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sivyaleah

Is My Home a Craftsman? Victorian?

Laurie
11 years ago

My home was built in 1915, and is in northern New Jersey. It is a one-of-a-kind home in the neighborhood, built of terracotta block with stucco over. As far as I know, there isn't a single home anywhere nearby which was built in this manner.

Also, for the most part, it has definite Craftsman influences such as a stone foundation and chimney, lots of chestnut woodwork in the interior, a "moon" shaped window in the basement (which you can't see due to the huge bushes out front), the deep porch, etc. The porch columns are tapered.

However, it also has touches of Victorian influence - the bowed windows in the dining room and main bedroom, what is left of original hardware seems to be more in that style, there is detailed molding on the plaster walls which does not seem Craftsman (although could have been added later), there are very detailed plaster friezes in the fireplace and living room wall which are "romantic" in nature (sort of Roman or Greek, one of a man playing lyre serenading a couple and the other of warriors at battle). The fireplace is original brick and could go either way - unadorned, very simple.

I've had several opinions on the style. I work in architecture and for the most part the people I've worked with say "Craftsman". I also had an historical expert say it's mostly Craftsman as well, but, with influences of other styles (Foursquare, Bungalow, Victorian, Mission, etc.).

There have been some changes made to it over the years - that much I can tell. The back of the house had a very small addition put on over the basement crawlspace which added to the main bathroom on the 2nd floor and added a powder room the the 1st floor with a Butler's Pantry/large closet kind of area where the old back door had been. There also used to be another door to the upstairs porch in the 3rd small bedroom, which was closed up (we discovered it during renovations), which made sense since the upstairs facade isn't symmetrical but unfortunately we didn't have the money to put in another door so we left that as is.

Anyway, here's some photos. We've done a LOT of work on it since we took possession 2 years ago and still have a ways to go but, it's getting there. It was a wreck - I used to joke it was the haunted house on the block. The previous owner had neglected it pretty much the entire 30 years he was here. Everything was falling apart and it turned out to be way more work that it appeared to repair.

The landscaping work we did on the sides and back area helped incredibly as did painting the house recently. The back patio area consisted of a "jungle" of weed trees, ivy, underground yellow jacket hives, a buried old slate patio, and an old cracked concrete walkway - it was horrible. Still working on the front walkway plantings - recently put in a bunch of roses :)

Not sure if I made the right decision purchasing it but too late, and love the house anyway - so here we are lol.

Anyway, would love to hear your opinions on the home. Thanks!



href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elora_lunasea/7379124142/"; title="IMG_1591 by Sivyaleah, on Flickr">



href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elora_lunasea/7379137792/"; title="Home 6/12 by Sivyaleah, on Flickr">

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