nashville old house series victorian era architecture · victorian era architecture nashville old...

Nashville emerged from the CivilWar a growing southern agriculturaland industrial center. A dramaticincrease in population during the1870s and 1880s led to the develop-ment of suburbs, such as Edgefield andLockeland Springs, which today fea-ture some of Nashville’s historicdomestic architectural styles. Thedevelopment of several institutions ofhigher learning, such as VanderbiltUniversity, Fisk University, andMeharry Medical College, and the cre-

ation of an electric streetcar transit sys-tem in the late 1880s encouraged andfacilitated suburban growth.

This rapid industrialization and thegrowth of the railroads led to changesin architectural methods and styles.Light balloon-frame constructionreplaced heavy-timber framing andfostered architectural experimentationwith eclectic Victorian styles.“Victorian” architecture refers to anera during which Queen Victoriareigned in England and encompasses awide variety of styles, includingItalianate, Second Empire,Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne,

and Eastlake. Although QueenVictoria reigned from 1837 to 1901,the Victorian styles dominated the sec-ond half of the nineteenth century.

The great variety of Victorian archi-tectural styles can be overwhelming. Itis difficult to find in Nashville or any-where else a “pure” example of aVictorian style due to the eclectic mix-ing and matching of many designs.Moreover, there is no defined chronol-ogy of styles, but rather overlappingperiods of popularity. In addition,other styles of the period, such asColonial Revival architecture, oftenfeatured Victorian influences.

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Nashville Old House Series

Victorian Era ArchitectureArchitectural Style and Sensitive Rehabilitation 1850 to 19001850 to 1900

Several styles dif-fering widely inappearance make up

the Victorian era in architecture. Examples of Victorianstyles include Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne,Eastlake, Romanesque, and transitional designs. In general,these styles contain multi-textured and multi-colored wallswith steeply pitched roofs and can be divided into early,middle, and late periods of the Victorian era.

Early to Middle VictorianDuring the middle of the nineteenth century, tastes

turned away from Greek and Roman Revivals towardother revival styles. Gothic Revival, characterized bypointed arches and gingerbread trim, blossomed dur-ing the 1840s, yet few domestic structures remain inNashville. A well-known example is Glen Oak, locat-ed on 25th Avenue South.

The Italianate style, however, grew in popularityand remained fashionable through 1880. Low-pitchedroofs and widely overhanging eaves with decorativebrackets distinguish Italianate residences. In addition,they feature tall, narrow windows that typically haveelaborate decorative crowns. A defining feature isoften a square cupola or tower. A number of Italianate-

style houses remain in Nashville neighborhoods. These aremostly modest middle-class houses, but several grand coun-try estates were also built in this design, such as Two Riverson McGavock Pike and Clover Bottom on Lebanon Road.

A similar style is the Second Empire design, which isbasically an Italianate structure with a French mansard roofand dormer windows. The French-inspired Second Empirestyle takes its name from the reign of Napoleon III and wascommon in the United States from 1855-1885. WestMeade’s Mansard roof reflects the influence of the SecondEmpire style. A fine non-residential example of the Second

IIDENTIFYINGDENTIFYING THETHE SSTT YLESYLES

Nashville Old House Series Metropolitan Historical Commission (615) 862-7970 3000 Granny White Pike Nashville, TN 37204

Second EmpireAn otherwise Italianate house

with a Mansard roof.

Empire style is St. Patrick’sChurch. Interestingly, thisdesign was rarely used forchurches.

Middle to Late VictorianBy the 1880s, two-dimensional

gingerbread trim had been super-seded by elaborate three-dimen-sional decorative elements.Houses became less compact inplan and outline, and surface treat-ments became rich and varied.Two such styles include QueenAnne and Eastlake and are com-mon throughout Nashville’s his-toric neighborhoods.

