Shingle Style Homes
By; Haley Combs
Description
This type of housing is very asymmetrical and free-form. It has some variations depending on location. Shingle style homes typically include a stone chimney, a shingled roof, and an either wrap-around or large porch. This style pulls some of its characteristics from victorian and cape cod style homes. Unlike victorian style homes, the shingle style chooses to use less decoration and detailing, but include more unique forms and shapes in their architecture. The roof is one of its defining features, obviously from its name you can see that it almost always uses cedar shingles.
In many shingle style homes you see that they incorporate different types of towers and window shapes. Now you don't see as many actual towers as you do rounded spaces to create the look of a semi-tower space. Their windows also come in various forms, using multiple shapes and sizes. The more modern renditions of shingle style homes include large porches with classical columns for supports.
History
Emerging between 1880 and 1900, the shingle style home developed in New England most commonly built on stone foundations that emerged from bedrock. With its wood construction and natural colors, these houses seem to blend into their surroundings. Originally, these homes were very horizontal and seemed to hug the ground. With the porches, balconies and large windows, these homes belonged to the more upper-class people who wished to live a slow, fun, and romantic lifestyle. Then and now these houses are very popular around seaside resorts and neighborhoods.
The shingle style home pulls most of its influence from housing style such as, Victorian and Queen Anne. Architects who designed these homes preferred asymmetry and free forms, building the houses and pieces of art. This style still remains a high-fashion style and was never accepted as a common housing type.