The Real “Greek” of the Greek Revival

American architects love to use columns, we’ve been using them since it seems the country was founded. In the early 19 century we had the Greek revival, in the late 19th century we had the colonial revival, and the 20th century we had a number of different colonial and classic revivals. All of these styles of architecture had one thing in common, they employed classical columns.
It’s one thing to study American architecture, as I have for the past 35 years, and marvel at how well done are done and how much they seem to look like ancient buildings of Greece or Rome. It’s another thing to actually go to a place that has original Greek temples and see what we would call the “real thing.” I had a chance this past summer to visit Sicily, The home of a number of original Greek temples. To see them in their natural habitat with their great beauty and realize they were built centuries ago by people we will never see or never know is an amazing experience.

These buildings are the prototypes for such great American building says Stricklands second bank of United States in Philadelphia, and Jeffersons state capital in Richmond Virginia. LAs well they are the prototype for all the Greek revival houses we see throughout United States built in the first half of the 19th century. To look at the real Greek architecture and then come home and see them here again in United States, it’s a wonder to me that we decided to emulate some of the most beautiful architecture in the world to represent our country.

If you have a chance and get to visit Europe try to seek out and original Greek or Roman buildings to see how the real experts in the style did it. If you can’t get to Europe, just stop and enjoy the Greek and classic buildings in your own town, and know that those columns had a long history before they set foot in you neighborhood!

Color of the year for 2017

 

 

Irish green landacape

Irish green landacape

Pantone’s “Color of the Year” for 2017 is Greenery — “a fresh and zesty yyellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew.”

For American architecture the best “green periods” were the second half of the 19th century and the first third of the 20th century. These were eras when the naturalistic tones of nature became extremely popular. Shades such as olives and deep greens were all popular in the paint materials of the day. The Arts and Crafts era from the first third of the 20th century with its predilection for autumn colors was the perfect period for the use of greens both inside and outside the home.

In the Sherwin Williams palette, similar colors to the 2017 “Color of the Year” are (6719) Gecko and (6731) Organic Green. A similar historic 19th century color is (2815) Rookwood Olive.

The best place to see an expansive range of greens is the Emerald Isle, Ireland. I was able to visit two years ago and the image below shows a good example of the variety of organic greens against the brilliant sky and great landscape of that country. If you have a chance, take a trip to Ireland, enjoy the fantastic people, its wonderful food and beautiful cities but be sure to enjoy all the green.

Seasonal Colors

Thinking about color for all seasons

 

 

Seasonal Colors

Historic Victorian house colors in Winter

 Seasonal Color

Thinking about house colors for all seasons.

This picture recently sent from a client illustrates the necessity of thinking about how your house will look in all seasons. In many parts of the country that’s four distinct periods. Even in the Southwest and Deep South there are at least two seasons. Through out the country, the light changes during each season casting different shadows and effecting how we see color in general. Winter in and the snow country presents a challenge because ones house colors need to not only look good in a lush green landscape, but also in gray sky, and bright white snow! This picture is an excellent example of how period Victorian colors hold up well in the snow and show the house off to its best advantage even in a stark landscape. It’s important to be aware of how many season you have, how changing light affects the colors you are considering, and what overall “Look” you want the house to have in the major seasons. For example, if you thought a light colored house with darker trim would look great in the snow, then the colors pictured here would not be for you. But if this pictures makes you go “Wow,” then period house colors can really enhance your homes visual nature.

 

Modern museum

Colorful Leon, Spain Museum

Modern museum

The MUSAC museum in Leon, Spain

The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, AKA the MUSAC, is a contemporary art museum in the city of LeónSpain. The building is celebrated for its avant-garde architecture, and it has been awarded a number of prizes incuding the 2007 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture.  Designed by the architectural studio of Luis M. Mansilla and Emilio Tuñón, the multicolored panels that adorn the exterior resemble the stained-glass windows of a cathedral. The architects drew their inspiration for this work from the main rose window (called The Falconer) at the 13th century Gothic cathedral, Santa María de León. It is a “Museum of the Present”, in the words of its curator Agustín Pérez Rubio, and collects artworks only from the period between 1992 and 2012. It is a visual landmark in the city and seeing it person was a thrill. The exterior is exciting and is as imposing as a large cathedral. The colored panels do remind me of those paint slips you get when you are considering colors for your house.