Queen Anne is the style mostoften associated with the term “Victorian.” This style ischaracterized by a steeply pitched, irregularly shaped roof

and an asymmetrical façadeoften with patterned shin-gles. Queen Anne housesare typically two stories,have a domi-nant front-fac-ing gable, andfeature a one-story porch.These houses

usually have several seemingly inharmoniousdecorative elements, such as windows of manyshapes and various types of building materials.

The Eastlake design is similar to theQueen Anne style in overall effect though usu-ally somewhat smaller in size. The styles share the rambling

irregularity of outline andhighly decorative treatment;but, in contrast to the QueenAnne, masonry in Eastlake isgenerally confined to chim-neys and foundations.Decorative elements included

extremely creative and elaborate woodwork. Examples ofthe Eastlake style exist within the Edgefield Historic

District along Boscobel and Fatherland Streets. Another style popular in the 1880s and 1890s seen with

some frequency in Nashville is Victorian RomanesqueRevival. A loose revival of the medieval Romanesque style,it is characterized by heavy stonework and low, rounded

arches. Its occasionaltowers, turrets, andvaried window sizesand shapes are similarto Queen Anne.Romanesque Revivalis rather large in scaleand always of mason-ry construction, usual-ly stone. The remain-ing Nashville exam-ples combine brickand stone.

Transitional VictorianIn the 1890s, toward the end of the Victorian era, taste

began to shift away from the exuberant decorative approachof preceding decades back toward more restrained architec-tural decoration based on the classical orders of ancient

Greece and Rome.This resulted inhouses that combineVictorian planningwith classical orna-ment. There are anumber of suchhouses in Nashvillethat are clearlyVictorian in overallarrangement and in

certain details but which lack most or all of the traditionalEastlake woodwork. Most often the Eastlake porch hasbeen replaced by a porch with Greek- or Roman-inspiredcolumns.

The styles outlined above provide an overview ofNashville’s Victorian era domestic architecture. It is impor-tant to remember that all the features of a particular housemay not fit neatly into one style category. A house may wellcontain elements of several different styles as well as some-thing totally unprecedented.

Victorian Era Architecture

Queen Anne

SSTT YLESYLES, , CONTINUEDCONTINUED

Eastlake

Transitional

Romanesque Revival


In determin-ing architecturalcharacter, it is

helpful to look at a house as two layers. The first is thestructure itself: the walls, openings for windows and doors,the configuration of the roof and chimneys. These consti-tute the basic form of the house. They are the core to whichfinish materials are applied. The final appearance of thehouse depends heavily on its basic form. In planning arehabilitation, priority should be given to maintaining thebasic form or returning to the original form if alterationshave been made.

The second layer consists of finish materials, both func-tional and decorative. This includes visible masonry, sid-ing, roof materials, doors and window sashes, and all sortsof decorative trim. The porch, both functional and decora-tive, is also of paramount importance to the character of thehouse.

Finish materials are of secondary importance only in thatthey are applied to the basic form and are in that sensedependent upon it. If lost or altered, finish treatments canusually be returned to original configuration with a greatdeal less trouble and expense than can the basic form, yettheir importance to the character of the house should not beunderestimated.

Siding, Finish Materials

WoodSimple or beaded,

lapped siding, tongueand groove, and boardand batten siding wereused on Victorian hous-es. Siding and carvedfancy work were alwayspainted. Wood shakesand shingles were alsoused, sometimes cut infancy shapes and laid indecorative patterns;they were usuallystained.

MasonryEarlier houses usually employed locally made brick that

had a dark red-orange color. Mortar tended to be yellowishand was very soft. Later brick tended to have a smoothersurface finish. Colors varied but were usually redder andless orange than before. Mortar joints were usually verynarrow and often tinted to match the brick. The effect on



Three Views of the Same House

Basic Form

Decorative Trim

Basic Surface Treatment

The general idea when renovating aVictorian house, or any old house, is tocreate a comfortable, livable environ-ment, compatible with the lifestyle of thepresent, while retaining its architecturalcharacter—that which makes it and itsneighbors an important document of ourpast. The National Park Service definesrehabilitation as a “process of makingpossible a compatible use for a propertythrough repair, alterations, and additionswhile preserving those portions or fea-tures which convey its historical, cultural,or architectural values.” While the terms“restoration” and “reconstruction” implya somewhat rigid depiction of a specificperiod, as with a historic house museum,rehabilitation simpy suggests sensitivity

to the historic integrity of the property. For most people a period restoration is

neither financially feasible nor practical.What makes sense in most cases is a sen-sitive, careful rehabilitation. Homeownerswithin historic and conservation zoningdistricts must apply for permits throughthe Metro Historical Commission and fol-low specified design guidelines.

