I am looking for some inspiration and was wondering if any of you would share some photos of some of the colonial trim work and other colonial style interior work you have done. Perhaps some colonial revival type stuff.
Thanks in advance
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Replies
Not my work, but I thought this might help the conversation...
http://www.windsorone.com/moldings/colonial/default.asp
a tough subject here in the midwest - not much colonial architecture around, and not much being manufactured right now - I've done some paneling, but wouldn't call it colonial -
here's a great book from 1923 photographing some great early American interiors - we'll worth the $10 -
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=french&sts=t&tn=colonial+interiors&x=63&y=18
Here's a couple of shots of front and rear stairwells from a 1760 Connecticut farmhouse that I have been restoring.
Devin
Here's the other file
Those spindles make me dizzy looking at them with the change in pitch of the spiral part on them.Martin
Reduced for the modem crowd...
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"War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." Ambrose Bierce
Edited 10/21/2007 3:41 am ET by Crash
Edited 10/21/2007 3:42 am ET by Crash
Nice size for an 86kb.
rez, I used the "paint" accessory that came with my PC and reduced the photo by 35% on width and 35% height. Works pretty well."War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." Ambrose Bierce
Thanks.
Btw, might you have the links to your various posts on the decorative shingle designs you have posted in the past years?
I'd like to incorporate them into the BT Photo Index.
Cheers
Thanks, rez. I did a search and this one has some pics as well as my "how to" paper. I noticed that you already have the thread on the eagle.
I'm looking forward to getting back to the Cape next summer. I'm not doing any carpentry here in Holland.
40021.1 "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." Ambrose Bierce
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BTW, rez, great work on the Gallery Table of Contents. I haven't had time to dig in yet but I'm looking forward to spending a cold and rainy Sunday morning in there."War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." Ambrose Bierce
Hey thanks, no one's said nary a word about it. I was starting to think it was a worthless pursuit.
If you know any particular old threads you think might fit in there well, print the links here and we'll get them incorporated in.
Rez, I'm also looking forward to a cold, wintry afternoon when I can look through some of those catalogued threads. Your work is TRULY appreciated!
Back to this thread's topic: "mmoogie" posted in another thread photos of a small early Greek Revival house near Cooperstown, N.Y. that has some amazing mouldings and trim work. 95263.40
Not "colonial" but well worth a look.
For those that may have missed it, here they are again. I'd love to see some more interior shots.
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Allen
Thanks,
I've been meaning to ask if you might have a listing of threads with photos of old architecture that might be placed in the Gallery Index?
Hmmm. I really haven't kept track of "historic architecture" threads. There have been some great old house photos that were included "off topic" in various other threads, but hard to track down at this point.
That said, after the leaves fall, and I get a nice sunny day, I'm hoping to drive around and take photos for a "cobblestone architecture of Western New York" thread. The few photos I've shared previously generated quite a bit of interest.
Allen
Well, if you ever pinpoint anything interesting feel free to post the links.
Cheers
Guess that's one way to raise the ceilings. ;)
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jt8
"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh." --Voltaire
Isn't it horrible to see an old house laid waste like what he posted in post#19?
There is always a certain air of mystery surrounding old waylaid places as that.
Looks like there might be salvagable beams and functional trim still lying there so the roof must be shedding water enough.
Once the roof goes it's the curtain call and goodbye old house.
Once the roof goes it's the curtain call and goodbye old house
Amazing how fast it falls apart when the roof goes.jt8
"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh." --Voltaire
water
sun
vegetation
be vitamin b12
Found these old photos taken a few years back in the country about 30 miles out in Pa.
Thought you might be able to use them in yer reference files even tho' it's not Greek Revival.
Looks pretty bare bones raw without having been remuddled much over the years.
Heard someone took it upon themselves to salvage that sweetie and did 'er up nice but I haven't been out to see. If I ever do I'll snap some pics.
Peace in.
Go snap those pix!
Forrest
rez
That's a pretty cool house, looks like its saveable.
Be curious to see if it was ever revitalized!
Doug
I was told someone fixed'r up and did a multiple color paint scheme on it.
be three cheers for painted ladies.
Peace in.
Nice to hear someone fixed it. Once the roof goes, those things go down in a hurry. Looks like the porch is the only really bad roof in those shots.
[edit to add] So where are the current shots?!
jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
Edited 1/23/2008 12:22 pm by JohnT8
If I'm ever out that way I'll grab some shots.
Peace full.
