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Architecture/Questions Answered by Expert Rikki Nyman
| Subject | Date Asked |
| roof structure | 2/1/2012 |
| Q: My husband and I just recently bought a house. This house has a room that was added for extra square ... A: Carmen - Without an image or plan, it's difficult to say what would be the optimal solution for ... | |
| Dutch Colonial: Shutters and Colors | 1/29/2012 |
| Q: I have a Dutch colonial that was built in the 1920's. It is a white house with dark green shutters. ... A: Audrey -- I like the shutters personally. You can easily take them off or incorporate them into ... | |
| Can you ID this house’s architectural style? | 11/28/2011 |
| Q: My wife and I are hoping to close on this house soon. In the excitement and anticipation of owning ... A: Rich - Your little house is typical of the many small post-WWI cottages that were built during the ... | |
| Need help on exterior colors | 9/30/2011 |
| Q: I am in desperate need help on choosing new exterior color scheme for my house. My house is about ... A: Lee - I like the neutral tans for your house, especially with the red roof. However, here are a ... | |
| Architectural plan printing material | 9/22/2011 |
| Q: My question isnt relating to anything printed on the plans or the vessel it depicts, but actually on ... A: Steve - I don't know the answer to your questions about your blueprints, but I would start by ... | |
| Glass shingles | 9/8/2011 |
| Q: I have these glass shingles that I have been holding on to for a long time, and I decided to sell ... A: Kristen - Wish I could say I knew what they are. Tentatively, I would date them to the late 1930s ... | |
| Glass shingles | 9/3/2011 |
| Q: I have these glass shingles that I have been holding on to for a long time, and I decided to sell ... A: Glass was used in a variety of different applications in kitchens and on the exteriors of buildings. ... | |
| style of my 1930s house? | 8/11/2011 |
| Q: My house was built in the early 1930s. It is located in Vallejo, California. My two questions are: ... A: Your house reflects some of the design trends of the late 1920s when modern design begins to fuse ... | |
| Historically accurate fencing | 6/28/2011 |
| Q: We recently purchased a 1925 Dutch Colonial Revival home and would like to add a fence. What type ... A: A white picket fence would be perfectly acceptable. Or you could add a fence with different ... | |
| Help with exterior paint colors and style of house | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: I am in desperate need of exterior paint scheme for house we are moving to in Savannah. To the best ... A: Your house, which is gorgeous, is often referred to as a Queen Anne Free Classic. After the Chicago ... | |
| Sloping Cantilevered Floor | 6/13/2011 |
| Q: Our house was built in 1919. We have cantilevered sections in the middle of the house on each side. ... A: You'll need to do a little calling around to locate a licensed contractor in your area to give you ... | |
| Style of house? | 5/21/2011 |
| Q: We have just bought this house in johannesburg south africa. The previous owner said it was built ... A: Leah - Hi. It's hard to tell from the photo exactly what the style might be. It shows some signs of ... | |
| st. charles cabinets | 5/18/2011 |
| Q: We are doing a remodel on a kitchen in a two story american colonial style house that was built in ... A: 1930s kitchens were still primarily wood and if I was doing a faithful restoration, I would go for ... | |
| st. charles cabinets | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: We are doing a remodel on a kitchen in a two story american colonial style house that was built in ... A: The short answer is a qualified "yes." Steel cabinetry started appearing in homes during the ... | |
| terms | 5/14/2011 |
| Q: What is a coyne? What is a keystone? A: I think you mean "quoin," not coyne. (I have found one reference to a coin-stone.) Quoins are ... | |
| Exterior Paint Scheme for Green Roof | 4/12/2011 |
| Q: We are remodeling an 1842 stucco Federal style farmhouse. It is very humble and plain, with a ... A: I'd stick with a lighter color that plays to the traditional and classical design elements that ... | |
| exterior stucco/painting | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: For a house that was built somewhere between 1910 and 1920, we want to improve the drab look of the ... A: Period stucco colors of the Teens and 20s were usually neutrals like taupe, buff, ivory, and dove ... | |
| Are shutters appropriate to the style of our house? | 3/28/2011 |
| Q: We bought our house in Kansas City a few years ago. We purchased it from a bank with no disclosure ... A: Lee - People did paint their brick—during the 1930s especially—so doing some type of exterior ... | |
| Interior doors | 3/15/2011 |
| Q: what styles interior door would you put in a brick condo on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia that ... A: It would be best to see a picture of the building interior before saying anything definitive. In ... | |
| 1941 Custom home - what style? | 2/3/2011 |
| Q: Our house was built in 1941 in West Hartford, CT, for Mr. E.K. Hubbard 2nd, designed by Willard H. ... A: Grace - You pose a classic old house question ... what did your house look like when it was ... | |
| What Style Home Is This?! | 12/9/2010 |
| Q: My husband and I are looking into buying a home in Central Indiana. It was built in 1920, but that's ... A: Your house exhibits characteristics of several styles but especially Colonial Revival and Queen ... | |
| Style of house that was built in 1907 | 11/24/2010 |
| Q: We are presently selling my Mother home. She lived in the house from 1950 to June of 2010. The ... A: It is absolutely an Arts & Crafts or Craftsman-style home, which is clearly borne out by the ... | |
