Wednesday, March 21, 2012

My House: Becoming Neoclassic



This is how my house looked in 1950, two years after it was built. On the right is a garage, which makes the house appear as if it has two wings. Throughout the 1950s, the house was painted white, with a deep forest green trim — a common color scheme for the time.


When I bought the house in 1989, not much had changed. Most of the porch's jalousie windows had been switched out to screens, the trim had become a lighter green, and the shrubbery had grown tall and scraggly. But I looked at the place and thought that with a bit of work, it could become a little Neoclassic temple.


My first plan of action was to replace the porch window with a pair of French doors that had come from a salvage yard. The doors are immensely thick and heavy, and in fact their hinges are designed for bank vaults. I had to import the doors' hinges from out of state.


The next step was to remove all the old shrubbery, then all the porch screens and jalousie windows. When that deconstruction was complete, I repositioned a cinder block post, so that the eventual columns would be symmetrical.


Then it was time for the fun part — to create correctly proportioned columns and an entablature. Notice that at this point, the pediment and frieze are both comprised of slatted wood.

Throughout that delicious stage of imagining and planning, I was greatly inspired by Classical Architecture: Rule and Invention, by Thomas Gordon Smith. Smith's book is beautifully illustrated, and as good and succinct a summary of Classical architecture as you will ever find.


For more than a dozen years, my house had a Greek color scheme, to accentuate the Neoclassic look that I wanted to achieve.

It had always been my intention to have an inscription across the front of the building, but the spackle that covered the frieze's two boards continually cracked with the extremes of temperature. I would eventually resolve that problem by stuccoing both the frieze and the pediment.

Likewise, there were problems with the columns because I hadn't used pressure-treated wood! When they rotted from the bottom up, I decided to tear out the squared columns completely, and replace them.

Around this time, I also decided to give the house a more Roman flavor, in part because of interior projects which I'll be sharing with you at a later time.

click to enlarge
This is how the house looks today. The porch has been smoothly stuccoed to allow the painting of the pediment wreath and the inscription.

The wreath (the first photo of this posting) is painted to resemble the cast iron decorative wreathes that adorned New England houses of the 1840s.


The Latin inscription (I've provided you with a translation) is set in Palatino Bold, a typeface that Hermann Zapf designed in 1948, the same year my house was built. Zapf based the font on rubbings taken from actual inscriptions on ancient Roman buildings.

The porch has been widened all around by a foot to accommodate columns that are made from resin and marble dust. I don't like anything on my house remotely plastic, and these columns have the look and feel of concrete. Each column supports 10,000 pounds.

Note that the inside of the porch is a slightly darker shade of the building. Essentially, I have painted the shadows, a conceit that adds interest to the horizontal thrust of the building, and makes the columns stand out better.

click to enlarge
My colors are muted. I wanted a color scheme that was fresh, but which also suggested the look of antiquity. The columns, for example, are a pretty close match to a sandstone color.
Some people have offered the unsolicited opinion that the placement of my door detracts from the rest of the building's symmetry. From the inside, the door's placement makes perfect sense, but I have to admit I'm a little bothered by the arrangement, too. 

And so I plan a delightful future project which will be the construction of a three-dimensional trompe l'oeil door. When completed, the house will look very much like the image above. I will of course do a posting on that project!




My Neoclassic transformation
has been a work in progress for more than 20 years,
and I am deeply indebted to two friends in particular 
for their help and talents —

Jesse E. Tucker, Jr. and Mel Schlegel.


.
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46 comments:

  1. Hello Mark:
    You have worked wonders with your house! we love the Neoclassical facade and think that the choice of colours is both interesting and appropriate.

    We do agree about the lack of symmetry with the door and think that the idea of a trompe l'oeil effect second door is absolutely brilliant!

    These things do take a long time to effect, as both time and finance allows, but you must be delighted with the point you have now reached. An elegant, interesting and stylish result!!