In planning a rehabilitation, one mustdetermine the architectural character ofthe house. This is largely a matter ofarchitectural style but goes beyond stylealone. Character also involves the rela-tionship of the house to the street, its yard,and to surrounding structures. These rela-tionships combine with architectural styleto create the character of the house.Together houses create the character ofthe street, and streets form the characterof the entire neighborhood.

SSENSITIVEENSITIVE RREHABILITEHABILITAATIONTION

AARRCHITECTURALCHITECTURAL CCHARAHARACTERCTER



most houses was of a single color without the mottled colorvariation effect often seen in today’s brickwork.

Stone is plentiful in this region and is frequently seen inhouse construction. All but the smaller houses had a stonefoundation. Other than in foundations, stone is mostly seenin remaining Nashville Victorian houses as decorativetrim—window lintels, column capitals—usually with deco-rative carving.

Non-original surface finishesComposition shingles and roll siding, aluminum and

vinyl siding are not original on Victorianhouses and should be removed. Paint onmasonry is generally not original, but removalis not always the best action.

Roof MaterialsThree types of roofing were in common

use in Nashville’s Victorian neighborhoods.Earlier homes most often used wood shingles,as did the more modest homes later. Someroofs were of metal—especially standing seamtin. Others featured slate roofs often withmetal ridges and flashing used as part of a decorativescheme.

Metal and slate roofs also often had iron finials (a sculp-tured ornament often in the shape of a leaf or a flower) atgable peaks and iron filigree, called cresting, along theridges of the roof. Re-roofing over the years has caused the

loss of most of this type of decorative work. Only scatteredexamples remain locally.

Paint ColorsVictorian paints were usually lead-based. The finish

resembled present-day semi-gloss. The Victorian era beganwith a shift away from the white paint dominant in the firstdecades of the nineteenth century. Early to mid-Victorianera homes featured soft, pale colors designed to blend andharmonize with nature—beige, soft, muted greens, palegrays, and blue-grays. Colors grew darker and more intenseas architecture became more ornate during the mid- to lateVictorian era. Frame houses developed interesting colorschemes using a wide range of earth tones and dark greens

and reds. Bright colors or blues were general-ly not used. Transitional Victorian homesdeveloped white and pale colors as classicaldecorative forms regained favor.

SettingWith only a few exceptions, the Victorian

houses left in Nashville were designed for nar-row, deep lots in early streetcar suburbs. Thehouses were designed to be seen primarilyfrom the street, and thus the street façade is themost important. The side of a house was

designed to be seen in detail only if the house was on a cor-ner. Front yards were small, rear yards were somewhat larg-er, and side yards virtually nonexistent. Houses built in thisway tend to create a visual rhythm along the street. Vacantlots and buildings that stray too far from the norm in size orplacement on the lot disturb this rhythm.

AARRCHITECTURALCHITECTURAL CCHARAHARACTERCTER, C, CONTINUEDONTINUED

Removing fea-tures of a house thatare not original is

usually an appropriate treatment and often, but not always,a desirable course of action. Careful thought should beexercised before removing anything. Anything activelydetrimental to the structure of the house, like aluminum orvinyl siding, should be removed. Other additions to thehouse such as wrought iron porch columns or inappropriatewindow sash are generally replaced with something moreappropriate during the course of the rehabilitation.