| Is this a bungalow? | 11/9/2010 |
| Q: I have always wanted to own a bungalow, so maybe I'm just trying to talk myself into thinking the ... A: Anna -- Yes, you have a bungalow. It could have been built anytime after 1915, but the "modern" ... | |
| Type of house is this | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: I brought this house about 6 months ago. It is in michigan, all I know it was built in 1920 it has ... A: Back in the day it would have been described as a small traditional or cottage style house. Today, ... | |
| uncovered porch | 9/21/2010 |
| Q: i have a split-level house with a sunken den at the front door. So, i am about 3 ft below ground ... A: Bonnie - I think you should be able to do something attractive that will blend in with the current ... | |
| building home where there is existing garage | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: We plan on building a two-story home with 3 stall garage on lake lot we purchased with preexisting ... A: Sally - I'm not sure what you're asking. Could you be more specific? My area of interest is old ... | |
| design | 9/5/2010 |
| Q: My house built in 1917 has a small (24"x24") low (36" off the floor) window adjacent to the kitchen ... A: David - Without seeing a picture, it's hard to say. It's possible the window replaced a small door ... | |
| exterior paint for a Dutch Colonial | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: I live in an early 1930's Dutch Colonial that needs an exterior paint job. What were the historical ... A: Nick - The booklet I pulled the second set of color schemes from was a small pub by Lowe Brothers ... | |
| exterior paint for a Dutch Colonial | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: I live in an early 1930's Dutch Colonial that needs an exterior paint job. What were the historical ... A: Color schemes shown in period magazines from the 1930s give you a lot of leeway with respect to ... | |
| color schemes for our home | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: We own a Dutch Colonial Revival and we plan to give the exterior a fresh coat of paint. The home ... A: I think you should go ahead with the red and use the creamy white for trim. It sounds like you've ... | |
| addition and raising the roof | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: We live in a two-story bungalow style home in a neighborhood that has a mix of large victorians. We ... A: Sarah - Many people, especially those living in neighborhoods they love, make substantial design ... | |
| Minimal Traditional | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: I would like to find out if my house (built in 1943, Tacoma, WA)is Minimal Traditional? It is ... A: Randy - Your house is wonderful and very unusual. I would love to see additional images and discuss ... | |
| Need Help With Exterior Paint Colors | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: I'm moving into an 1930's home that is painted white brick. The roof is grey, the porch is light ... A: Your temple-front Greek Revival cottage is wonderful. The classical revivals were often painted in a ... | |
| Frustration with Architect | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: Rikki, my wife and I spent about 3 mos. coming up with to-scale plans for turning our 1 story ranch ... A: Picking an architect can sometimes be difficult because some get so caught up in their idea of what ... | |
| Front porch on Dutch Colonial House | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: I read your answer concerning a question about a front porch on a dutch colonial house. I have a ... A: If you look at earlier Dutch Colonials in your area that were built between 1910-1930, you'll notice ... | |
| Exterior color scheme / Roof color | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: I am putting a new roof on my house and painting it. I have always thought that the current roof ... A: Marcy -- If you want to achieve a historically accurate color scheme, you should consider a green ... | |
| 100 year old shed | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: I have a 100 year old shed on my property. Unfortunately it is in pretty bad shape and in an ... A: The value of the interior wood is probably going to depend on the type (and quantity) of wood and ... | |
| 1929 red tile shingle roof | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I am wondering where to find replacement original tiles for our Colorado Tudor house built in 1929. ... A: First, go to the National Park Site and read the preservation brief for tile roofs. You'll find a ... | |
| An Eclectic Old Home | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: What style of home do I have? It was built in 1926 in Indianapolis, IN. The exterior has a pointed ... A: Rachel -- One thing to keep in mind the term "modern." The 1920s "modern" style can actually have ... | |
| curb appeal | 4/3/2010 |
| Q: We would appreciate any suggestions you can give us. We've selected a color to paint our house a ... A: Janet - The trim color(s) will depend on the effect you want to achieve. Your home has what is ... | |
| An Eclectic Old Home | 4/1/2010 |
| Q: What style of home do I have? It was built in 1926 in Indianapolis, IN. The exterior has a pointed ... A: Rachel - Your house is wonderful! As for style, it's very typical of "modern" style during the ... | |
| Front porch renovation & recommendations for change in exterior | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: (I just sent this question, but wanted to add some questions that I forgot to ask in the previous ... A: Rose - If you are planning on redoing the porch, you'll want to check with a contractor who has ... | |
