Porches, Piazzas, and Verandas

 It’s been a while since we last posted on the elements of Lambertville’s Victorian architecture, so with summer in full swing why not take a closer look at the part of the house where Victorians spent much of their summers. 

 We’ve looked at porches before from soaring verandas to elegant loggias, but no one experimented with this architectural feature with more gusto than the Victorians. 

 Perhaps it’s because each of the individual parts of the structure, columns, balustrades, brackets, corbels, and roofs, each allow for endless opportunities for decoration and ornamentation. 

 This was after all an era obsessed with adding as much carved wooden gingerbread trim as their houses could hold, and the porch provided the perfect place to hold it. 

 Even a small entrance porch was an opportunity for ornamentation.

 Take this neighboring pair of tiny twin porches, one in white the other full color, likely added onto the earlier townhouses at a later date.

 All of that intricate trim made for endless surfaces to paint and the color schemes around town run the gamut. 

 Painted all in white the gingerbread looks something more akin to a wedding cake frosting. 

 The architectural styles are as varied as the color schemes including everything from this angular Eastlake.

 To this eclectic Queen Anne featuring an unusual slate roofline.

 But not every porch was awash in lacy trim work as the classically elegant fluted columns here show.

 Here clustered trios of simple slender columns rest atop heavy rusticated stone supports illustrating the later influence of Craftsman ideals over ornate Victoriana.

 This example of simple columns on masonry bases is adorned with classical dentil moldings giving a hint of the Colonial Revival.

 The advent of air conditioning along with the rise of the backyard as the main outdoor family space would spell the end of the golden age of front porches, but what better place to sip an iced tea on a summer afternoon than the porch of this classic American Four Square decorated with flowers and wicker furniture and shaded from the sun by cheerful stripped awnings.

Photos by KS&D.

Summer by the Shore

With the summer season officially upon us lets have a look back at the lost summer cottage of one of history’s first interior designers.

This most eclectic seaside mansion once stood in a line of grand summer villas on the dunes of Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, long since reclaimed by the sea. Built for Christian Herter of New York’s famed Herter Brothers design firm in 1881, while in the midst of completing his most celebrated project, designing the lavish interiors of William H. Vanderbilt’s triple palace on Fifth Avenue. The designer’s less opulent but no less intricate summer residence is a study in Victorian eclecticism with the wall surfaces alone including brick, cement, wood paneled, shingled, and clapboard treatments, all wrapped up with a tall woodwork trimmed veranda lush with foliage.

Photo via American Country Houses of the Gilded Age

Victorian Towers and Turrets

Since A Victorian City was so popular we thought we’d take a closer look at some of the architecture around town with a series focusing on specific architectural elements.

 

Let’s start our series with those most dramatic of Victorian architectural components, towers and turrets.

This round brick tower features an interesting cornice of scalloped shingles and trim work.

A closer look shows an elegant decorative swag trim, as well as a charming finial that seems to give the conical roof the look of a giant hand bell.

Another round tower topped with a deep cornice of scalloped shingles, this time crafted in rough stone.

These wooden towers feature rows of varying styles of shingles separated by bands of stud-like wood trim in a deep golden yellow.

Towers and turrets are to be found in every shape and size from round to square and even octagonal.

And finally this round corner tower is anchored by another architectural element favored by the Victorians, a graceful wraparound porch. 

Photos by KS&D.

A Lot Like Christmas

With the first snow of the season falling yesterday and holiday decorations beginning to appear around town it sure is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

The lush window boxes from summer now sprout seasonal evergreens and crimson berries.

Another window box incorporates white branches for a wintery effect.

Downtown the shops are ready for the holiday season as well.

The lime green glittered pinecones are a fun touch to these garden urns of evergreens.

Up the street another cast iron garden urn is packed with a wide array of all natural elements.

This Victorian front porch looks especially charming trimmed with Christmas garland while snow covers the shrubs and lawn.

Couldn't this holly tree filled with berries framing the gothic stained glass window of a snow covered stone church be lifted from a Christmas card.

For unique antique and vintage gift ideas be sure to browse our online shop!

Photos by KS&D.

A Garden City

When we took you on a tour of Lambertville, New Jersey’s historic homes last winter the bare trees were ideal for showcasing the unique architectural treasures, now with summer in full swing it’s the perfect time to see how creative gardeners use plants and flowers to transform this enclave of historic houses into a garden city.

One of the most unique examples of creative landscaping in town has to be the little graveled forecourt in front of this classic American Foursquare currently on the market for $1.65 million. Centered on a small flowerbed and surrounded by flowering bushes this simple yet stately treatment effectively turns a small yard into a grand entrance.

The deep front porch of this gracious ivy covered red brick mansion is nearly obscured with masses of flowers while ivy creeping up the side of the house further ties it to the site.

This grand red brick Colonial Revival house built in 1909 enjoys one of the largest gardens in town set behind an antique wrought iron fence.

A closer look shows the scrollwork detail under a shower of roses. Many houses here are fortunate enough to still be surrounded by original nineteenth century wrought or cast iron fences.

Here one of those beautiful antique cast iron fences protects a shady columned veranda from the street.

No discussion of fences would be complete without the classic white picket, and what could be more charming than a wild tangle of daisies poking through a weathered white picket fence.

This large mound of cheerful pink flowers compliments the red brick Victorian façade behind them.

Most properties in town have limited outdoor space so it’s always interesting to see the creative ways people utilize what space they do have, such as the lush planting alongside this porch.

Window boxes are a popular solution for those looking to add some green to their homes. This pretty one also incorporates the colors of the houses color scheme.

Here window boxes and large terra cotta pots holding geraniums and topiaries decorate the front of a townhouse.

This early brick townhouse sports some very elaborate window boxes dramatically finished of with pussy willow branches.

A sliver between this townhouse and the sidewalk was just enough space for a cluster of bamboo and some other interesting plants in various shades of green that look great against the gray painted brick

Not sure how the fantastic Victorian turret on this corner house thick with vegetation managed to escape the tower theme in our previous post.

Speaking of thick vegetation look at the brimming pots, overflowing planters, and trailing vines on this charming Victorian glassed porch.

Just around the corner is a private jungle in this shady sculpture filled garden.

The front of the woman’s club mentioned in the previous post is thickly planted around a wide tree trunk, giving a great example of how to garden in a small space.

A detail of old paneled shutters on the Victorian era clubhouse with flowers blooming against the buildings peachy color scheme. 

Right next door is Mary E. Sheridan Park, a beautifully maintained public space, almost more garden than park.

The park’s gazebo all swaged in festive bunting and ready for a mid-summer night concert.

Photos by KS&D.