It’s not much of a challenge, considering that it has some glorious turn-of-the-century homes as well as one of the finest collections of brick traditionals I’ve ever seen. The latter is today’s topic. Three candidates in particular.
Have you ever noticed a string of houses either next to each other or within blocks of one another that have the same basic design? I see it all the time and I'm always fascinated by the different interpretations of the same basic house.
I've always noticed this about the pair of houses across the street from one another. I've noticed it particularly because one of these two houses happens to be a favorite of mine. I've had my eye on it since I was a little kid, always thinking what an incredible place to live that would be. And when it went up for sale last year I nearly went nuts. It was all I could do to not schedule a tour.
But sometime in the last year, I discovered there was a third house using the same basic design. It' s a block away, but on the same side of the street as my favorite. Now they all have very different features and I think that is really cool. See for yourself.
This house has the five windows across the top, two on the bottom. But its windows are bay windows. And it has a two-car garage with a balcony on top.
This little beauty -- this is my favorite. It has the five windows across the top, too. Similar front door style but no bay windows. It also has those glorious windows across the top. LOVE those! But my favorite thing? That portico with the balcony. That would be such an amazing place to entertain!
And here's the one I discovered only recently. Much simpler than either of the other two. Completely different window layout -- due I'm sure to the fact that they have enclosed the area on the side.
They're all the same design yet with very different interpretations. Which one do you like?
10 comments:
The one in the middle looks like my dream house. I love the way they spruced up the front door with the transom windows. The dog-house dormers on the roof make me think their kids have a cool attic bedroom/playroom. The portico? To die for! Yep, thats my favorite of the triplets.
Definitely #2 - it's the embodiment of "stately" as a term to describe houses! Are you sure you don't live in 1830s Maryland?
The middle one is my favorite too. All it needs are some shudders and it would be just PERFECT. I love this style of house - so pretty!
I'm a sucker for bay windows, so I'd pick that one.
You didn't go see the house when it was on sale? You are a better person that I am :-) I've never made an appointment to see a house because that would take up the real estate person;s time, but I sure go to real estate open houses.
I would like House number two, but with house number one's first floor bay windows and house number three's entryway and a red door.
I like the middle one, but it would need to have a porch too so people coming to the front door would have cover.
Love all of them, but the first is actually my favorite. Not sure if it's the bay windows, huge tree in front or the double garage...you get the picture! ;)
Looking at the third house again, I decided to figure out why it bothers me:
1. The shutters. They don't reach to the bottom of the windows, so they look like someone wearing pants that don’t cover their ankles. Then I thought, okay, maybe the sills protrude, so the shutters have to be shorter to close. But no, these aren't "real" shutters, esp. on the first floor, they are too narrow to actually cover the windows.
2. Too much white. On the no shutters house and the black shutters house, you “see” the front door. On this house the front has white stuff everywhere.
3. The extension looks oddly more elegant than the main house, I think because of the windows. On the extension, they’re (is this the right terminology?) 9 over 9, on the main house, 6 over 1.
4. Somehow the main house looks squished down a bit. Then I realized that they have something painted white along the bottom of the roof that gives that effect. Is that guttering?
5. I know light colored roofs are environmentally pc, but the darker roof on “your” house looks so much better than this roof.
Now that I’ve been staring the guttering or whatever it is, I noticed a white horizontal thing on “your” house up by the roof. What’s that? It actually adds to the appearance of that house.
Jessie -- My sentiments exactly. LOVE this house! :-)
Jbro -- Nope. But I'd probably like it there if this is what the houses are like.
C&C -- You're right! Shutters do seem to be lacking here.
Karen Anne -- No, I didn't go, partly for the reason you describe. And partly because if I would love the inside as much as I love the outside, it would have been devastating to not be able to buy it. :-( Great assessment of House #3! I never thought about some of that.
CD -- Way to build a house!
V -- Too funny: You sound like the mother! Could show her the most gorgeous place evah and she would say, "But it doesn't have a porch." And she has in fact said that very thing about this house. :-)
kspin -- That's what's so cool about variations on a theme. Different things strike different chords in each of us!
I like the first one. I think the front of the house is filled in the best on that one.
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