississippi. The next hurricane, after I was there, sent thundering waves a couple of hundred yards beyond where this building had
been located.)

29. The Queen Anne # 2 - 'Subdued'

This is a plainer, 'quieter' version of the Queen Anne 'family of homes'. It's still a decent size, but the exterior is of one material (brick) and of one colour without the wild appendages. Note the similarities to it's wilder, 'fancy' relative.

What to look for (clues)

• The house is asymmetrical.

• There are numerous roofs heading different directions.

• The verandah covers a portion of the facade and winds around one side only.

• There are a variety of window styles; rectangular, oval, square with an arched portion above (this is very typical of the Queen Anne) and a palladian window leading to the attic. Note also the wonderful stonework below (sill), above (lintel) and around the windows.

• This sedate house would probably be more appropriate for the local banker or doctor.

Where to find it

The 'subdued' Queen Anne is equally at home in rural or urban settings.
This particular building exists just to the north of Tavistock.
(Identifying the style of this specific home is what 'got me started' in finding architectural styles.
It's become a delightful hobby that I've termed 'Building Watching'. Since then my wife and I have walked around countless cities, towns and villages throughout Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.)

28. The Queen Anne # 1 - 'Fancy'

The style is named after England's Queen Anne who ruled from 1702 -1714.
It's been described as "an opulent profusion of elements". Put less elegantly, the Queen Anne stole from every other style regardless of time period or nationality. Anything goes! When it doesn't 'work' you have a monstrosity. When it does work, which is surprisingly often, you have a delightful and unique home.

What to look for (clues)

• Wildly asymmetrical with all kinds of add-ons.

• Numerous small roofs seemingly going in all directions.

• A front porch that curves around ONE side. It may widen at the corner to form a small bandshell.

• Windows, shingles on the side of the house, and porches come in a number of shapes and colours. Some of these homes in the States have 7 colours and are dubbed 'painted ladies'.

• The houses vary from moderately large to huge.

Where to find it
The style has proven very popular throughout most of Canada and the United States. Monster wooden Queen Annes are common in the Maritimes. The one pictured here is in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Not all Queen Anne are so large or flamboyant. Future postings will look at other versions and some 'off-shoots'.

27. Japanese Architecture

Japanese architecture is rare in Eastern Canada. My comments are based on a single house beside the Grand River near Conestogo, Ontario.

What to look for (clues)

• The reddish tiled roof appears at 2 levels. On the top level, the roof appears truncated before it bends upwards. The lower wider level also extends upwards but protrudes farther from the house. It covers a verandah on the main floor that encircles the house. This shape appears in Japanese temples dating back to the 12th century.

• Upper story windows are paired and horizontal. Those on the main floor are also paired, but are vertical.

• The entryway is virtually a separate building at the front of the main house. Its painting is dramatic with a round red circle where the door appears. (The circle is, of course, the motif for the Japanese flag.)

• In front of the house is a lovely small garden complete with a pond.

• The overall effect is, for me, both attractive and serene.

26. Stone Cottages

Stone cottages came into being a little later than the log cabins. There was a ready availability of stones in the Maritime Province's Appalachian Mountains or the Canadian Shield in Ontario and Quebec. Scottish settlers arriving from their homeland frequently had skills as stone masons which they applied in their new home in Cape Breton Island. The same held true for many Irish lads who came to Ontario to build the Rideau Canal from Kingston to Ottawa.

What to look for (clues)

• By today's standards the buildings were crude with windows and doors placed wherever they were most suitable.

• Many of the original homes probably had thatching on the roof which has long ago vanished.

• The sizes were small with most involving a single room.

• Since glass was expensive, homes might start with wax paper over the windows to be replaced later by numerous small panes.

Where to find it

Search around the older Canadian settlements. The cottage shown here is at Seeleys Bay, north of Kingston.

25. The Late Georgian

As time went on the plain Georgian evolved as people became wealthier and desired something a little fancier. Think of this as a Georgian in a party dress! The shape, symmetry, roof and windows are basically the same, but now they're dressed up for a party. One of the problems in identification is trying to decide if the house is a Late Georgian or a Georgian that has been updated. Good luck!

What to look for (clues)

• While appearing as a Georgian, there are now numerous decorative touches; fancy corner stones (quoins), a lighter-appearing verandah, different coloured bricking (polychrome), a horizontal line (string course) between floors.

• An elaborate entryway; a better door, a patterned glass arch (1/2 moon) over the door and matching patterned glass on both sides of the door (sidelights).