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    1. Hello Jane and Lance:

      Regarding color choices, when my house had the more Greek color scheme of blue and coral trim, the body of the house was a peachy color. In the ensuing years, most of the houses on my street were bought up by a retirement community, renovated and painted the same peachy color!

      While I wanted to convey the impression of antiquity with my new colors, I also wanted to break away from my neighbors' corporate uniformity.

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  2. Dear Mark - you are a true disciple of what you believe in. Turning a typical 1950s American dream home into a Neo Classical Palace. It is absolutely wonderful - I love it. I am really taken with the colours you have used, thank goodness you did not follow the local trend of using 'orange'!
    Thank you for this post.

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    1. Dear Rosemary - I've always loved architectural history. Through the years, I've gravitated more and more to the Neoclassic style, both in structures and interior design. Perhaps there's a purity there that satisfies my need for calm and order. I'm glad you like the look!

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  3. Very wonderful job, Mark. Can I ask about the material of the columns? And I ask only because I'm wondering if you need to flash the exposed portion of molding on the capital to shed water off the top. I'm also glad you addressed the door placement and think your tromp l'oeil solution is very smart. You might even use casings that match the real door just like Greek Revivals that trimmed out fake windows for symmetry.

    There's a local house that has a wreath up on the pediment. I'll have to go get a snapshot of it. It's a great detail.

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    1. Hi, Steve -

      As I mentioned, the columns are made from a mixture of resin and marble dust, and I won't need to worry about dry rot again. The capitals are a heavy plastic, and while the very word makes me cringe, they too will not degrade.

      Incidentally, the top moulding of the capital is my own addition — I thought the capital needed that detail to extend out further from the entablature.

      The faux door will be very three-demensional, complete with real hardware. I think it will fool the eye right up to the point people reach the porch.

      I would love to see a photo of the Greek Revival with the wreath pediment!!

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  4. Dear Mark, Wow! Fantastic what you have accomplished. So glad you replaced the square columns. Your attention to detail is amazing! Your choice of colors is amazing!
    So clever of you to choose columns which are treated with marble dust. How about a faux marble finsh?
    Until you tackle your "delightful future project" of adding another door for symmetry why not place 2 more topiaries (or something similar) on that side.
    Thanks for sharing what must have been an arduous but very satisying project. Gina

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    1. Dear Gina -

      "Arduous but very satisfying" is indeed a good description of the process. When one is on a limited budget, things don't always go as fast as one would like, but the upside of that is that there is plenty of time to refine ideas. And that process of envisioning is something not to be rushed, but to be savored.

      I'm thinking that until the trome l'oeil door is installed, a wooden bench might be appropriate for the space. Can you see some Hitchcock furniture there?

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    2. I can see a Lutyens style garden bench there.
      http://www.gardenfurniturecentre.co.uk/acatalog/Lutyens_bench.html

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    3. Yes, that would be very appropriate — it shows the influence of Chippendale, I think.

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  5. I love it and the labor of love you embarked on. So great that you could see potential and take that 'before' and turn it into your 'after'. Lovely!

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    1. Thanks, Stefan! I think this posting is actually a very nice complement to the Seaside postings you've been doing. And I want to mention that I was thinking of you when I included Thomas Gordon Smith's book — I think you'd find that a good addition to your own library.

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  6. Outside looks fantastic. Can't wait to see the inside.

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  7. I have to say I prefer the first version for two reasons. So few people have the courage to use an authentic palette and you did. And to me the round columns don't appear to have the heft to support the entablature. But your wreath and inscription painting are beautifully done. I love your hand.

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    1. I braced myself for getting that comment about the color scheme, so now I can finally exhale! As I have said in other parts of this posting, I decided to move away from the Greek palette because (1) an interior project of mine has a decidedly Roman flavor, and (2) my neighborhood became institutionally peachy-beige and I was damned if I was going to follow suit! And (3) sometimes — and I know you'll appreciate this, Scott — it's just time for a change.

