A Long Overdue Porch Project

When I first designed our house and had it built, there wasn't much available in The States in terms of decorative features--at least not in an appropriate Tudor or Old English style. When the style flourished during the early part of the 20th Century, you could find all kinds of plaster and wood architectural detailing available in catalogs, but by 1992 all that was commonly available were variations of Victorian gingerbread or classically-inspired pieces. Cost and time were also factors; our budget was modest for both and all I could manage to make myself during construction were the large corbel brackets that reside under the jettied story above the entrance.

While I'd expect the search for such items to be easier in the UK, it hasn't changed much in the U.S.--unless you want something custom-made or a very expensive antique.

Finally, last year I was able to do exactly that; custom-make a proper Tudor arch for the entry of our house, replacing the gingerbread scrolls that adorned the entry alcove for two-and-a-half decades. Since this had a southern exposure, and with maintenance in mind, I used 1-inch thick Azek board, backed with another inch of white pine, sandwiched together to provide the appropriate width for the small corbels on each side. As you may know, Azek is a PVC material that will last practically forever, never rot, and carves very much like wood. Also, since the trim is to be painted white anyway, it was an easy choice.

STBA SPAB 2020 Online Sustainability Conference Begins October 6

This year’s STBA and SPAB Conference will take place online over three days focusing on key issues affecting the traditional built environment: embodied carbon, skills and research. The conference will feature some of the UK’s leading speakers to help participants understand the underlying issues, explore potential solutions and then discuss all this together with a Q&A session at the end of each morning.

The online conference is being held via Zoom;  FULL CONFERENCE TICKET is £100 for non-members and £65 for members for all three sessions. The conference is SPAB CPD accredited. Most presentations will last 40 minutes and be in a PowerPoint style. These will be made available after the conference. To register, go to: https://www.spab.org.uk/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=433

Restoring an Akron Classic: Hackberry House

Editor’s Note: Charlotte and Michael Gintert are proud to call Akron, Ohio their home, and those of us who have followed their journey as they settled back into the area after several years abroad are very happy that they have returned. As Charlotte is an expert photographer, she often posts photos online—not only from their past travels, but also many local subjects that she has rediscovered since returning to Northeast Ohio. Of course, it was the photos of their remarkably preserved 1920’s Tudor revival home that caught my eye, and she was only too happy to provide some details as well as photos of the house upon request.

The home's Entrance Hall is warm and welcoming.

TLG: What made you choose this house?

Charlotte: My husband and I were being relocated back to Akron in August 2017 after living in Europe for six years for his position at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. We came to Akron in May to look at available houses. This house was listed for sale the day before we were scheduled to fly in from Germany. The listing was still very basic, they hadn’t even photographed the interior yet, but we both had a feeling it was going to be the one for us. Akron has a large quantity of Tudor revival homes, probably thanks to Stan Hywet’s presence, and we’ve always dreamed of owning one of Akron’s Tudors. While we looked at several other houses, this one was something very special. Not only is it a Tudor, but it had been lovingly preserved by the previous owners. Unlike all the other houses we looked at, it hadn’t been remodeled to have a modern open floor plan. Almost everything was original or had been replaced by period correct pieces. Most people would balk at such a house, but historic preservation is very important to us. We felt a kinship with the owners, and delighted at the chance to continue the legacy of keeping a 1920’s Tudor as it was designed. We knew if we bought another house we would regret passing this one up because another buyer would probably end up gutting it.

OLD BOOKS, NEW REVIEWS: Architecture of The Arts & Crafts Movement

Let me just say it: Great Old Books on Architecture are like crack to those who love to read and collect them. While there continues to be a decent stream of new works that fit within my areas of interest, I simply can’t say no when the opportunity arises to pick up an older volume at a good price. My shelves are full of former well-worn public library volumes that have been cast off, and it gives me great pleasure to know I can preserve them for both myself and others.

The book includes a number of illustrations and floor plans.

Such is Architecture of The Arts and Crafts Movement, by Peter Davey, originally published in 1980 by Rizzoli. Some readers may be familiar with the more recent (20 years! - LOL) 1997 book Arts and Crafts Architecture by the same author, which is a typically beautiful Phaidon volume with exquisite layout and beautiful color photography.

