Westchester County Architecture
Westchester County is well known for its picturesque towns, beautiful parks, and quaint villages. As a fervent interior design firm in Westchester County, we admire and appreciate the curation of its structural design composition. You might immediately recognize the Tudors and Colonial inspiration if you're familiar with the area. You can trace the county’s architectural history through the buildings. What’s interesting about Westchester County architecture is that you can trace the different historical periods through the buildings.
1. Dutch Colonial (1625-1800)
Dutch colonial architecture is characterized by gambrel roofs, curved eaves, and wooden shutters. You might find some modern versions built in the early 20th century, referred to as Dutch Colonial Revival architecture. To see these in Westchester County, you can visit the Manor House at Philipsburg Manor.
2. Federal Architecture (1780-1820)
Also known as the Adam style, federal architecture dominated the landscape around this era. It evolved from Georgian-style architecture, so you see an emphasis on classical details, symmetry, and gabled roofs. However, Federal architecture focused more on delicate details and slender finishes. The Boscobel House and Gardens is a perfect example of Federal architecture.
3. Picturesque Architecture (1840-1900)
An artistic concept and architectural style that was popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The picturesque architecture was all about maintaining pictorial values of architecture and landscape. This style was so focused on balancing architecture design with its surroundings that many residential homes felt like majestic gardens. Swing by Washington Irving’s Sunnyside home in Irvington to see a full-blown expression of this architectural style.
4. Renaissance Revival (1890-1930)
Also called “Neo-Renaissance,” this architecture taps into 19th-century revival styles that separated from the traditional Greek and Gothic Revival and drew inspiration from classicizing Italian styles. Think low-pitched or flat roofs, clay tiles, and other details that play an ode to the Mediterranean style. In Westchester County, you can see this architectural style fully displayed when visiting Estherwood's House in Dobbs Ferry.
It’s hard to believe that another county can show beautiful examples of almost every style of architecture throughout the decades as Westchester County does. Next time you’re in the area, take some time to learn more about these styles and see the striking differences between them.
–
Geraldine Orentas is a writer in partnership with wrought iron door manufacturers, Abby Iron Doors.
Comments