American Architecture: The Queen Anne Style

Of all the different styles of architecture that can be found across the United States, The Queen Anne is probably the most recognizable of all. Often called Painted Ladies, the extensive use of ornamentation and trim led to an extravagent use of paint to highlight the details of this Victorian style home.

Queen Anne homes are most often found in smaller communities and areas of larger towns and cities which were more rural during the period from 1880 to 1900. The reason for this is that Queen Anne homes are often quite large and bigger lots were needed for them than could be found in established areas of larger cities.

The Queen Anne is a very asymmetrical building, a far cry from from the symmetrical layout of the Georgian style we looked at in July. Most Painted ladies have a tower on one side and often sport large front porches which frequently wrapped around to the side of the house. Queen Annes were built using different types of materials including wood, stone, brick and stucco. Clapboards and shingles with decorative ends were often used.

By the end of the Queen Anne period, the use of classical columns and pedimented entryways were common, leading to the Colonial Revival period.

Until next time, In Bocca Al Lupo!

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