Customer Reviews

The Colonial Revival House

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a meandering discussion of influences and variations on the theme of colonial revival architecture and includes some tasty pictures. However, it is not a stylistic reference with specific, prescriptive descriptions of what is generally envisioned as colonial revival. If you're hoping for proper paint schemes and/or the millwork detailing and proportions or plans you'll be disappointed. Still, some of the photographs were beauts...

I knew the Colonial Revival style wasn't historically accurate, more of a romantic fantasy. Reading this, I learned it's even less grounded in reality than I thought.

At first I was too busy looking at the terrific photos, but then I settled down and read it cover to cover, and found it well worth my time. It's lavishly illustrated, but, as another reviewer mentioned, it is not a reference work. Instead, it's mainly a historical analysis of the political, economic, and social reasons for the triumph of Colonial Revival architecture. It covers many areas of interest outside the scope of a reference work. Colonial Revival interiors receive plenty of attention, which I appreciated.

The book focuses on the grandest expressions of Colonial Revival; there are no Sears 1910 homes, only custom built beauties. I would have enjoyed a survey of the lower-end expressions of the style up to the present day, but that would be another book.

I love this book. We just bought an old Colonial Revival house and this was a great start to understanding the history.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the photos are sharp and crisp and it is very scholarly. Mr. Wilson traces the Colonial Revival house from its begins until the present. The houses he choses are wonderful, expecially the McFaddin-Ward House in Beaumont, which I consider to be one of the most beautiful homes in the country; he even wisely chose it for the cover. The photos and the text fuse nicely and the book layout in general is very well done. If you have any interest in beautiful houses and well written easy to follow text, then you will be pleased with this book.

I found this book most interesting, not only from an architectural point of view, but also for historical information