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  8. Hello Mark, So many interesting things going on here. I think the Greek incarnation of your house was attractive, but the neoclassical version is much more graceful. The Greek Revival porch suggested the 19th century ante-bellum, but the thinner columns are more reminiscent of the earlier 18th-century American Southern homes. The color scheme recalls the true polychrome of ancient buildings, while the stone and earth colors also allude to the American Victorian past, perhaps brightened up a little in deference to their Florida location.

    As always, I am amazed at (not to mention jealous of) your creativity and hard work, and am looking forward to future installments. By the way, how about adding a shot of the entire front of the house in its current guise, so we can see how the proportions work.
    --Road to Parnassus

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    1. Dear Parnassus,

      Thanks so much for your kind and much appreciated words. I have taken your hint and added one last photo (taken today) of a full view of the house. I hope the proportions pass muster. Incidentally, the front left window was the original master bedroom, but is now my office/studio.

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    2. Looks great. Since the ends of your house are gabled, have you considered creating a side portico to extend the lines of the house and also the classical effect? Might be visually interesting from the inside too; I don't know your layout, but I assume that the front porch is not that easily viewed from the interior.

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    3. A portico would not be possible on either side, but the back of the garage forms a very secluded L-shape as it joins my back door and laundry room (which is separate from the house). That area will make a perfect space for a deck, which is another future project (the list is long). I will certainly contemplate some Neoclassic touches there, too.

      I actually get a good view of the front porch from inside, in part because one whole wall of my living room is floor-to-ceiling mirrors. A plus is that from the back of my house, I can see visitors at the front door without their seeing me!

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  9. Oh Mark....where to begin!!!
    You have a brilliant mind and the metamorphosis of your home is sooooo my style! I love it all. The scale, the colors, and definitely the inscription. The inside will be a much anticipated treat!! (you have given my some inspiration for my own facade)

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    1. Hi, Theresa, I'm glad you like it!

      I'll share a little secret about that inscription, a method of working that made it come out very smoothly.

      1. I used an old-fashioned proportion wheel to make the typography end up at the right size.

      2. Then I traced each word onto a relatively short piece of
      tracing paper, along with the space and first letter of the next word. For example, "LUMINA T" was on an individual small sheet.

      3. I then taped all the words together to establish the center of the inscription, which I marked with a vertical line.

      4. Then I found the center of the entablature, and working from a level guideline, transferred the inscription outward in both directions. That allowed me to work within 1/16 of an inch of accuracy without using long sheets of paper. It worked like a charm.

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  10. Very interesting and attractive transformation of your house. I agree about the door. Also the wing with a window and the wing without are a bit distracting. However, overall it is such an improvement and the colors are charming.

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    1. Hello, Architectbuff - My neighbor across the street actually had his garage built with double-paned windows, but then it's also one of those newer houses, where the garage door has a greater visual impact than the rest of the house. I would consider a window on my garage "wing," but the front doors get priority.

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  11. Wow, I am so impressed. Loved seeing the steps along the way to the final iteration. So wonderful to make a sow's ear into a silk purse !

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    1. Hello, Clara - I'm glad you enjoyed the transition. One of the things that was a huge help was that the owner before me lived in the house for more than 35 years, keeping it up, but not making "improvements." Sometimes, as I've already learned, it takes more to undo things!

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  12. MARK!!! this is amazing. I'm no purist when it comes to classical architecture, but I am with Scott on the color scheme. nevertheless the place looks just fabulous and no less than I'd expect from you. I'd love to see some acroteria added to the top and sides.

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    1. Thanks, Lynne! I like your idea of acroteria, and I have been considering it. Because I'm moving more towards Rome, I've also considered rooftop finials or statuary ala Palladio. At any rate, I'm having fun!

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  13. Trompe l'oeil is such a great idea, Mark. The window on the garage door can also be done in this way. I love the colors you're using and the fact that you're actually having fun with your house - using it as a kind of architectural canvas.

    Love the columns and the Latin expression which adds a kind of noble warmth to your entranceway. I love the look of lettering even if I might not know what the words mean. (But thanks for the translation, Mark.)