• A gable or hip roof that frequently has dormers poking through the roof.

• 5 windows over 4, but larger windows with larger panes and shutters are normal.

Where to find it

The Late Georgian can be found in both urban and rural settings. The style has never gone out of favour, and large (sometimes very large) modern versions are replacing other styles in some of our most prestigious suburbs.
The Late Georgian also falls under the umbrella of Neoclassical.

24. The Log Cabin

Log houses existed in the Scandinavian area of Europe somewhere around 8000 B.C. The 'style' was brought to North America by Swedish and Finish settlers about 1638.

Most of our original European settlers were fleeing from events in their birth countries; wars, disease, famine, unjust laws, religious intolerance and much more!
In most cases the settlers arrived to a land that was much more savage and hostile than they had been told. (Despite inflamed stories to the contrary, the original settlers, the aboriginal peoples, often did their best to share knowledge and help these new arrivals.)
Obviously, while fighting for survival, the Europeans were not going to worry about style and decoration. Hence their earliest 'architecture' comprised of products that were at hand to create crude LOG HOUSES (or STONE CABINS). (I'm sure some of the choice related back to what existed in their birth country.)

What to look for (clues)

• (Earliest) Rough-hewn logs laid horizontally on top of one another.

• Various types of 'cuts' were made at the corners to lock the logs in place.

• Simple materials such as moss would fill in the chinks between the logs.
  

• (Later) Squared timber was used.
  

The size and location of doors and windows reflected the need for safety and convenience.

Where to find it

A surprising number of log structures still exist in the lesser settled northern areas of our provinces where trees are readily available.
'Pioneer settlements' (museums) are also available. The example shown is in one such conservation area at Port Rowan in Southern Ontario.
There are also large, modern, 'kit-form' log homes that exist. This will be a later posting.

23. The Octagon

In 1848, in New York State, Orson Fowler loudly proclaimed that the octagonal shaped house had numerous benefits over 'square' shaped houses. He must have been an excellent salesman because 100's of people built Octagons. It is correct that the inner space is larger and that the rooms are brighter due to the many windows. What he didn't say is that the rooms are terrible to furnish due to the short walls and lack of corners.

What to look for (clues)

• An eight-sided house.

• Most of the octagons sit a little distance above the ground.

• There is usually a verandah that encompasses the entire house.

• The 3rd floor is often just a cupola or single room.

• Tall narrow windows are often paired. There may be shutters.

Where to find it

Octagons aren't common, but I wouldn't rate them as 'rare'. This one is in Hawksbury near the Ottawa River.
The Octagon is found more frequently in New York State.

22. The Monterey

The Monterey style was created in California about 1853. Canadian versions can be found, but they tend to date back to the middle of the 20th century. The Monterey is a two-story house. The most outstanding feature is a balcony that extends partially or fully across the second story. The balcony can only be reached from inside the house.

What to look for (clues)?

• The long side of the house faces the street. There are gables at each end.


• Exterior walls are brick, wood or stucco.


• The second story railing is usually an attractively painted wrought iron or wood.


• There are normally two sets of French doors, with shutters, leading to the balcony.


• The roof is low-pitched and shingled.

Where to find it?

Look in the older suburbs of cities to locate this style. While not common, I would not rate it as rare. Much older homes that are quite similar may be located in St. Augustine, Florida (Spanish Eclectic) or in various older section of Quebec, where they were dubbed the English Style (and came into existence after 1763). The difference with the 'English Style' is that you have to go down three or four steps to enter the house. Imagine my surprise when I found a perfect example in Elora, Ontario!

The house pictured here is in Waterloo, Ontario.

21. The Tudor Revival

There are quite a number of English styles that became popular around 1900. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to incorrectly label all of them as Tudor Revivals, when in fact there are a number of specific styles. The TUDOR REVIVAL is a distinct and handsome style that is found in large numbers in most Canadian cities.

What to look for (clues)?

• Wooden beams over stucco on at least a portion of the front exterior.


• Sets of three of more narrow windows. These leaded windows are usually divided into small diamond or rectangular shapes.


• Fancy brick or stonework is common. High narrow chimneys, usually placed towards the rear of the building.


• 'Heavy' entranceway of stone or cement and a solid wooden door.


• Front gables and bay windows are common.

Where to find it?

Most of these homes are found in an urban setting. They frequently cluster in older, expensive sections of our cities.There are a wide number of variations. For some inexplicable reason I consider it a solid, large, 'masculine' home. I personally find the Tudor Revival a very attractive style.