Highlighting The Not-So-Lost Arts: Allan T. Adams - Architectural Illustrator

I have previously noted how much I have always enjoyed the work of Sydney R. Jones (1881-1966) whose fabulous illustrations grace the pages of books like The Manor Houses of England, The Village Homes of England, Old Houses in Holland and How to Draw Houses, which I have previously highlighted on this site. In a similar fashion, I have also collected some of the works by R. J. Brown, whose pen-and-ink drawings of vernacular houses and village buildings add so much to the descriptions found in English Village Architecture, English Farmhouses, and The English Country Cottage.

In this age of photography and wondrous digital effects, the sublime results that can be gained via the illustrator’s trained hand are often forgotten. Yet there are few substitutes for the range of evocative feelings that can be elicited from a fine pencil or pen-and-ink drawing.

Allan T. Adams - Illustrator

Recently I have had the opportunity to marvel at the skill of an architectural illustrator who has found his way onto my Twitter feed—Allan T. Adams. Just as I was thinking that the only source of fine illustrations of ancient English buildings were old books, his work has renewed my enthusiasm for this art form and provided much enjoyment.

Allen T. Adams - Illustrator

Mr. Adams has much experience illustrating historic buildings, as he is retired from Historic England (formerly English Heritage) having worked on a number of projects, such as reconstruction drawings.

The Carlton Tavern: A Pub Worth Saving

HAPPY FOLLOW UP: Thanks to the efforts of concerned citizens, the council refused permission to demolish the pub. 
 
When I think of an English Pub, many things come to mind, but as often as not, it’s usually something like the Carlton Tavern Pub, in York. This Victorian-era pub, with its lively Tudor-revival exterior, sits amongst mature trees in a very attractive area.

The Carlton Tavern in York is under threat. Clearly a pub well worth saving.

Unfortunately, the pub has never been designated as a heritage asset, which is why it was recently slated for demolition as part of a luxury residential care-home scheme. Without reasonable consideration of options that would enable the building to be kept, the City of York Council had approved the structure’s demolition at their Planning Committee meeting in October, with a tie vote of 6-6 swung by the Committee Leader.

Fortunately, close scrutiny of the decision-making on the part of the Victorian Society as well as local residents has resulted in the Council going for an unprecedented re-vote on this issue. To facilitate the pub’s preservation, a purchase proposal has been put forward to refurbish the pub and provide holiday accommodation for race goers and visitors to York, as well as a community pub, restaurant and deli.

With a re-vote set for the 13th of December, the slightest of opportunities now exist to ensure that Councillors fully grasp the historic and economic significance of the Carlton Tavern. If you live nearby and have a voice, it is your opportunity to be heard!

Link: Save The Pub! 38 Degrees Campaign

Remembering a Rubber Baron: The O'Neil House

Not too long ago I had the opportunity to visit the O’Neil House, a landmark Akron estate that had been converted in to a very fine Bed & Breakfast some years ago. This magnificent Tudor-revival home, which is located on the city’s west side, was originally built as the home for the family of William O'Neil, founder of The General Tire Company and the son of Michael O’Neil, founder of Akron’s leading department store. The 19-room mansion sits proudly at the corner of West Exchange Street and Mull Avenue, on a well-manicured, park-like spot.

A wide, curved driveway sweeps across the front of the house.

While there is plenty of craftsmanship and solid design evident in the home, there is no pretentiousness about the house, which is spacious, warm and welcoming. The foyer features a beautiful staircase and walls covered in linenfold paneling.

The home's foyer features walls covered in warm linenfold paneling.

Just off the foyer is a wood-paneled library, filled with books, comfortable furniture and a large fireplace. It’s easy to imagine spending the better part of a day here reading and relaxing.

VISITS: Highlights of Highclere Castle

Back in May, I provided a brief overview of this year’s UK trip, which centered around London and areas close by. One of our stops was at Highclere Castle, the home of Lord and Lady Carnarvon, and the house made famous by the Downton Abbey TV Series. Thankfully, the great success of the show has increased the number of visitors over the years to such an extent that many needed repairs have been made. Ongoing restoration continues, and many educational and tourist programs have been added as well.

A little rain shower did not diminish my daughter's enthusiasm for the tour.

While perhaps not my first choice, I succumbed to the desires of my wife and daughter to go see the house, which I had first read about in Mark Girouard’s book, The Victorian Country House. Designed by architect Charles Barry, and featuring a park designed by Capability Brown. The 5,000-acre estate is in Hampshire, about 5 miles south of Newbury, Berkshire. Reportedly the original site of the home was recorded in the Domesday Book, and the first house was built on the foundations of the medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester, who owned this estate from the 8th century. Highclere has been home to the Earls of Carnarvon and their forebears since 1679.

