What type architecture do you like? Do the simple lines of the Federal period perk you up? Or what about the Gothic Revival from the mid-19th century? Whatever style it might be, you can clearly find it on Roots & Recall. Though not every picture is identified as a specific style, many are, and under the research menu there are examples for users to enjoy and share. Growing up with parents who loved Georgian architecture, little else was of interest. The old Victorians were scoffed at due to their ornate style as being way too busy, and the simple bungalow was frowned upon because it was so modern — everyone had them. Perhaps for this reason, it is these two popular opposite styles that I am drawn to.
The Victorian cottages with all their curves, cuts, brackets, eve moldings, turned posts, and ornamentation are to me, masterpieces of workmanship worthy of respect. I am aware that 95 percent of these ornate details were cut in a shop by machines and not on the work site and that the contractors often acquired the materials from millwork companies in the Midwest. Nevertheless, these older homes, which in many cases have been stripped of their ornamentations are some of my favorites as long as they are not too busy.
Modern homeowners now have made the bungalow a true resurgent style, which can be seen flourishing all over modern cities such as Greenville and even Charleston. I have heard elderly individuals explain, “they didn’t like then as children and they sure don’t want one now.” Why wouldn’t you like the simple lines of a bungalow with its high ceilings, large windows, front porches, deep eves, and open floor plans? They work extremely well in the South as a highly versatile form that can be easily adapted to fit their environment. But please don’t keep building them in three-story styles and stuck like sore thumbs in 19th-century Charleston neighborhoods. Whoever thought and approved of such were certainly not preservationists at heart.
If I had to build a new home today, yes, I would seriously look at a modern version of a bungalow and enjoy every minute of planning its minute details.
What is your favorite style and how does it fit within your memories?