| Front View | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: Is it wrong to have toilet windows on your front elevation of a residential building an why if ... A: It's not "wrong" to have bathroom windows on the street-facing façade of a residence, but it is ... | |
| load bearing support beams in a basement | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: We have a approx. 10" diameter log by approx. 25' long log holding up our 2 story house in the ... A: Anything that alters the structural foundation of your home must be assessed by a licensed ... | |
| shallow closet in 1927 home | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I visited a home today that was built in Upper Arlington, OH in 1927. The foyer closet is too ... A: I've seen a couple different reasons for this. One is that people had less stuff. The front hall ... | |
| home style - period specific kitchen remodel | 2/15/2010 |
| Q: We are currently considering a remodel on the galley-like kitchen in our 1939 home and want the ... A: Your house is a Minimal Traditional house. Depending on your primary sources, it could be called a ... | |
| historic restoration | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: I am restoring the exterior of my one story Queen Anne Free Classic Gabled Ell ca. 1908. I have ... A: Eric -- I wish I could see more of your house, but it looks to me as though it has Craftsman-style ... | |
| "storybook houses" | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: I noticed a question/ answer that you did last year. It was about the 1940's Hallcraft Houses built ... A: David -- One of the greatest American pastimes is remodeling our homes. Unfortunately, remuddles by ... | |
| Ontario summer home | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a waterfront summer home in the Kawartha Lakes district of Ontario, Canada ... A: Adam - I can see one image of the entry (?) inside and the woodwork has left me wanting to see ... | |
| Ontario summer home | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a waterfront summer home in the Kawartha Lakes district of Ontario, Canada ... A: Adam - More pictures to confirm my visual from your description would be a big help. The 2nd floor ... | |
| exterior paint | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: Our home was built in the early 80's in Houston, Tx. We have 4 - two story pillars that we are about ... A: Bobbie - The Southern Colonial style, which often employs 2-story classical columns in the façade, ... | |
| Color | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: Rikki. My new house at photo. Color of Roof - dark brown (rr32) Color of Brick - yellow ("straw") ... A: Ilya - Thanks for writing. For the gables, you could go a number of different directions depending ... | |
| Dutch Colonial Addition | 11/14/2009 |
| Q: We bought and renovated a 1920's Durch colonial a few years ago. The home has porches on both sides, ... A: Robin - That gambrel roof line is a challenge when it comes to additions. The images I have seen of ... | |
| Queen Anne roofing materials | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: What types of roofing materials were typical for Queen Anne style homes in the 1910-1920 time-frame? ... A: Queen Anne style houses were falling out of favor by 1910, but those that were built were commonly ... | |
| Type of colonial? & adding a porch? | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I bought this 1940's home about six weeks ago and plan to raise our family in it. ... A: One of the primary characteristics of a Colonial Revival is its symmetry. In looking at your home, I ... | |
| Balcony Railing Style for Chicago Brick "Colonial" Home | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: We have a 1930's Chicago style brick home with a rear second story balcony (9 feet by 3 feet) off of ... A: Is there anyway you could post a picture of the balcony and house? Depending on the style of the ... | |
| 1929 stucco home | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: My family has recently moved into a 1929 two-story stucco home. It is time to do some repair work ... A: Julie - Hi. Let's start with the roof. Most of the stucco homes I've seen in vintage publications ... | |
| Sears and Roebuck house kits | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: Is it true that Sears and Roebuck sold instruction kits for building a house? If so, any idea how ... A: Catherine -- Sears sold kit homes and included plans and instructions with each home that were to ... | |
| Front Door Color - Red Brick Colonial with White Trim | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I am looking for advice about a good front door color choice for our new house. Our basic dilemma is ... A: Laura - Hi. My personal favorite for a brick colonial like yours is to paint the front door glossy ... | |
| porch lamps for colonial brick home | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: Please tell me what porch lamp design would go best on a brick colonial home. It has a single door ... A: Traditionally polished brass is most common, and especially fitting for a house that sounds from ... | |
| brick siding with contrasting color in brick trim | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: We are planning to build a new house, using brick siding. I'm wondering if a light color brick for ... A: Jeanie -- Using lighter brick with a contrasting darker trim could be very attractive. To get ... | |
| Exterior colors | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: Our 30 yr. old Cape Cod house siding needs painting. I can't decide what color. I need help ... A: It's really tough to give an opinion about color without a picture. If you liked the effect of the ... | |
| House I.D. | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm wondering if our house might be eligible for placement on the National Register of Historic ... A: Yours is a very cute Modern English cottage with a strong Tudor influence as evidenced by the ... | |
