The Colonial Revival House FROM THE PUBLISHER
A celebration of early American house forms, the Colonial Revival emerged in the late 19th century and was quickly embraced by the American public. It has remained the nation's style of choice for well over a hundred years, appearing in banks, post offices, schools, libraries, and a majority of suburban homes. Marked by dignified symmetry, large column-supported porticoes, and Palladian windows, Colonial Revival architecture is found in virtually every city across the United States.
In this beautiful volume, Richard Guy Wilson, the foremost expert on the subject, leads the reader on a tour of 40 of the ?nest examples of the Colonial Revival, illustrating its evolution, from its earliest sources, as well as its regional variations. Including exquisite, antique-filled houses by many of America's greatest domestic architects, from McKim, Mead & White to Robert A.M. Stern, this landmark survey is filled with 275 gorgeous photographs that capture the elegance of this much-loved style. The only book of its kind, The Colonial Revival House is a must-have for design professionals, architecture enthusiasts, and Americana buffs.
Author Bio: Richard Guy Wilson holds the Commonwealth Professor's Chair in Architectural History at the University of Virginia. He has served as an adviser and commentator for a number of television programs on PBS and A&E, most recently more than 65 segments of America's Castles.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
Two distinctly American home styles are chronicled in these books. Previously, Hess (Rancho Deluxe) depicted 19th-century ranch houses and elegant ranch house mansions of the early 20th-century that inspired the architectural style described in this book. In his new book period photographs detail the evolution of the style that emerged from Prairie style architecture, traditional haciendas of the Southwest, and early 20th-century bungalows that eventually became popular in tract home developments epitomizing post-World War II lifestyles. Most of the book contains current color photographs and descriptions of a number of architect-designed homes of the period with captions that point out the ranch house features of each-from Robert Wagner's Cliff May-designed home with stables to the modern style of a contemporary ranch house. Many of these homes are being demolished to be replaced by McMansions; hence this book is a valuable appreciation of the style. Wilson (Univ. of Virginia) gives a detailed account of the development of Colonial Revival domestic architecture from the 18th to the 21st century, discussing its popularity in a historical context. He examines some specific buildings, such as Mount Vernon in Virginia and Malabar Farm in Ohio, using plans, color, and occasionally period photographs. Although exhaustively reviewing the style, Wilson never provides a succinct, clear definition of it; a timeline would have been helpful, too. Wilson's book is recommended for large and academic collections; Hess's book is highly recommended for suburban public, academic, and professional collections. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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