dolls house source information about edwardian dolls houses

Edwardian Architecture

House exteriors were going through a great change. More effort was made to weatherproof and decorate houses. Features of Edwardian architecture include: -

Pargeting (decorated, three dimensional plasterwork, usually painted white, in trefoils, floral designs and friezes

Tilehanging (covering the front of a gable window with tiles, often terracotta)

Timber (Gable ends, roof finials, porches, balconies and barge boards)

Bay windows (often with smaller, leaded and coloured panes in the top portions of the windows)

Local building materials were used wherever possible. This was deemed to be better both aesthetically and economically. Roofs were tall and sweeping, covered in terracotta tiles or slates. They were often adorned with many chimneys, concentrated in one or two stacks. They themselves might be covered in decorative brickwork

Victorian front doors were replaced with broader panelled and stained glass doors. Where space permitted, glass panels occupied either side of the doorway decorated with stained glass. Coloured glass became paler than its Victorian predecessors and etching became more common to let more light in. Fanlights might display the house number or name in stained glass. Front doors were often painted in vivid colours. Carved and turned wooden spindles often formed a portico roof over the front door to offer additional shelter. Alternatively, the front door might be inset inside a curved brick opening.

Windows varied according to the region, style and size of the house. Sash windows were still in existence and might form bay windows. Cottage-style houses might have had rows of casement windows containing leaded panes. Woodwork was painted green or brown or left plain. Circular, semicircular and oval windows might also be used.

Narrow paths connected the front of the house with the pavement outside. These paths were often laid with simple geometric patterns of tiles. This decoration might have continued up the sides of the porch walls.

The Edwardians loved architectural details. Many exterior walls can be found embellished with plaster, terracotta or tile decorations. Floral and classical designs were very typical as were sea, plant and other natural scenes.