Last year my interest in the american foursquare style of home hit home as our family nearly purchased one. From the dutch colonial, to the new england salt box, to the 1950s prefab, this unrivaled reference and useful guide to 103 building styles pays homage to our countrys housing heritage. I call it a type of house rather than a particular style. May 14, 2020 beyond being a place to live, the 1906 twostory american foursquare house in park hill presented something of a research project. See more ideas about four square homes, four square and old houses. The american foursquare is known by a variety of terms including box house, a cube, a double cube or a square type american house. The american foursquare is arguably the most iconic home style of the first half of. Take a look at how beautiful his foursquare looks in the park hill neighborhood of yonkers today. Builders relied on one or two standard house plans, eliminating the need, time and cost for an architect to design each house. The garden suburb and the modern city, published by the monacelli press.
In the beginning years of the foursquares popularity the floor plans consisted of four separate main level rooms. During this time period people were turning away from the seemingly ostentatious victorian and similar design homes that required more expensive craftsmanship and labor. Very plain white american foursquare home with porch that wraps around the side. Home patterns craftsman bungalow, foursquare, and farmhouse. The american foursquare, sometimes called the prairie box was a hugely popular architectural style in almost every part of the country.
Cozy, inviting homes with open floor plans and wide porches. Public domain cropped this house is modern and up to date in every respect, says the sears catalog about modern home 111. Introduced in america around 1890 and lasting into the 1930s, the foursquare was popular across the nation with the growing middle class for its simple and economical design. These small house plans emphasize quality workmanship and handcrafted beauty at every turn. American homes is the classic work of american house architecture. The foursquare was a popular mailorder era style along with the california bungalow. These homes are particularly common in neighborhoods near raillines built in this era. Todays charming home tour showcases a beautiful american foursquare called the park hill house.
The property is set in park hill, a neighborhood in southwestern yonkers, new york. Versions of the foursquare appeared in publications and plan books before. Beginning in the 1890s, the foursquare was a popular american house for its budgetfriendliness and simple style. Show off your favorite photos and videos to the world, securely and privately show content to your friends and family, or blog the photos and videos you take with a cameraphone. But theres still a lot to appreciate about the buildings that have lasted into. The american foursquare did not use shutters on windows. So read the liner notes for the sears croydon, a darling tudor revival from the late 1930s. Aug 09, 2015 the american foursquare house was a popular mailorder home from the mid 1890s to the mid 30s and was a reaction to the ornate victorian period.
Dec 06, 2012 the american foursquare design came on the home building scene between 1890 and 1915. The residence was most likely built from plans in a house pattern book of the period. Jun 03, 20 the american foursquare, sometimes called the prairie box was a hugely popular architectural style in almost every part of the country. American foursquare homes were plain, not requiring the time and cost to craft the complex and ornate trim of the victorian. Architect gary brewer restores an american foursquare house in the. Whether done plain or embellished with prairie school, arts and crafts, or colonial revival details, the foursquare house was economical, builtand suited to small lots, prefab parts, and the housing boom.
Draft del ray pattern book city of alexandria, virginia. This book of lavish photographs goes further than the bungalow. The american foursquare is a twostory house with a rectangular footprint and a front porch that runs along the full width of the house. Libby jordan, who currently lives in one of the homes with her. After 1900, it was one of the most popular house styles in both rural settings and on small city lots. This is a wonderful 104yearold home in the capital of. Foursquares are designed exactly as their name implies. Public domain cropped this house is modern and up to date in every respect, says. The american foursquare style of home appeared around the 1890s.
Ten house styles 5 of 10 american foursquare kindle. The addition was designed to compliment the existing brick home and not detract from it. The american foursquare or american four square is an american house style popular from. Rooted in a philosophy of simple practicality, our elegantly crafted home plans are built with efficiency, endurance and understated elegance in. American foursquare, llc rebuilding homes, lives, dreams. The foursquare was one of the most widely built homes. American foursquare from sears book of modern homes, number 111. This architectural style was a step in the opposite direction of the ornate style of the victorian era. Prairie and foursquare architectural styles of america and.
The american foursquare style first came into recognition in the late. The american foursquare generally has little adornment. American foursquare homes featuring classic rock face block designs. See the above home s interior here its a contemporary interior design. Nov 11, 2019 american foursquare from sears book of modern homes, number 111. American homes opens the window onto the rich landscape of all the places we call home. Degnan design group was hired to renovate and expand the house and spent 18 months with a team of craftsmen and restoration specialists on the project. The foursquare is more like a coloring book house, its big square walls a blank canvas. The basic form of the structure of the house classifies it as an american foursquare. However, it was the prairie style, popularized in chicago by frank lloyd wright and his contemporaries that was easily incorporated into the simplicity of the american foursquare. Though not technically an architectural style on its own its a subtype of the prairie style, the american foursquare is so prevalent that i thought it deserved its own page. Repairing and renovating the foursquare are very common tasks. Foursquare houses may be built with a variety of materials, including bricks and wood frames. American foursquare home with shingle style exterior.
Period plan books and extant square house examples. The american foursquare house had no formal name in its day. Though not technically an architectural style on its own its a subtype of the prairie style, the american foursquare is so prevalent that i thought. The foursquare home incorporated elements of prairie or craftsman style.