Hijack: How is your little project going, Doug?
jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
Its going!
I had to do a few things that needed done like install a shower in the main bathroom and some stuff in the basement so that the kids can play there but now I'm ready to start on the improvements that I want to do.
I was going to look at putting it in a blog but not sure how, have to get my son to help me set it up. I don't want to post the pictures/start a thread on here - don't like the way that pictures become property of Tauntons. I don't believe that they should have the right to my pictures.
Doug
now I'm ready to start on the improvements that I want to do
LOL, some of those go on forever!
jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
Rez, thanks for those.
It looks like a good example of "Preservation by Neglect." If a home's roof remains intact, it's likely to fare much better in the hands of Mother Nature than it would in the hands of a typical renovator.
Hopefully the new owners kept their efforts true to the house.
Where abouts in Pennsylvania is it?
Allen
Preservation by Neglect, heh, that is so true.
The house is located on a road just off the main drag, State Rt. 6N that goes thru a small 1,500 populated farm community called Albion, Pa. in the northwesternmost part of the state.
About a mile east of the downtown.
Peace on.
Canadian guy by the handle of Newf use to post on here quite a bit back before you ventured in. He'll still stop in once in a while but not very often.
I was recalling a thread he had posted way back with a slew of pics from I believe where he was working at the time.
Did a search and found the thread with a link to where he had posted them in the Sandbox.
There's no guarantee pics posted in the Sandbox will always be there so if any are of interest it might be best to copy them now.
Cheers
Newfs Canadian Victorians
Peace full.
Poor old house! My friend Wally always fell for those old wrecks, even worse than the ones I kept buying. That's a Wally house!
ya, here's my style I shot just today from the area.
wonder if I could get a real steal on it for a rehab to section 8 rental? :o)
Peace full.
Don't forget the railing around the observation deck !!
Been keeping an eye out for interesting photos to post for that WNYguy to add to his stash like these local shots taken today.
Bet he's got a file collection of old house pics to die for.
Got to thinkin' if we keep him appeased maybe he could be swayed to post some of those babies.
be eye candy
Peace full.
Two Italianates & a French 2nd Empire - cool!
I'll take a bunch next week of some 2nd Empire homes from the Stephen King neck of the woods in Bangor to help coax a few out of him.
Bangor is blessed with lots of those- many of which I maintain.
Rez, thanks for thinking of me. I'd love to share some of my old house photos, but most were shot in the 1990s on 35mm film. And I don't have a scanner.
I have been almost exclusively interested in Federal and Greek Revival examples, particularly in New York State. I have four large volumes of original photos assembled, and also many additional ones from the HABS website. And many books, as well. Pretty much all are Federal, Transitional and Greek Revival, plus a few from the colonial period.
Not that I don't appreciate the Italianates, Second Empires, Gothic Revivals, etc. My interest wanes somewhat with post-Civil War homes, as architectural details and trimwork were increasingly available from big commercial millworks. It's the truly hand-built homes and hand-shaped details of the Early Republic that excite my passions!
Those last few houses you showed are quite lovely. And speaking of Second Empire examples, this is my mother-in-law's house in Buffalo, NY:
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We should start a new photo thread just for 19th-century houses. Try to get folks from all over the country to join in. 'Course I would want to limit it to pre-Civil War.
Allen
We should start a new photo thread just for 19th-century houses. Try to get folks from all over the country to join in. 'Course I would want to limit it to pre-Civil War.
Go ahead you lead. I'll see what I can dig up.
Peace full.
Too bad my house is 5 years too young, but the delft tile mural is from the 1790's. http://books.google.com/books?id=SFIAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA17#PPA14,M1
MV, do you own that Dutch Colonial Revival house featured in "Low-cost Suburban Homes"?
It is a very cool house. What is the construction date? Where is the early mural ... above the fireplace?
Allen
Yes, we've owned it for a few years now, a real dump, suffering from bad 60's re-muddling, termite and water damage and criminal squatters.Most of the original elements are still there so it'll just take a dozen years to put back together. The house dates to somewhere around 1905, but I'm not sure of the exact date as it only appears on the Sanford map ca. 1909.
The tile mural is above the dining room fireplace, the border is up of 18th century Delft while the main mural is more than likely late 19th.
I realize you're kidding, but I always cringe when I see anyone looking at a former gas station site. Years ago I worked off of a EPA grant job and during part of it we saw how they were going after current owners to help cleanup past toxic sites. Former gas stations were real popular. Those old tanks leaking chemicals into the water table. No way I'd buy an old gas station site. That is buying potentially even more trouble than a termite filled house. :)
jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
Thank you.