| Exterior colors for a late 1920s bungalow | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: My home is a Craftsman-style bungalow built between 1928 and 1930 (it's part of a National Historic ... A: I'd love to see a picture of your house because it's so difficult to suggest color schemes without ... | |
| Need opinions on my exterior color choices | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: I'm building a new home and just did all of my exterior color selections with the builder's designer ... A: You can get a better idea of the way the colors are going to look by buying a large piece of poster ... | |
| picking exterior stone color | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: RIkki - I have a house color question with no house picture. I hope I can describe this, and i need ... A: I went to the site and looked at the various stone options. The Maple-Ridge blend is very nice, but ... | |
| Smell of buildings | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: I’m fascinated by the smell of older buildings. I’m not talking about “bad” smells, in fact some of ... A: Jim - I have to say this is one of the more intriguing questions I've received! I know the smell ... | |
| exterior paint colors | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: Our house was built in 1932 and is in desperate need of a paint job. I would like to use colors ... A: Your house is really, really attractive as it is! Of course, its being the same color as your ... | |
| 1930's interior wall finish | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm a realtor and have clients interested in a 1931 cottage, ship-lap wood exterior home that has ... A: Though lath and plaster was common, drywall was available to home builders in the late 1920s. ... | |
| Painting Exterior of a Southern Colonial | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: We recently bought a home built in 1966 in what we believe is the Southern Colonial style. It is a ... A: In graphic design one of the strongest color schemes is red, black, and white. It's true for ... | |
| Home Question | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: just spent an hour on your website - it's great! Couple questions about the home in the picture, ... A: Your house is a modern bungalow style. Bungalows came in 101 flavors during the years they were most ... | |
| Exterior House Colours | 6/25/2009 |
| Q: I'm looking for advice on painting the exterior of our house. It was fairly recently painted by the ... A: Capes often look very attractive in blues and grays. Your house in a blue, gray, or better yet a ... | |
| House Style? | 6/11/2009 |
| Q: We have been grappling with interior and exterior renovation, but cannot seem to find any house that ... A: Jeff - Your question is in two parts so let's start with style. Your house, which is very ... | |
| Plain little bungalow | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a very plain bungalow built in 1923. The house was simple concrete stucco - which was removed ... A: You're right, it is a cute house! Many of the early bungalow schemes were monochromatic with a ... | |
| Exterior color scheme | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a stucco house with terracotta tile roof. A redwood pergola and two garage doors face the ... A: Kathy - Hi. That's a pretty open-ended question and there is no right answer. Since your home is a ... | |
| universal design and historic homes | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: What considerations must a person take into account when looking to modify a privately owned ... A: John - First, contact all the organizations that have a stake in the preservation of your historic ... | |
| Exterior color options for house with an odd roof color | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: My house was built in 1949. It is a lovely and unique split level home build by the area architect ... A: Jen -- The cinnamon-colored roof really ties you to a warmer palette. On older houses you see the ... | |
| Exterior color options for house with an odd roof color | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: My house was built in 1949. It is a lovely and unique split level home build by the area architect ... A: Jen - Cool mid-century house and very "up to the moment" for its period. I love the big front ... | |
| porch addition on ranch home | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: Rikki - We want to add a front porch to our ranch home. The problem is that there is a large gable ... A: I think a shed roof that extends the line of the existing roof would be attractive and consistent ... | |
| Color Scheme for Home | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: We are purchasing a home in Webster Groves, MO, which is an inner ring suburb of St. Louis. The ... A: I'd do all the trim (casings, screened in porch, and columns) in the darker shade. I tend to stay on ... | |
| Color Scheme for Dutch Colonial Home | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: We own a home in Burlingame California that is just 12 years old but was built in the Dutch Colonial ... A: One scheme that has been very common for Dutch Colonials is yellow for the body, white for the trim, ... | |
| 1922 house style mystery | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: We are looking at a house to purchase in southern california, but it is difficult to identify the ... A: Laith -- That mystery style is an eclectic mix of styles and as such isn't a single defined style. ... | |
