The Tudor architecture style is flexible and easily adapt to its surroundings. Tudor homes are generally integrated with a rough site of rambling terrain, rocks, and thick patches of trees. On the other hand, it blends well in a formal or informal setting of a well manicured suburban estate. Tudor architecture is generally known for its likeness to the medieval buildings of England. Tudor homes have taken on several defining labels. Elizabethan, Cotswold, and Jacobean was revived In America during the period from the 1890’s thru the early 1930’s. All of the sub-types are also known as European home styles.
The Tudor architecture of centuries ago were true half-timber houses. The timber was the structural support extending through the walls. Lathe and stucco filled the space between the timber. This is why two common colors of a Tudor house design throughout history have been brown (timber color) and white (stucco color). Today, designing a Tudor with this method would be very expensive to replicate and practice. Thus, with today’s technology, residential architects and building designers have evolved creative ways of designing Tudor homes. These homes show suggestions of the original half-timber with thin cut timbers actually veneered to the walls and interspersed with stucco as well as other materials like patterned brick and stone.
Defining features of Tudor architecture
Characteristics of Tudor house plans include, steeply pitched gables and roof (slate or thatch covered). Tudor homes are recognized by their signature bay windows. Many of these windows are casement and have diamond-paned leaded glass. Clustered chimney stacks of fascinating design are another defining feature of the style. Chimneys are topped with decorative chimney pots on Tudor home in almost all cases. Sometimes, Tudor style homes are trimmed with half-timber. However, brick and stone are the primary exterior finishes with accents of stucco in some cases. Even with these common elements, you will find that the Tudor designs have evolved slight variations in different regions of the country.
The use of false half-timber is a trait of the Tudor that is shared by the Queen Anne and Victorian stick architecture.