The colonial period exhibits a wide variety of trim work from the very simple to the ornate. The designers at the upper end were infatuated with cyma curves. No TV or radio and long nights, I think they played with their compasses and rulers a lot. These books, published by The Early American Society are fantastic. Lots of pictures and full page drawings of colonial details around the country. This may be more than what you had in mind but the colonial period was rich in woodwork and detail.
http://www.alibris.com/search/books/author/Early%20American%20Society
Not colonial but some interesting detail on porch...
Interesting that i took these photos the year before a heavy snow destroyed the porch. My aunt was still living there at the time and I didn't start renovation until a few years later. I'm glad that I did happen to take the photos.
This is what the house looked like in the 40's (?)... (first photo)
And second photo is now.
Most of the work that has been done is in the back side and interior and roof (also back).
Nice pic. Those old abestos shingles came popular in what, the early 60s?
Here's a pic I'd snapped in new england a few years back with some interesting trim work.
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Peace full.
Her's a shot of an old copper roof patinaed green.
Peace full.
Nice pic. Those old abestos shingles came popular in what, the early 60s?
I think they go back further then that, maybe the 40's or 50's? Not sure but I thought the ones on my garage went back that far.
Doug
Know some guys who keep a stack of those from salvage in storage for when called on repair work.
I remember them taking paint very well but needed to be handled with kid gloves when removing or applying.
be history
Peace full.
My roof on my house is made of the same stuff!
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Gotta be very careful walking on the roof, brittle stuff.
Don't know yet how I'm going to cut some dormers into the roof and then what the hell am I going to do to those dormer roofs?
maybe be a roofer and tear the whole damn thing off and start over!
Doug
Edited 1/24/2008 8:52 pm ET by DougU
You use the antenna?
Peace full.
Now that is funny right there. He posts a pic of a great old house, talks about his plans, talks about his roofing problems and you ask about the antenna! LMAO
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I had to go back and take a look, didnt even know there was an antenna up there!
Doug
heh heh Of course I was looking at the roof and couldn't miss the attenna.
Been in my thinking a bit of late with the upcoming analog to digital scenario.
Wasn't trying to be funny.
well, not really.
snorK*
Peace full.
Do you want me to save that antenna for ya?
Look good on one of your outbuildings!
I could box it up and send it to you, have to wait for summer though, not going up there in this weather!
Doug
Yeah! You could wrap it up with a straight 4 ft length of rail like this old pic MikeSmith posted a ways back.
That is the exact same rail I need. Even has the same balausters.
Makes me wonder if it wasn't a Sears.
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Peace full.
Edited 1/24/2008 11:59 pm ET by rez
NO
I've seen roofing like that from a distance but never thought the shingles would have been the same type of material. I wonder if when they were new, they were more forgiving?
We just moved in last Nov. so I haven't had time to get up and take a real good look at them. I did go up to check my vent stack but I was in a hurry so......
You have to be real careful walking on them, put down a large sheet of ply so that you distribute your weight more evenly. I do think they are a little more pliable then the siding stuff, don't know for sure though because they have been up there for years so did something change over time? don't know for sure. I have a stack of them up in the attic(leftovers) but I didn't look at them that close.
I was talking to an old guy around here and he thought they could be taken up to get my dormers in and then re-installed! Don't know how feasible that would be and don't know that I really want to do it either. They don't look like they belong on the building either so......
Doug
Doug,
Those asbestos tiles soften over time since they get much more chance to absorb water than sidewall tiles.
Getting close to the end of it's useful life it looks like.
Nothing goes better with brick than slate !!!
Nothing goes better with brick than slate !!!
Well maybe I'll have to see if I can get you out here to Iowa to replace them.
Probably wont cost a whole lot more then a nice architectural shingle huh!
Doug
Maybe even a little less !!!
To tell you the truth I couldn't put slate up on my roof if I wanted to. This is a historical community and slate was never part of their tradition.
I can leave the asbestos shingles up because they would be grandfathered in, can do repairs to them if I want but I don't think I want to. I need to get permission to add dormers ( that will be tough enough) and I don't see myself trying to salvage the roof, be easier to just replace the whole thing.
Funny that they will allow asphalt shingles but they wouldn't allow slate?
I wish I could afford to do cedar shingles but that would shot the budget all to hell so it looks like good old architectural shingles for me!