Jun 17, 2019 newyorkbased architecture firm robert a. Oct 26, 2018 builders in the early 20th century referred to this type as truly american. Architectural patternsvernacular architecture american. Gary brewers american foursquare house period homes. It first appeared on the housing scene around 1890 and remained popular well into the 1930s. American foursquare from sears book of modern homes, number 52. Check out the book the houses that sears built for more information on. It is a specifically designed home that was truly american and was created to get as much house as possible on a small lot. Enter into the large center hall and take in the hardwood floors pine and oak throughout,tall ceilings and the grand staircase. Everything you ever wanted to know about sears catalog homes.
Aug 09, 2018 the bungalows and tudors that are foursquare contemporaries are relatively easy to color. There are certain characteristics that mark this type of design, but there are several variations, as well. Foursquarestyle house plans index of plans american. Home styles index of foursquare house plans annotated and organized by year. This wonderful old american foursquare in allenhurst, new jersey, was built in 1905 and still had much of its original interior millwork, but the house had fallen into disrepair.
But the first thing to know about them is that they represent a building type, not a particular architectural style. American foursquare restoration tucker homes construction. Gary brewer is an architect in new york who saw the potential in this house back when it was a wreck, from its rotting porch to walltowall shag carpeting. Mar 19, 2016 the american foursquare got its name not solely from its shape, but also for its total of 4 rooms on each level. Aug 31, 2017 the american foursquare is a twostory house with a rectangular footprint and a front porch that runs along the full width of the house. The most notable characteristics of the american foursquare, sometimes referred to as the transitional pyramidal or prairie box style, are the square twoandahalf story boxy design with a. The style used on the other details can vary greatly. Amazing collection of 38 american foursquare home photographs as well as details all about foursquare architecture in the usa 1885 to 1930s.
Oct 29, 2017 typical american foursquare from a 1915 montgomery ward homes catalog. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading ten house styles 5 of 10 american foursquare. Index of foursquare house plans antique home style. May 10, 2008 flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. American foursquare interior design photos 2 magnificent homes this article may include references and links to products and services from one or more of our advertisers. Join us as we follow two homeowners in their search for the perfect colors for their old home. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. These are simplified prairie houses though occasionally with elaborate facades and porches, named foursquare due to their characteristic boxy shape and four rooms per floor. Stern architects in manhattan, and he could have built a new house but chose to restore this circa1910 foursquare in the park hill neighborhood of yonkers instead. Architectural styles and building forms of del ray. Gary brewer is an architect in new york who saw the potential in this house back when it was a wreck, from its rotting porch to walltowall shag. The four square house in the united states history south. The foursquare is both a type of plan and a distinct building style or form, which can lead to confusion if one wants to identify a foursquare by exterior details alone. A beautifully restored american foursquare in new york.
A large majority were built between 1895 and the late 1930s. The craftsman style was infectious, and spread quickly to american foursquare houses. The american foursquare was built between 1890 and about 1935. These twin american foursquare homes on seminary street were added to the national register of historic places in 1995. We may be paid compensation when you click on links to those products andor services. The american foursquare design is found in most every neighborhood across the united states, but now these homes are over a century old. Builders in the early 20th century referred to this type as truly american. Large rural setting foursquare home with partial porch.
The house is an american foursquare which is a transitional style from the early 20th century that often incorporated handcrafted craftsmen style woodwork. Pattern books and mailorder catalog companies such as sears, roebuck. Stern architects renovated this american foursquare house built in 1906. The neighborhood was developed by the american real estate company between 1880 and 1930 and was featured in ramsas book, paradise planned. Stunning renovation of an american foursquare house in new york. Whether done plain or embellished with prairie school, arts and crafts, or colonial revival details, the foursquare 18951929 was an economical house to buildand suited to small lots, prefab parts, and the housing boom. American foursquares are most often associated with the arts and crafts movement, and indeed share a lot of its dna. Paint colors for a foursquare the homeowners story. When one was ordered, it came in a boxcar with a book of directions and all the parts precut and numbered for selfassembly. Ten house styles 5 of 10 american foursquare kindle edition by connerley, jim. Its a gorgeous home and we liked the style inside and out.
From what we can discern, the croydon was offered only in 1939 and 1940, the final two years of the sears modern homes program. Foursquare home with side of home facing the street. See more ideas about four square homes, house styles and craftsman bungalows. Whether done plain or embellished with prairie school, arts and crafts, or colonial revival details, the foursquare 18951929 was an economical house to buildand suited to small lots. They were sensible two to twoandahalfstory homes that were economical to build, comfortable to live in, and aesthetically pleasing in their simplicity. Id love to sit and have coffee and conversation with this lady about her book that i just finished the houses that sears built. The pieces were trucked or shipped by boxcar to cities across the country, which helps explains why american foursquares were built in neighborhoods near rail lines. A beautifully restored american foursquare in new york after i featured the modest foursquare that shirley maclaine and warren beatty grew up in, i heard from a reader who told me about his. A vernacular variant, and much more common, is the socalled american foursquare, or prairie box.
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