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    1. Hi, Yvette - The trompe l'oeil door will be three-dimensional, which is to say that while it won't open into my house, it will still have actual hardware and moulding. I think a large part of its success, unlike anything I would do on the garage wall, is that it will be partly in shadows.

      You're right, the project has been an architectural canvas for me. After I tweaked the color scheme several times, a neighbor said to me,"That porch is sort of your laboratory, isn't it?"

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  14. This is a delightful and inspiring post. You have made a swan from a duckling, and a lovely one at that. Your neighbors are, indeed, lucky, as are your fortunate readers! Thank you for shairing your transformation(s)! RD

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    1. Thank you, Reggie! I always enjoy the glimpses you reveal of Darlington Hall, and while I imagine that it initially provided you with a more finished canvas than my place, I'm sure you've wrought your own transformations.

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  15. Mark I must say you are really a visionary. This is such an accomplishment. I love the color paleete and all of the architectural cahnges made. Very excite to see the Trompe L'oeil for the doors.

    I hope you will come and see the feature I have on an amazing sculptor.

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena
    The 2012 Artist Series

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    1. Hi, Karena - Thanks for your encouraging words. I enjoyed looking at the natural work of Reilly Hoffman. I think he was very fortunate to have been introduced to foundries at such an early age!

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  16. Hello Mark,
    I won't repeat what my fellow admires have written except for the words elegant, impeccable, brilliant and bravo.
    Anyes
    XX

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    1. Hi, Anyes - From one restoration buff to another — Thanks! XX

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  17. I'm speechless! How fantastic it looks. Yours must be the must-see house in the neighborhood. Congratulations Mark!

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    1. Thanks, Michael! For some reason, current builders in the St. Petersburg area are covering the landscape with beige and peachy buildings, so my color choice alone is a standout!

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  18. Mark, your work is brilliant...the attention to detail, and such classical elegance. I think such improvements as you've shown are best done slowly and thoughtfully, with time to consider proportions and possible variations. I also like to do things which are enduring and I don't have to re-think in the future. I know this is the way you work and I really admire it. When I saw the first picture, I immediately thought of a matching pair of false French doors, and was rather happy that I had an idea like Mark, whose aesthetics and taste are exceptional.

    From all your design work it is so evident that you've developed a very sensitive sense of proportion. I find this totally lacking in modern design and architecture and I'm wondering if you walk into a new store, home, or mall, and the terrible proportions and lack of balance offend you.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Terry. Everything I do on my house is with a limited budget, which has actually made projects go much slower than I would like. On the other hand, I think the house has benefitted from that because by the time I'm ready to move, all my initial ideas have been refined.

      You are right that I am bothered by so many newer buildings that are ill-proportioned! They seem to be on the increase, and I believe it's due in large part to contractors acting as architects (The house across from me is a fine example — the contractor had the crown moulding installed upside-down!).

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  19. Mark,

    I enjoyed seeing your house. I'm an architect at Robert Stern Architects and also on the board of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art which you might be interested in. Gary
    http://www.classicist.org/

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    1. Gary, I am very late in responding to this comment, so I offer apologies! Thank you for your nice comment, and for including the link to the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. I've enjoyed navigating through the site!

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  20. I've only just come across, so my apologies for the belated entry. Nonetheless, I am very impressed and as I was reading I was hoping you would do what you yourself suggested - creating a trompe l'oeil to mirror the door on the right. To make it more realistic you could use real glass in the same pane form as the real door. (Perhaps that's what you mean by three dimensional.) It might confuse your guests, if that's the front door. But why not have fun?!

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    1. Dear Columnist,

      You have guessed my plan exactly! I was thinking that the panes of glass would be one sheet of black plexiglass, the hinges would be dowels, and the frame, moulding, door knob and lock would be real. (I get the occasional proselytizer, so the project would be fun on that account.)

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    1. Thank you Gaye! As of this date, you now know what that interior project is.

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