Tag Archive for: Gothic Revival

On the (Re)Making of a Tudor

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Rounded doorway at 700 E. Mitchell Aveneu

Rounded doorway

Ornamental half-timbering and a bay window at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue

Ornamental half-timbering and a bay window at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue

Tudor Revival was one of the most popular architectural styles during the early 20th Century in Cincinnati, to the extent that some entire streets were lined with beautiful homes of this type.

Our newest listing, 700 E. Mitchell Avenue (MLS #1452010), built in 1930 and nestled in the historic Rose Hill Subdivision of North Avondale, provides a fine example of a Tudor Revival to be sure.

But what makes a Tudor Revival just that?

Perhaps the style’s most iconic element is its half-timbering, a decorative treatment meant to represent exposed structural elements (the ornamental aspect to this detail is nearly exclusive to the U.S.). The spaces between the timbers are filled in with stone or brick, and usually stuccoed. Additional exterior characteristics include:

The magnificent living room at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue

The magnificent living room at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue

1) Steeply pitched roofs;

2) Arrangements of tall, narrow windows in bands, often casements;

3) Over-scaled chimneys with decorative brick or stone work and chimney pots;

4) Half-round or arched doors with decorative hardware;

5) Occasional bay windows;

6) Overhanging second floors.

Hardware detail on the front door at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue.

Hardware detail on the front door at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue.

A curved doorway leads to the second floor balcony overlooking the living room--definitely a very cozy feel!

A curved doorway leads to the second floor balcony overlooking the living room–definitely a very cozy feel!

The chimney at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue--note just a touch of flourish in the brick pattern.

The chimney at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue–note just a touch of flourish in the brick pattern.

The Tudor Revival style was a reaction to the very ornate Victorian Gothic Revival that occurred during the second half of the 19th century (Cincinnati’s Music Hall is an iconic example of Gothic Revival and local too!). The style was  based on 17th-Century Elizabethan architecture in England and revived by the English architect Richard Norman Shaw in the 1880s. Style elements first appeared in the U.S. on homes mostly of Queen Anne form, however, it was from 1910 to 1940 that Tudor Revival was a definitive style in its own right.

Although perhaps best known for their striking exteriors, Tudor interiors are also characterized by a unique form. Found primarily in Northern climates, Tudor homes historically boasted grand stone hearths, dark wood paneling, exposed beams, and narrow stained glass windows.

Luminous rounded stained glass window at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue

Luminous rounded stained glass window at 700 E. Mitchell Avenue

The more grandiose rooms for gathering, with their vaulted ceilings, were oftset by private rooms (i.e., bedrooms, etc.) with much lower ceilings. Window size and placement throughout contributed to an overall cozy feel. Homes of this style remain very desirable and easily fit with today’s lifestyles–just check out these photos of 700 E. Mitchell Avenue to see for yourself!