 

Shingle Style

Shingle Style Historic Homes

This past year I’ve had a large number of clients with what architectural historians call “Shingle Style” homes. These were generally built in the latter part of the 19th century and the first few years of the 20th. This influx got me thinking of what color choices people in that time period had. In my research collection I came across an 1899 Cabot Stains brochure with actual stained wood samples, as well as a few pictures of stained homes. I was not surprised to see the normal run of brown offerings. But what struck me was the brightness of the green offerings. These do match up well to modern day paint and stain colors so that today’s home owner can have an authentic look. It’s always interesting to go back in time to see what was happening with house color over a hundred years ago.

wood stain

Cabot Stain wood sample from 1899

 

Painted Ladies 2014 Winner

Chicago Award Winner

I received an email this past week from a former client who lives in Chicago. They informed me that their house, on which I consulted, had won an award. They were the winners of the 2014 Chicago’s Finest Painted Ladies.” This award is issued annually by the Chicago Paint and Coatings Association.  As soon as I receive pictures from the owners I’ll post those in the Portfolio section of this web site.

If memory serves me correctly, this is the third of my homes that have won this award. I want to thank those client for choosig me to assist them build an exciting color scheme for their historic homes and for entering them in the contest.

Congratulations to the Berry family!!!

2014 Painted Ladies Grand Prize Winner

2014 Painted Ladies Grand Prize Winner

 

Oswego, NY streetscape

Oswego, NY “Paint It” program

 

Oswego, NY streetscape

The “Paint Oswego” program is one arm of a multi-faceted revitalization effort for the City of Oswego in upstate New York. The Oswego Renaissance Association offers many services, such as matching grants to homeowners for exterior improvements, streetscape and park improvement funds.

The goal of the Paint Oswego program is to provide Oswegonians with an opportunity to complement their historic homes by choosing from among the rich history of house colors that existed in 19th and early 20th centuries.  The coordinated paint schemes developed by Historic House Colors provide ready, at-hand options. The ORA provides incentives to local homeowners in areas targeted for revitalization to choose among these color options. Custom color assistance is available if desired.

Historic House Colors created 60 historically correct period color schemes for Oswego separated into four historic periods. Homeowners can choose from the preset schemes or work with HHC to develop individual house specific colors and color placement.

UPDATE:  In 2015 HHC partnered with the Oswego Renaissance Association to add 30 additional colors to the available stock of historic paint schemes.

Rob Schweitzer – Historic House Colors

Mobile Historic Homes tour 2014

Mobile, Alabama Home Tour 2014

 

Mobile Historic Homes tour 2014

Mobile, Alabama Historic Homes Tour
Sponsored by the Historic Mobile Preservation Society
Held annually in March for the past 45 years, it provides an opportunity to see inside some of the lovely older homes in the city.  This year’s 8 homes were centered around historic Washington Square in the Oakleigh Garden Historic District.  The tour was entitled “Contemporary Living in Historic Settings.” Homes from the 1850s to the early 20th century were on display. For this Northerner, it was a thrill to see into the gentile Southern life style so uncommon up here in Michigan.  I was struck not only by the beauty of the homes, loving restored, but the fine furnishings and knowledgeable guides. I never saw so many grand pianos in one small location – likely a tribute to the Antebellum Southern culture where musical proficiency was an essential skill.
If you are in the South in March I highly recommend attending this well-organized tour that will allow you to brush up on your refinement techniques!

Rob Schweitzer – Historic House Colors

1905 house colors

Interesting old photo

1905 house colors

1905 House Photo

I was looking through some old photos I had bought at an antique store and came across this one. It is dated 1905, and from the cloths the couple have on that seems about right. What is interesting, from a house color perspective, is the dark columns on the porch. Even though this is gray-scale photo you can clearly see the house gables with a different color than the house body, and what looks to be a different color on the porch parts. Historically the Greeks painted their columns, so they were not the common white we associate with columns today. In fact the idea that columns should be white is probably a misnomer. The white we associate with porch columns comes from our nations “Classical Revival” period in the early 19th century. Those building designers were looking at information from archeological diggings that were taking place in Europe. What scientists found there was clean/ white or natural marble columns, thus the thought they were white originally. Research today disproves that theory. So seeing these dark columns in 1905 reminds me that any historic house can have non-white columns and in part be correct.
Rob Schweitzer – Historic House Colors