Tudor House Continues to Serve Portage Lakes as a Community Treasure

When Frank Mason, a senior executive of the B. F. Goodrich, built this grand home on Turkeyfoot Lake and gave it to his grandson and his newlywed wife, Zeletta Robinson, he may not have dreamed that it would one day be a local civic center. Today, the Frank Mason Raymond home—known locally as Tudor House—or the Franklin park Civic Center, continues to charm guests as a serves as a popular wedding, meeting and banquet facility, often available without charge to non-profit organizations.

Located at 655 Latham Lane, in the Portage Lakes area of New Franklin, the beautiful 20-room, 2 ½ story, brick and stucco mansion sits on 5.8 acres, adjacent to Portage Lakes State Park, and has 335 feet of frontage on the west shore of the lake.

A Bird’s Eye for Country House Design

While I imagine a number of people throughout the UK are familiar with the handsome work of artist Jonathan Myles-Lea, he is clearly not a household name here in the US. Best known for his house and landscape portraits, his work recalls past masters like John Constable and Johannes Kip. My personal favorites feature the traditional “bird’s eye views” of country houses—a style popular throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

A view of Burghley House - from the west. Image Rights: Jonathan Myles-Lea.

Though Myles-Lea had been well-established as a noted painter of landscapes and houses, the commission he received for the April 29, 2009 cover of Country Life, featuring a fantasy 10-acre estate, clearly solidified his reputation as a worldwide talent. The resulting Dream Acres project was a central part of the 10-week series appearing in the magazine—featuring the stylized aerial views for which he has become particularly celebrated.

National Trust for Scotland Launches House Tour Program for Americans

Through its Grand Houses and Gardens Tour Program, set to run from September 15-23, 2017, Scotland’s National Trust has developed a deluxe travel package that will offer visitors a chance to explore a number of historic properties, including C.R. Mackintosh’s Hill House, Fyvie Castle, Falkland Palace & Garden, Craigievar Castle and many others.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh's best known house - Hill House

The trip package is the first of its kind offered by National Trust for Scotland Foundation, USA (NTSUSA), which helps raise funds for the charity in the United States. Among the many trip highlights, art historian Dr. Evelyn Silber will lead a tour of Glasgow, taking in Charles Rennie Mackintosh's buildings, including the Glasgow School of Art as well as Hill House in Helensburgh, currently the subject of a fundraising appeal.

In the northeast, highlights will include Pitmidden Garden, the Robert Adam-designed Haddo House, pink-turreted Fyvie Castle, and Drum Castle, which now houses a contemporary art gallery.

Craigievar Castle was home to the Forbes
family for over 350 years.

"We are so pleased to offer an exceptional tour to Scotland designed with an American audience in mind, said Kirstin Bridier, executive director of NTSUSA. "This trip combines visits to iconic sites like Edinburgh Castle with behind-the-scenes access at National Trust for Scotland treasures including Haddo House and The Hill House. We can't wait to share the extraordinary beauty and history of Scotland with individuals from the US."

You can find out more HERE.

A Refreshing Houzz Take on Tudor Revival Interiors

A Tudor Revival interior that embraces its unique details and original
woodwork. Courtesy Stonewood, LLC

I was heartened to see a story on Houzz the other day regarding the continued popularity of the Tudor Revival style in American homes, including an outline of its basic visual elements. Architect Steven Randal does a fine job of distilling the style's most essential design cues, and best of all, the story includes some excellent photographic examples of contemporary Tudor Revival interiors. The collection of images included with the article fully dispels the notion that these rooms are dark and dusty museum set-pieces.

Another room that blends with contemporary style.
Courtesy Margot Hartford Photography

The story was refreshing for another reason (one which I have noted more than once) regarding the “typical” rooms one sees when visiting Houzz. More and more, it seems that almost every room featured on the website is bathed in white; white woodwork, white cabinets, white floors, white furniture…all combined with a very trendy, “hip” design aesthetic that looks like it was inspired by any one of a hundred DIY-design-craft -blogs. I’ve found this to become fairly tiresome, and it’s only remedied by entering a more specific site search for rooms offering more traditional styles, more color, or more of anything not defined by “trendy.”

