Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 5/31/2004

Question
I am having trouble pinpointing exactly what Old World design is. It seems to be a blend of Italian and Roman with aspects of English country cottages. Are there any set design elements that must be present for " Old World " such as door height, wood species , iron work, stucco wall treatment, window style,door styles, floor covering of wood vs tile. Any information or links would be helpful.  Thank you, Todd

Answer
Todd:

Thanks for your question!

"Old World" is a VERY broad definition of architectural style - there's no way to pinpoint it!  Old World simply means "original" European architecture, prior to the settlement of the New World in the Americas.  Just about anything built in Europe prior to the Industrial Revolution can be considered "Old World" style, so trying to nail it down can be frustrating!

However, the term is often used (incorrectly) to describe the Picturesque styles associated with images of Europe - Tudor, Cotswold, Italianate, etc.  The Picturesque style began in Early 1800s England, reacting to the stuffy Classical buildings of the several preceding centuries.  The styles that grew from it were far less formal (and were a lot more fun visually).

The Picturesque styles made their way to America in the mid-1800s, and became known as the Romantic styles here - Italianate, Gothic Revival, etc.  From that reaction to the Classical models other movements grew including Arts and Crafts, which spawned Prairie Style, Craftsman, Bungalow, etc.  Now we're looking at European models again - Tuscan is very popular, and Tudor is back.

Rather than trying to pinpoint "Old World", try looking at the styles themselves.  You'll get far more information, and you'll do much better at properly assembling the "correct" components of each style.  Yes there are correct design elements, but they're not common to everything under the Old World umbrella.

One of the challenges of good house design is putting all these elements together in a pleasing whole.  Even experienced pros rely on pattern books and existing homes for inspiration.  I'd suggest looking at the architecture section of Dover Books (doverpublications.com) - they have an excellent selection of pattern books and volumes on house styles.  For design elements, there are dozens of suppliers, but you might start with EuropeanAttic.com.

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtastudio.com