| Building a Cape Cod & need design recommendations | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I am in the design & planning stage of building my first home. The home will be a Cape Cod with 2 ... A: Regina -- Your choice of a Cape Cod style house is a classic and will yield dividends over time. ... | |
| Shutter Colors | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: Our house was built in 1931 and it has recently been resided. We chose to stick with the original ... A: In looking at source material (House Beautiful from the 1930s), I found an Early American house with ... | |
| What do I need to be good at to be an architect? | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: My older brother is doing architecture it seems fun. I like to build things like forts in the woods ... A: Declan -- Being an architect is like being an engineer. It's all about solving problems. Some of ... | |
| Puzzled with house style | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: We have owned this 1960's house for one year and have remodeled the entire inside. We are now ready ... A: The reason you haven't been able to find anything about the style of your house is because not that ... | |
| Exterior paint color 1907 house | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I bought a 1907 house a few years ago and we are now looking to have the exterior ... A: Angela -- I really like your pretty Queen Anne wing and gable farmhouse. It has some nice detail. ... | |
| Is our house an English (Tudor) Cottage? | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: I am hoping you can help ID our house type. It was built in the late '30s, and we bought it almost ... A: Christie -- I like your house; it has great potential. My suggestion is that you look around for a ... | |
| Is our house an English (Tudor) Cottage? | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I am hoping you can help ID our house type. It was built in the late '30s, and we bought it almost ... A: Christie -- I'm also in the Pacific NW so I empathize ... too much algae growing on stuff here to ... | |
| trim color for a colonial house | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: We recently bought a brick colonial house. The trim on this house is white. I personally don't ... A: Dinara -- I don't know who told you white was the ONLY historically accurate color for trim on a ... | |
| trim color for a colonial house | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: We recently bought a brick colonial house. The trim on this house is white. I personally don't ... A: Dinara - Colonials are a very traditional style so they tend to hew to time-honored conventions. ... | |
| kitchen countertop material | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a Dutch Colonial that was built in the 1930's and has been lovingly cared for. I need to ... A: Sara - The most common counter top materials during the 1930s included soapstone (and marble) on ... | |
| Exterior Colors | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: A car hit my house, bowing out the end wall, and I am told the entire house will have to be ... A: Something happened to the image of the house so I'm relying on my memory of it, but I think you need ... | |
| Exterior Colors | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: A car hit my house, bowing out the end wall, and I am told the entire house will have to be ... A: Your house is actually a mid-century split level, however, you're right that one of its parent ... | |
| Color Scheme for Home | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: We are purchasing a home in Webster Groves, MO, which is an inner ring suburb of St. Louis. The ... A: Let's say, for the sake of argument, that you decide to paint the house a buff. If the gray of your ... | |
| Color Scheme for Home | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: We are purchasing a home in Webster Groves, MO, which is an inner ring suburb of St. Louis. The ... A: What color is your roof? And what color are the adjacent homes? The simplest solution would be to ... | |
| front porch addition on dutch colonial | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: I am interested in adding on a covered front porch to our Dutch Colonial. I am having trouble ... A: I really think it would be wise to leave the façade of your house intact. Have you considered ... | |
| front porch addition on dutch colonial | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: I am interested in adding on a covered front porch to our Dutch Colonial. I am having trouble ... A: Your house is beautiful. It's a terrific example of the Dutch Colonial Revival subtype. In the ... | |
| Style - Cottage? Tudor offshoot? | 1/19/2009 |
| Q: We just purchased a home which seems to be a bit style confused. We are planning on remodeling but ... A: Karin -- So many 1920s houses were eclectic. They were a mix of whatever design elements the ... | |
| Hallcraft Homes | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: What style would you label the multitude of red brick homes built by Hallcraft from 1940 - 1965 in ... A: Hey Becky - ;-) I love those little Hallcraft houses. I didn't think of this myself, but there is ... | |
| house style | 12/20/2008 |
| Q: i am searching the house style of the one attached, if you could provide any information it would be ... A: Like many house styles popular during the first few decades of the 20th century, this home has a ... | |
| false dormers / shutters | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: I currently have two false dormers on the front of our home. Through the dormer windows you can see ... A: Closed shuttered dormers are occasionally seen on older homes. They sometimes served as a source of ... | |
| Gothic Style | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know what is Gothic Court Style art? A: This is actually an art history question, so I would refer you to any one the the many art history ... | |