As I noted, the photos accompanying this story are helpful, in that they offer a clean and contemporary look that embraces each home’s Tudor details instead of painting them out (in white) or de-emphasizing them. This is not always an easy problem to solve, as we will eventually be looking to update the interiors of our own house, and need all the inspiration we can find.

You can reference the full article HERE.

The Challenge of Sourcing Appropriate Period Items

Decorative plaque - provided by TudorArtisans.com - USA

If you are interested in architectural and interior design of the Tudor and Elizabethan periods, or you’re looking to restore a home built in a revival of these styles, one of the primary challenges is to find appropriate materials here in the States. Eighty years ago, it was easy to source such items as plaster cornice and mouldings, fireplaces, brackets, corbels, light fixtures, hardware and furniture that would look right in a Tudor-revival home. Today, there is little available. Other than the handful of legacy remnants available from old line US suppliers like Decorators Supply or Fischer & Jirousch, almost no one makes them anymore, aside from high end custom crafters and cabinetmakers.

Today, most suppliers offer a range of classically-inspired products that would fit well into a colonial or Georgian home, but provide almost nothing that is suitable to an earlier time period. Whether it’s a chair rail moulding, a wooden mantel, or even a wooden interior door—the choices are generally limited to very common traditional designs. Think of egg-and-dart, dentil mouldings, colonial casings or the ubiquitous colonial six-panel door and you know what I mean.

Magnificence in Miniature: The Models of Ben Taggart

Ben Taggart with his model of Henry VIII's Nonesuch Palace.



I’ve been interested in model building ever since I was a child, and even today still dabble in it from time to time—sometimes for historical miniatures wargaming, or building scenery for a slot car track in the basement.

I suppose this is why I can appreciate the magnificent skill that Ben Taggart displays with his highly detailed architectural models. My first introduction to his work was seeing a photo of one of his most impressive works—a miniature recreation of Henry VIII’s Nonesuch Palace, which is now on display in South London. I suppose I was so overwhelmed by the well-researched vision of Henry’s lost palace that I did not stop to consider the time, effort and craftsmanship required to actually build the model. Consider this a remedy to that oversight.



One of Ben's wall-mounted models

Ben applied his research and modelling skills to projects large and small. On the more modest side, he does unique, hand-framed, low-relief models of houses by commission. These present somewhat of a challenge due to the limitations in depth, so some elements of a home may be foreshortened to fit inside the frame. Nevertheless, the finished examples are quite fine to behold and would be a welcome addition to any homeowner’s wall.

Duretta and O'Kast: The Look of Wood for Less

I have long been fascinated by old building technologies; in particular, some of the materials and designed that were developed during the early 20th century. A few months ago, I discussed magnesite stucco, and this time we’ll take a look at a synthetic stand-in for traditional carved woodwork known as Duretta.

Aside from design, one of the foremost properties considered by architects and builders was the ability to be fireproof. This is precisely why stucco, concrete and brick were so popular, and why asbestos was so common in stucco mix, shingles, siding, flooring and other items used in construction.

The New York firm of G.E. Walter developed Duretta for use as a cast material, used to replicate carved wood and metal. It was used for carved wood paneling and wainscoting, door panels, wall friezes, grilles, fireplaces, rails and even exterior half-timber work. Company literature only describes it as a “plastic, fibrous, composition material” – though its exact formula is not known, the fact that it was clearly described as being fireproof would lead one to think that asbestos and perhaps some gypsum may have made up at least part of the mix.

Finishes for Duretta varied; most items were finished to look like wood, and the company claimed that when so finished, it was practically indistinguishable from the real think. Other pieces were finished to look like hammered metal, and still others were provided a special, more durable finish for exterior work.

Historic Neighborhood Tours: Goodyear Heights

One of the more gratifying things one can do is to be able to put knowledge to good use, and I was able to do exactly this last weekend as I was able to lead a historic neighborhood tour of Akron’s Goodyear Heights through @Akron2Akron, a local group that helps organized and promote city neighborhood tours in an effort to help residents discover and appreciate the places where they live.

This pedestrian pathway and steps was dedicated to Clara Bingham,  a 47-year Goodyear employee who was popularly knows as "The First Lady of Goodyear."

