PRICE HILL ARCHITECTURAL STYLES

Italianate Architecture in America (1850’s- late 1890’s)

The architectural style known as Italianate first began to appear in England in the 1840's. It was an inspiration from the Italian Renaissance that occurred through the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. This style had come to North America by the 1850's and had quickly dominated architecture. It lasted in both America and in England up until the late 1890's.

Inspired from the guidebooks of Andrew Jackson Downing, Colvent Vaux, and William H. Ronlette from the Italian villas. It all began as a picturesque movement, a reaction to the classical style that had been used in architecture for the past two hundred years.

Italianate design was to be a rebellion against the earlier classical style that had been used. But in England, all houses and other buildings, had stayed particularly close to one design. In America, however, it had become more original and became indigenous. By the late 1860's, Italianate architecture had completely overshadowed its competitor Gothic Revival, which was once equally as popular.

It didn't only occur in the construction of houses. Many other buildings had also underwent construction under this style. Barns, town halls, and libraries were also built using the Italianate design. It can clearly be seen in many New England cities and towns that had experienced growth during this period.

Defining Features of Italianate Architecture:
Low-pitched, hipped roof
Bracketed cornice
Balustrade balcony
Arcade porch
Cornices
Eaves
Cupolas
Pendants
Rounded arches

The first thing that all Italianate houses and buildings have is the emphasis on vertical proportions. Most Italianate houses are between two to four stories in height. Rarely is there a one story.

The windows are tall and narrow and double paned. Somewhere on the house there maybe paired windows. Over the windows there is a Roman arch or segmented arches. On one side of the house there is a bay window, a projection out of the wall that overlooks its surroundings.

The low, hipped roof further increases vertical proportions by being barely visible so that the walls will not appear to be shorter than what they are. In the center of the roof would be a tower or a cupola. This is the most prominent feature that resembles the Italian villas that Italianate architecture branched from. But only fifteen percent (15%) of these houses have the towers that represent villas.

The other prominent, dominating feature that helps to distinguish an Italianate building are the large bracketed eaves underneath the roof. They appear in a near infinite variety of styles and sizes. Usually they're paired and placed underneath a deep trim band.

The balcony is balustrade that stretches across the front of the house followed by an arcade porch that hangs over the doorway. The doorway consists of paired, asymmetrical doors lined with molding. Above them is a Roman arch just the same as the windows.

All of the Italianate houses have all of these features present in their design, but larger houses and city/town buildings will make use of more elaborated aspects such as the eaves and balustrades.