Townhouse Architecture

Architecture - An Important Townhouse Consideration in Loudoun County

When you are deciding what type of townhouse to purchase for a savvy real estate home buying decision in Loudoun County, it is important to be able to discern the architectural differences. Below are the common architectural townhouse types found in the Loudoun County area:

Colonial:

• Architectural style often evident in townhouses by rectangular, symmetrical townhouse style.
• The double-hung windows usually have many small, equally sized square panes.

Contemporary:

• Townhouses featuring odd-sized and often tall windows
• Minimal decorative ornamentation
• Unusual mixtures of wall materials--stone, brick, and wood.
• Two roof types- the flat-roof and gabled, evident with exposed beams

Federal:

• Style of townhouses found mostly on the East Coast
• Architecture dates back to the late 1700s and coincided with a reawakening of interest in classical Greek and Roman culture.
• Builders began to add swags, garlands, elliptical windows, and other decorative details to rectangular Georgian houses.
• Similar to Georgian, but more delicate and more formal.
• Noticeable with an arched Palladian window on the second story above the front door
• Front door usually has sidelights and a semicircular fanlight.

Georgian:

• Named for King Georges of England
• Townhouse architecture is refined and symmetrical
• Most recognized with paired chimneys and a decorative crown over the front door
• Modeled after the more elaborate homes of England, this style dominated the British colonies in the 1700s
• Most surviving Georgians sport side-gabled roofs, and is constructed in brick
• Modern-day builders often combine features of the refined Georgian style with decorative flourishes from the more formal Federal style

Greek Revival:

• Identifiable by the home’s full-height entryway or full-building width porches and entryway columns
• Front door is surrounded by narrow rectangular windows
• Roofs are generally gabled or hipped and roof cornices have a recognizable wide trim
• Particular front-gables found in one subtype became a common feature in Midwestern and Northeastern residential architecture well into the 20th century.

Italianate:

• Townhouses ornate in architecture despite solid square shape
• Features include symmetrical bay windows in front; small chimneys set in irregular locations; tall, narrow, windows; and towers, in some cases.
• Elaborate window designs reappear in the supports, columns, and door frames

Queen Anne:

• Derived as a sub-style of the late Victorian era
• Townhouses exhibit coquettish detailing and eclectic materials
• Steep cross-gabled roofs, towers, and vertical windows are all noticeable
• Inventive, multistory floor plans often include projecting wings, several porches and balconies, and multiple chimneys with decorative chimney pots.
• Wooden “gingerbread” trim in scrolled and rounded “fish-scale” patterns frequently graces gables and porches
• Massive cut stone foundations are typical of period houses

Regency:

• Townhouse architecture borrowing from the Georgian's classic lines
• Eschew lustrous ornamentation
• Symmetrical and usually constructed of brick
• Recognizable with an octagonal window over the front door, one chimney, double-hung windows, and a hip roof.

Tudor:

• Popular in the 1920s and 1930s and continues to be a mainstay in suburbs across the United States.
  
• Defining characteristics are half-timbering on bay windows and upper floors, and facades that are dominated by one or more steeply pitched cross gables
• Patterned brick or stone walls are common, as are rounded doorways, multi-paned casement windows, and large stone chimneys

Victorian:

• Dating from the second half of the 19th century, when America was exploring new approaches to building and design
• Many Victorian styles exist including Second Empire, Italianate, Stick, and Queen Anne
• Advancements in machine technology meant that Victorian-era builders could easily incorporate mass-produced ornamentation such as brackets, spindles, and patterned shingles
• The final true Victorians homes were constructed in the early 1900s, but contemporary builders often borrow Victorian ideas, designing eclectic “neo-Victorians.”
• Current incarnations combine modern materials with 19th century details, such as curved towers and spindled porches

If you are know of a particular style of townhouse featured in Loudoun County that you did not read about here, please contact us. We would love to hear from you.