Garrison Colonial

So, we met with an architect yesterday to discuss the house.  One of my biggest concerns was the front facade of the house.  While I was looking for a way to "fix" the front of a house in a way that was more appealing to me, the architect was trying to help me appreciate the style for what it is.  After meeting with him, I'm making a genuine effort to appreciate it.  Afterall, I love older homes and would love to maintain the historic character of the house.  The problem is, the home doesn't feel like it "has character" to me.  We were discussing how home styles can have different connotations.  My favorite home in Manhattan, a beautiful white two story with Craftsman features, connotes a warm, welcoming abundance.  It says "Come on in, we have enough to share."  The house we are buying doesn't say that.  I'm not sure what it says, other than "I'm a dumpy, schlumpy kind of Colonial" or "Paint me!"  Part of the problem, as we discussed it, is my lack of familiarity with the architectural style of the home. 

Apparently, the home is a Garrison Colonial.  The central difference between this type and that of a more "traditional" Colonial home is the cantilevered front facade.  The style has been around for a long time (Paul Revere's home, in Boston's North End, is an example.)  Apparently, this style got quite popular in the 1930s continuing in popularity a bit during the boom of the suburbs in the United States.  This may be my problem, as I associate this particular facade with suburban homes.  In fact, the only homes with cantilevered front facades that I'd ever seen, prior to this home, were suburban split level homes.  Because the suburban split level is entirely antitethical to what I want my home to connote, I feel put off by this style.  Suburban split level homes say to me "I'm just a place to park your family." or "I was built during an era in which beauty and character were not priorities in home construction."

So, if we are to maintain this home as a Garrison Colonial (as both the architect and the husband wish to do) the challenge is to find a way to change the connotation of the home.  Part of that is my own process of finding a new association for this style.  But, it's also a challenge for the architect to find a way to design the addition and make minor cosmetic changes to help improve the look of the facade.  I want the home to look beautiful, well-designed, abundant, and welcoming.  Part of this will be helped by creating a path from the front door to the street (handicap accessible) and improving the landscaping.  I liked what the architect said, about putting a lot of windows in the addition, helping it shine like a lantern at night.  Who knows, if the proposed design is good enough, maybe he can convince me to keep the finials (which, I now know are classic features of Garrison Colonials.  But, I still find them a bit annoying.  I'm not much for decorative doodads that serve no functional purpose.)

Here's an old advertisement that Mike found for Garrison Colonial house plans.  The great part is that you could order the plans, which came with a cardboard model, for just $1.00!