| architecture | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: what are the main things you need to e a architect' ps: i'am only 14 years old should i be studding ... A: jhon - To prepare for a career in architecture, I suggest you spend as much time as possible taking ... | |
| about the color to use in a bedroom for girls | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: what are the color combinations that could satisfy the girl's needs for her bedroom? A: Jen -- There are two parts to that question. First, it depends on the girl, her age, and tastes. ... | |
| Exterior paint colors for my house | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: I bought a beautiful old house and want to paint the exterior. It has been all white for many ... A: Nancy -- I think your best bet would be to check with a local roofing contractor who could identify ... | |
| Exterior paint colors for my house | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: I bought a beautiful old house and want to paint the exterior. It has been all white for many ... A: Nancy -- It's impossible to tell what the colors were in the black and white photo because all we ... | |
| Exterior paint colors for my house | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: I bought a beautiful old house and want to paint the exterior. It has been all white for many ... A: Nancy -- Yours is a beautiful Queen Anne with strong Neoclassical elements. Traditionally, your ... | |
| Bungalow style? | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: I bought this house three years ago. It's from about 1925 in Westchester, NY. Every piece of lumber ... A: Sweet house! It's representative of the incredible diversity of the 1920s, but I wouldn't call it a ... | |
| Style of my house | 10/12/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to figure out exterior paint colors for my house. I would love to do something that is ... A: Meredith -- The floor plan you describe certainly sounds bungalowish. It's possible you have a kit, ... | |
| Strange cabinet in attic of historic home | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: I am a docent at the Mattie Beal Historical home in Lawton, OK. The home was built in 1907 and ... A: Is there any way you could take picture and post it to Flickr or Photobucket? It's very difficult ... | |
| Information about my home | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: I was an expert here for many years and enjoyed it a great deal. I was hoping you might tell me ... A: JC -- Shingles were often stained and treated with creosote, which was a penetrating oil, before ... | |
| Information about my home | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: I was an expert here for many years and enjoyed it a great deal. I was hoping you might tell me ... A: JC -- First let me say your house is very beautiful and typical of 1921 residential architecture. ... | |
| Exterior paint color help needed | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: Would you please define the style of my house, and how would you paint it (we're in a middle of ... A: Faina -- The colors you've selected are wonderful, but I really think that because the red and ... | |
| Exterior paint color help needed | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: Would you please define the style of my house, and how would you paint it (we're in a middle of ... A: Faina -- That the porch originally had just the railing with the X-pattern makes sense. The ... | |
| Exterior paint color help needed | 9/28/2008 |
| Q: Would you please define the style of my house, and how would you paint it (we're in a middle of ... A: I can see why you are having difficulty with your house. Stylistically, it doesn't fall neatly into ... | |
| Frank Lloyd Wright - Jacobs House - Madison | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: My name is Sofia, I'm 18, and I'm studying Architecture in Lisbon, Portugal. I'm in the second year ... A: Sofia -- Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian houses are beautiful ... great choice, BTW for a research ... | |
| French Country Exterior Scheme | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: Do you have any suggestions on paint palette for a french country style house? We are renovating a ... A: Ronda - Hi. I really need more information before making a recommendation, but here are a couple ... | |
| Fence,to paint or not to paint | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I purchased a home that was made in 1950 and I painted it a light peach color with white trimming on ... A: Marco -- Thanks for writing. When your house was built in 1950, fences were treated as house trim ... | |
Architecture
Answers by Expert:
Rikki Nyman
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Residential architectural questions concerning houses designed between 1900 and 1950, where the question pertains specifically to styles, designs, plans, building materials, color schemes, paint colors, interior finishes and so on. I am NOT qualified to answer engineering questions or issues involving construction methods, plumbing, electrical and the like. For example, I can describe what an appropriate color scheme would be for a vintage 1920s kitchen, or sources for plans for Storybook Style houses. I can not tell someone how to replace the electrical wiring in their old home.
Experience
I have been researching old houses and writing about them for more than five years. (See www.antiquehomestyle.com, which is my site.)
Organizations
Oregon Historical Society
Architectural History Center, Portland Oregon
Publications
www.antiquehomestyle.com
Education/Credentials
B.S. History, Minor in Architectural Design
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