I won’t go into a lot of detail in this post—there is a downloadable brochure I prepared; a PDF Dropbox link is HERE if you’d like to read more about it. In short, Goodyear Heights is one of the better American examples of the Garden City Movement as it was transformed into a high quality community for industrial employees of Frank Seiberling’s Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Planning began in 1912, when Seiberling used his master landscape designer, Warren Manning (who had already designed the grounds at his landmark Tudor-Revival mansion, Stan Hywet) to layout a small town for his workers.

On The Radio: Local History & Its Impact on Architecture

While we’ve always been focused on a specific area of architecture and design, there can be no doubt that preservation of historic buildings—as both a principle and a cultural and economic benefit—is something that deserves attention. Having reviewed how economic, social and geographic forces have had an impact on the architectural landscape of my own city in a recent Medium post, I wanted to share not only that story but also a recent conversation on the subject I had on local radio.

That Medium essay, LITTLE BIG TOWN: How Akron’s Unique History Has Impacted its Architecture – got a fair share of reads. The essay goes into some detail on how several consecutive waves of economic development have impacted Akron’s built environment, resulting in a situation where very few buildings from the canal-era or late 19th-century still exist. It also outlined the successes and failures of 20th century development, including downtown urban renewal, mid-century highway construction, and the failure of city government to embrace historic preservation within city neighborhoods.

The article made enough impact that I was invited to discuss the subject on one of the local radio stations, WAKR-AM. The entire segment, from the Jason Sokol Show, can be heard HERE.

Buildings Under Threat: But What Will Be The Response?

ST. PAULS SUNDAY SCHOOL & PARISH HOUSE - BUILT 1880'S.

Back in 1986, I was sitting in the kitchen of Elsie Snyder, a local preservationist, along with a few other people, wondering what we could do to avoid the demolition of an old historic apartment building near Akron’s Grace Park. Those gatherings, and that initial effort—which ultimately proved to be unsuccessful—led to the founding of a local group called Progress Through Preservation, (now known as the Preservation Alliance of Greater Akron) which still operates today. I bring this up for two reasons. One – more of our local historic structures are seriously threatened with demolition. And Two – I am wondering if anyone in Akron will make a concerted effort to stop it.

The buildings in question are two of Akron’s most historic, and have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for many years. They include the former St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and adjacent Sunday School Building and Parish House, located at East Market and Forge Streets. These remarkable gothic structures are among the few remaining links to 19th Century Akron, and the Sunday School is one of the better preserved examples of the historic “Akron Plan” that was developed by Lewis Miller and utilized in hundreds of church buildings across the nation up until WWI. They are attractive, generally well-preserved structures, dating from the 1880’s – 1890’s.

Video Book Review: Greater Medieval Houses of England & Wales - Vol. 1

Here is the first of our video book reviews - or as I like to call them: New Reviews of Old Books. As regards my reasoning for this, please refer to this recent post. As you will see, while I have nothing but praise for the book's content, the quality of the printing and publication (not the design) leaves something to be desired.

To make things a little clearer, I am including here a couple of photos of the interior of the book. The overall layout and design is fine, but the printing process used (I assume digital, since I feel this was a short-run book) was perhaps not up to the task, as the photographs do not have the requisite contrast and detail one would prefer. Even the stock paper is a little thin; you may be able to see bleed-through text from the other side of the pages.

Book Review - Simple Rules: What the Old Time Builders Knew

Tudor cottage renovation - Shannon Taylor Scarlett, Architect 

Those of us who study, restore or would like to live in an Olde English Home may already have some grasp of their essential design elements. This has not stopped us from often wondering why so many modern homes lack the charm, proportions or design quality of the real thing—or even of well-designed revival houses.

For those who are still wondering, or who may be considering a building or remodeling project, I would recommend architect Shannon Taylor Scarlett’s Simple Rules: What the Old Time Builders Knew, a compact volume of observations, quotes and drawings that help put these design issues in perspective. I was fortunate to download the Kindle version some time ago (it is just $4.99) and was happily rewarded when I recently rediscovered it during a few idle moments on my iPhone.

This brief review of design principles—it is just a little over 100 pages—provides a helpful foundation for those who are interested in traditional approaches to design, or who would simply like to unlock the mystery of “why so many older buildings look better.” Scarlett’s book makes it clear that it’s not just a matter of appropriating a classical door surround, throwing some half-timbers onto an exterior wall, or tarting up a builder tract house with some Victorian trim work.

The book is highly recommended as a handy reference and a helpful guide to understanding some of the basic elements of “curb appeal.” It’s also available in print from Barnes & Noble.