Robert Schweitzer has taught architectural history and historic preservation at The University of Michigan, the University of Toledo and Eastern Michigan University for over 25 years. He is the former Director of Research for the Arts & Crafts Society. Rob has written for many popular magazines including Victorian Homes, Cottages & Bungalows, as well as American Bungalow, where is a former advisory board member.
Schweitzer is the author of the book Bungalow Colors – Exterior, [Gibbs-Smith, Fall 2002] which details the exterior color combinations of Arts & Crafts era homes. He is the co-author of the widely acclaimed America’s Favorite Homes, a book that details the history and architectural styles of popular housing types available as “kits” in the U.S. from the turn of the century to World War II. He has also authored over sixty articles in scholarly journals and popular magazines on American architectural history and historic colors. He had been a “judge” for National Color Contest of Victorian Homes magazine where he contributes articles on historic exterior painting. His research collection provided many of the historic visual images for the HGTV special “The American Bungalow.” His client homes have been seen on “Restore America,” and “Curb Appeal” TV shows. The homes he has consulted on have won many awards including the Grand Prize in the Chicago’s Painted Lady contest, three times, and a National Palladio award in 2012.
Rob performs consulting services for homeowners, architects and businesses in the areas of historic preservation, historic design and historic paint colors. By understanding the architectural history of your building, he can develop paint schemes that reflect the original intent of its design and highlight its important design features. He has been researching and teaching in this field for over 25 years and has consulted with over 1,500 homeowners and businesses in nearly every state, in Canada, Australia and India.
To read a selected number of Rob’s articles click here.
A few sample Publications:
Books –
Bungalow Colors – Exterior, 2002, Gibbs-Smith, Salt Lake City.
America’s Favorite Homes: Mail-Order Catalogues as a Guide to Popular Early 20th Century Homes: Robert A. Schweitzer, Michael W.R. Davis; 1990, Wayne State University Press, Detroit
Articles –
“Color Scheming”, Design NJ, Fall 2002
“Colonial Revival Homes”, Victorian Homes, February 2003
“Color a New World” 60s Ranch Color Makeover, Romantic Homes, Volume 14, No. 8, August 2001
“How Shall I Paint my House?” American Bungalow, Issue 23, Fall 1999.
“Homes From a Box,” Victorian Homes, Volume 18, No. 5, October 1999.
“Dutch Colonial Revival Homes,” Victorian Homes, Volume 16, No. 4, August, 1997.
“The Airplane Bungalow” (6th in a series) American Bungalow, Volume 2, number 7, Fall 1994.
“Coloring Classic Revival,” – Paint Primer series, Victorian Homes, Volume 13, No. 4, Summer 1994.
“Tudor Revival Homes, The English Resurgence in Late 19th-Century American Domestic Architecture” Victorian Homes, Volume 13, No. 3, Spring 1994.
“Colorizing a Brick House,” Victorian Homes, Sourcebook, Volume 13, No. 2, 1994.
“The Pyramid Bungalow,” (3rd in a series) American Bungalow, Volume 1, Number 4, 1992.
