Well, let me tell ya ’bout them brick Italianate houses. You know, the kind that look fancy but ain’t too showy, if ya know what I mean.
Them houses, they got this look, kinda like them old buildings back in the day, but with a bit more…flair. They ain’t just plain ol’ boxes, ya see. They got these…what do ya call ‘em…decorative hoods over the windows, makes ‘em look all dressed up. And the doors, sometimes they got these fancy tower things or a porch stickin’ out, real grand-like.
Now, these houses, they ain’t like them Greek ones, all straight and proper. These Italianate ones, they’re a bit more playful, ya know? Not everything’s matchy-matchy. The insides, they ain’t always the same on both sides, kinda like my garden, a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
They say this style started way back when in Italy, hundreds of years ago. Then, folks over here in America started buildin’ ‘em ‘bout a hundred and fifty years back. They like things to look even, ya know, but they also like them fancy little details. They got these roofs that ain’t too pointy, and they put all sorts of decorations all over. The windows, they’re round on top, like little rainbows.
- Brick is a big deal for these houses. Good, solid brick, that’s what they use. Makes ‘em strong, ya know, like they’ll last forever. Sometimes they use stone too, or that stucco stuff, makes it look all smooth.
- The insides, well, they can be real fancy too. Tile floors, that’s what they like. And them big doorways with pillars, makes ya feel like you’re walkin’ into a castle or somethin’.
Now, I ain’t no fancy architect, but I can tell ya what I see. These houses, they got these little things stickin’ out under the roof, corbels they call ‘em. And the roofs, sometimes they’re flat, sometimes they’re just a little bit slanted. And they got tall, skinny windows, makes the whole place look taller.
Folks over in Britain, they started buildin’ these houses too, a long time ago. But they ain’t all the same, ya see. There’s all sorts of ways to make ‘em look different. But they all got that somethin’ special, that Italianate feel.
You can even build a new one today, they say, but make it modern. Keep that old-timey look, but with all the new stuff inside. Like a fancy new stove in an old-fashioned kitchen, ya know?
These houses, they got these wide things under the roof, eaves they call ‘em. And them corbels hold ‘em up. Makes the roof look real big and important. And they got all sorts of fancy decorations, everywhere ya look.
So, if ya see a house with brick, and fancy windows, and maybe a little tower, and it looks kinda old-timey but not too stuffy, well, that just might be one of them brick Italianate houses. They’re real somethin’, let me tell ya. Solid, fancy, and got a bit of that old-world charm, just like a good ol’ fruitcake, but prettier to look at, that’s for sure.
And remember, it ain’t just about lookin’ fancy, it’s about bein’ sturdy too. That brick, it keeps ya warm in the winter and cool in the summer, just like a good quilt. These houses, they were built to last, ya know? Not like some of that flimsy stuff they build today.
So next time you’re drivin’ around, keep an eye out for them brick Italianate houses. They’re a piece of history, ya know? And they’re pretty darn nice to look at too.
Tags: [Italianate Architecture, Brick House, Historic Homes, House Design, Architectural Styles, Home Exteriors, 19th Century Architecture, Decorative Details]
