Changing Color and Dancing Shapes - Richardsonian Romanesque

Richardsonian Romanesque style does not bring to mind much in the way of changing color or dancing shapes.  I think of the style as somewhat colorless, squat, bulky and awkward. Yet, the style did come about in the American Victorian Era, so there is hope.

Fingers crossed for hope as we dive into the restoration and rehabbing of a 1909 mixture of Richardsonian, Romanesque, Stick Style and more.  

This house, like many of its time, is not the light filled open concept currently preferred today.  It has original stained, never painted, Magnolia Wood trim and lots of it.  It has plenty of clear as well as stained glass windows but there are dark areas.  The most expansive space is in the front stairwell and adjacent halls.



As with any design project and certainly one of this scale, we need a design focus and guide that helps lead the way.  We don't want too many more design elements and styles than those of the era that had already been thrown in from the get go.

Project Mission:  Restore, rehab and update while protecting and respecting existing architecture and styles. Lighten up the interiors without painting wood work and trim.  Utilize formal dining room in less formal ways while preserving its more formal function. Replace inefficient mechanicals and failing exterior components.  Repair non-mechanicals when possible. Update and make kitchen, sunroom, and butler's pantry feel more open and connected.  Create a gentleman's library.  Update one bath and add a shower.  Renovate a bath. Add a third 2nd fl bath and closet space, creating a master suite. Finish out the third floor room and add a bath.  Keep all existing original walls to maintain stability of complicated structural components and roof structure. Plan for interior elevator if at all possible. 

Design Concept:  The exterior will be cohesive and inviting with obvious front and side entries. It will look like a well maintained and livable historic house.  A family of five or more could live here comfortably and function at today's high end standards.  There will be a sense of Zen with an eclectic mix and, there will be color.

The Mission tells us what we need to do, the scope of the project.  The small paragraph of a Design Concept is the major guiding force that will help us change colors with the desired effect and make shapes dance in the way we intend.




First up in the design process is to measure measure measure and become familiar with every nook and cranny, inside and out.

The overgrown exterior was cleared so we could see the place on all sides!  We discovered wonderful Richardsonian Romanesque arched window vents.











We took our time in getting to know the place and learned of its previous inhabitants.  We started researching and sourcing and finding skilled craftsman and tradesmen.  We went through many name possibilities and decided on a name more fitting to the Design Concept than the current name of the original male owner.

We made some sketches and played up the dominate Richardson Romanesque style and toned down the Victorian Painted Lady on the exterior. Changing color on the outside helped us add that sense of Zen to the first impression.  Color strategically placed let us change the perceived shapes.


We named her.

AvaMagnolia