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Imagine England, the bustle and sweep of a country in the midst of its push towards industrialism. Turning momentarily from Crusading and beheading to house design, King and Country decide to focus on making their grand castles a little smaller and easier to build. Industrialism, with its promise of steady production, becomes quite popular.

To celebrate progress, the country stages the Great Exhibition of 1851, first of a long series of self-congratulatory World Fairs, where they show off their new toys to all the other children. Everyone revels in the quickening march of progress.

But all is not well. Enter the Arts and Crafts movement. A vast portion of the populace is unhappy with the unfeeling, factory-made pieces that pull work out of the hands of trained artisans who rely on that wage to survive. The resulting work, say the artisans, denies the truth of the material and has a more commercialized, generic feel.

So the Arts and Crafts movement begins designing with materials built by artisans, in many styles, some of which gain much popularity. One of those styles is Tudor Revival. Tudor Revival homes, although quite impressive, are meant to invoke a more humble rustic feeling, like a cottage. Steep-pitched roofs, half-timbered upper floor, herringbone brickwork on the lower, beautiful high windows, tall chimneys, an overhanging upper floor, dormer windows with supporting consoles. Not exactly what comes to mind when thinking simple, but the important fact is that they show each material used for what it is, unblemished by the touch of industrial machinery.

Simple, right?

Simple, right?


The style is a huge success. Even the Rothschild family gets in on the action, boosting the popularity immensely. After World War I, the style spreads to the US and Canada, but, ironically, becomes its own worst enemy. Starting as a rebel design against quick-built, cookie-cutter homes, its popularity takes all the authentic aspects and throws them out a window in favor of production.

Today, the style has fallen out of popularity, but is still so unique that it stands well next to other homes. While other European or modern buildings may now be the go-to design preference, there are few choices that impress a sense of homey elegance more than Tudor Revival.

If you are interested in a home designed in this style, contact us at:

 

Home Designing Service, Ltd

25 Meadows Rd.

Windsor, Connecticut 06095

860-724-5522

inquiries@homedesigningservice.com