Doug
To tell you the truth I couldn't put slate up on my roof if I wanted to. This is a historical community and slate was never part of their tradition.
That is probably a grey area. The asbestos is simulating slate, so in theory putting real slate in shouldn't be an issue, however if the area has a tradition of "economy" which from what you tell us it sounds like they do... Then the cheaper imitation product would probably be more in character.
But I'm always curious how the "economy" plays itself out. OK, so the Amana folks put asbestos on because it is cheaper... BUT, if they'd gone with slate, the roof might have lasted 100-150 years, so long term it might be cheaper to go with the more expensive item. I could see if they went with a local manufactured product which would allow them to be more self-sufficient, but surely they weren't manufacturing the asbestos shingles? Unless maybe they owned the factory and sold to the whole state.
But IMO, the real limitations of using slate would be whether the roof could carry slate and a good snow load. Plus the additional expense of slate. While I like the idea of a 100-150 year roof, when I consider that I'm not going to be around that long, it makes it harder to pull the trigger on slate.jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
so the Amana folks put asbestos on because it is cheaper...
John, the asbestos shingles were put on when there was no Historic Society to govern what you could or could not do to your building!
I wouldn't be allowed to use slate for the obvious reasons, NOT ENOUGH MONEY, but also because the historic society would veto it. Not something that was used. Yea, of course neither was asphalt but......theres is the practicality thing.
Back when these colonies were established they didn't paint because of the cost of paint. If they built a clapboard covered building they left it to the elements and replaced siding as needed. It was cheaper then painting!
You have to go through hell to paint but they aren't totally impractical so eventually you will end up getting to. Its how you go about asking that counts. On my garage over at my other place I have that ugly asbestos siding(yea, your telling yourself "there must have been a great asbestos salesmen that went through there 40 to 50 years ago") and I want to replace it with clapboard siding but I want paint so to make sure that I don't have to go through so damn much trouble I tie the two together - I'll remove the non traditional asbestos siding and replace with a more traditional clapboard, painted white! I'll get my way and they get something closer to a traditional look. They will encourage you to leave them unpainted but they don't push it to much.
Doug
I barely remember the siding being applied to Dad's house and that was probably late 50's. I'm thinking the house in my photos were earlier.I plan on removing the ones from that house at some point and cleaning up the claps. Had not thought about salvage. They are a real pain to work around.
That is some great gingerbread on the Sleepytown house. I always marvel at the detail applied to old houses - and the houses were not necessarily built for the "well - to - do". I guess folks back then just planned on staying there more than a couple years.
Nope, diamond pattern asbestos
LOL, maybe its the same stuff as Doug's then.
:)
jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
Yes it is.
I have even less knowledge of slate than I do brick. What gives it away, the lack of depth to it?jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
John,
The color,size and diamond pattern is a real indication that it's asbestos.
Some were red and others beige when new.
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Peace full.
rez,
Sorry I didn't resize that one first.
Being inconsiderate of the D 'uppers
So in that pic we're looking at asbestos, right? They don't look as much like slate that close up. Almost look like they want to curl a bit.jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
John,
Yes they do want to curl at the lower point of the diamond. There is a copper piece used to secure that bottom piece so they can't blow off.
I'll look to see if I have a picture at some point.
Walter
In your experience, what is the typical life span of slate roofs? Is there a typical range or does it vary greatly depending on the type of slate, the installation, etc.jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
John,
Many of the roofs I repair in Maine are well over a hundred years old. It was good hard Maine slate to begin with.
My house roof is salvaged Monson slate that was probably 90 + years old when I installed it here in 1990 and I expect it will be functional for another 75 to 100 years. The same for my garage roof that I detailed here last Spring- old slate good for 100 years.
Many slate quarries didn't have the good stone we had here. Penn. slate is a soft stone that will be lucky to last 60 years- Vermont's slate might be solid for 100 + years.
As in any project installation is the true factor in how long a product will last.Good slaters with a good stone can have a roof last a long time. Inexperienced workers could use the same materials and see problems quickly if they're not careful
Walter
but if you hadn't told me they were asbestos, I would have thought it was a slate roof.
Funny when I fist saw them years ago I thought the same thing.
This house is in East Amana, smallest of the Amana colonies. I have a house over in Middle Amana and right next door to that one is the original house that George Forstner lived in up until his death in the late 80's early 90's, he was the founder of Amana Refrigeration.
On his house I could swear that it had slate shingles but to my surprise they are asbestos as well. Only exception is that they are actually square cut so it has more of the slate look.
My place was the original butcher shop for East Amana, each of the seven colonies had their own butcher shop. This one was built around 1855 and they made their own brick, very soft. I see in the pic where it looks like two different bricks but when you are standing in my back yard looking up at it you dont see it?
The foundation that you see on that back side was re-did about 20 to 30 years ago so it has a different look then the rest of the house. The brown wood siding part was where the cattle and hogs were brought in to slaughter. Still has some of the meat hooks attached to some beams. This will eventually be the family room.
On the back side (brick part) in the picture that I previously posted is where the meat was smoked. If you look up high you can see a small window/port where the smoke escaped. I'm attaching a pic(leaving it a bit large for clarity) of the inside of the smoke room. For some reason someone has scraped the black off of the walls except the square that you see right in the middle of the far wall. The door to the room is still charred from years of smoking meat, has a nice smell to it to! There are no windows in this room. I will turn this into a hidden room, some sort of wainscoting around with a hidden panel - not a safe room, just the novelty of a hidden room.
Doug
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Peace full.
So, Doug, is this the house you're living in now? It's a great old place. Is there a frieze board missing? The mortar joints look a little lighter up there ... not weathered as much, or maybe not tuckpointed as below?
Sometimes small wood nailing blocks embedded in masonry are another clue of original trim locations.
I once owned a small 1935 house with its original hexagonal asbestos-cement roof shingles. That was in 1985, and the shingles were still in great condition, though a bit discolored in places (rust stains, I think, from the nails).
It was an interesting house, with cool Art Deco black-and-chrome light fixtures, oak floors, gumwood trim and embossed Homasote panels for the interior walls and ceilings. A rather cutting-edge place in 1935!
Good to see you back in Amana. Looking forward to more pics!
Allen
Allen
Yes this is home! I still have my eyes on a semi Greek revival/Victorian/eclectic but getting the stubborn farmer to part with it is taking a bit more out of me than I thought it would. I'll have to post a pic of the place sometime. I think it would be a cool house to re-build. I don't need to buy more work right now though!
I don't think there is a frieze board missing but I'll have to take a closer look.
These house are modest in that they don't have a lot of, or any for that matter, decorative architectural elements on them, think Shaker, Amish.
These people came here from Ebenezer(surrounded by Buffalo, NY now) and they have similar beliefs that the Amish, Mennonites and Shakers do. There is a distinctive furniture style around here that is attributed to them which is similar in style to the Shakers - simple, utilitarian, little ornamentation...... taken from the same furniture styles as well - country Hepplewhite, Sheraton and Empire.
Doug
Edited 1/27/2008 4:05 pm ET by DougU
Doug, you're right, no missing frieze. Looks like the original Amana style was quite "Federal" in appearance: shallow eves and narrow frieze boards. The lighter mortar is probably evidence of later repointing, I suspect.
Here's a comparison of your house and a couple other Amana buildings (1977 photos available on the HABS website). The Middle Amana house apperas to have those same asbestos cement roof shingles as your house ... and the South Amana building seems to have similar repointing evidence:
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Above, Middle Amana residence
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Above, South Amana buildings
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Looks like you've got some fun home projects coming up!
Allen
Edited 1/27/2008 5:51 pm ET by WNYguy
Edited 1/27/2008 5:52 pm ET by WNYguy
Allen
That first house that you have pictured of the one in Middle Amana is one block away from the house that I have over there.
There are 4 houses in Middle all the same except one difference. The house that you have pictured is a one family place. All the others, including mine, is two units, not duplex though, basically two houses butted together, separate yards, garages and .........a two foot thick common wall.
These houses were businesses as well as residents. My house in Middle was a community kitchen where as my house in East was a butcher/slaughter house. Living quarters were secondary.
Hope I live long enough to redo both of them!
Doug
I'm attaching a pic(leaving it a bit large for clarity) of the inside of the smoke room. For some reason someone has scraped the black off of the walls except the square that you see right in the middle of the far wall.
What are the chances that the walls had originally been covered with something? I'm not familiar with smoke house/room construction, but if can make a WAG... Maybe it originally had some kind of t&g wood planking on the walls, except for those two places which are charred. Then someone came in and yanked out the t&g planking.jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
What are the chances that the walls had originally been covered with something?
You know, I don't have a clue? I guess its possible. I'll have to ask one of the old timers. It does look like someone did something to the brick, has tool marks that resemble some sort of spoon shaped chisel? I really don't know.
Doug