Other considerations, however, may enter into the deci-sion. Consider, for example, rooms that have been added to

the rear of a house in recent years. The addition is not espe-cially compatible with the style of the original house, but itis not visible from the street and does little to compromisethe character of the house. If the space is needed inside andthe addition is structurally sound, it would be foolish toremove it. Also consider a 100-year-old house that has a 75-year-old porch. The porch does not match the original styleof the house and is obviously a later addition, but it has beenin place long enough to have become a significant part ofthe house and its history. Retaining this porch could well bepreferable to replacing it, especially if the appearance of theoriginal porch is a matter of conjecture. Always think aboutit before removing anything.

RREMOEMOVVALAL OFOF MMAATERIALSTERIALS

Decorative shingles arecommonly found onVictorian facades.

The typical window in a Victorianhouse is a rectangle considerably tallerthan it is wide. Though there were varia-

tions, the window sash is usually double-hung (the type thatslides up and down to open and shut) with one light overone (meaning a single pane of glass in the top half and a sin-gle pane in the bottom).

Sometimes, usual-ly because interiorceilings have beenlowered, windows areshortened. This has aserious effect on thebasic form of thehouse and should becorrected. Occasionally windows have been shortened andwidened with picture window-type sash installed in the new,wider opening. This has an even worse effect on the appear-ance of the house and is more difficult to correctbecause part of the original wall has beenremoved in the widening process.

Stained GlassThe use of stained glass in Victorian houses

was more limited than many people imagine.Leaded stained glass was not typical ofItalianate-style houses, but single panes of rubyglass were sometimes used in front door transoms. Leadedstained glass was seen with some frequency in Eastlake and

Queen Anne houses, in stairwell windows especially, andalso in transoms and in odd-shaped decorative windows, neverin an entire double-hung sash. Thelarger and more ornate the house,the more stained glass it was like-ly to have. Some houses had none

at all. The late Victoriantransitional-style houseshad less stained glass,though leaded windowswith clear bevel edgepanes began to appear.

Storm WindowsAs energy conservation becomes more important, many

people feel the need to install storm windows. This additioncan be handled so that it does little damage to the integrityof an older house. Two general rules to follow: First, thestorm window should be made to fit in the original windowopening exactly. It should not overlap onto the wall surfaceor be patched in to a larger opening. Second, the storm win-dow should be an appropriate color matching that of thesash behind it and should never be left raw aluminum.Aluminum storm windows can be ordered in colors from thefactory; among the available colors is a dark brown that isappropriate on many Victorian houses. Aluminum stormscan also be painted if the factory film is removed or allowedto weather off.



Over the years, most old houseshave lost something—bits and piecesof decorative trim, a mantel or lightfixture, an entire front porch. It isalways appropriate to restore missingparts of a house if two things areknown: first, that the feature beingrestored was indeed there originally,and second, what the feature lookedlike. Ideally, everyone could have an

old photograph or original archi-tectural plans as a guide in replac-ing missing parts of the house.

This is rarely the case, however, andsome degree of educated guesswork isoften necessary in replacing what ismissing. This is fine if carefullydone, but regrets can arise if addition-al evidence proves the reconstructionof a missing feature to be inept or,worse, if the “restored” feature turnsout never to have existed at all. Avoidexpensive mistakes, and know what

you are doing when replacing missingparts.

Any rehabilitation, no matter howcareful, will involve not only chang-ing the present appearance of thehouse but also making some changesfrom what is known or believed to beits original appearance. This is fine ifchanges are made in a way that is sen-sitive to the architectural character ofthe house. Change is not inherentlybad, but avoid insensitive change.

RREPLAEPLACINGCING WWHAHATT’’SS MMISSINGISSING

Rehab Advice Rehab Advice Rehab Advice Rehab Advice

WWINDOINDOWWSS

Left: Typical one-over-one Victorian sash Right: Four-over-one and four-over-four are also com-mon.

A wider window with flank-ing sidelights is common

among transitional houses.



Styles of doors have changed over theyears. If an original door is missing, aneffort should be made to find an appropriate

replacement. Sometimes a newdoor must be used, but flushdoors and inappropriate paneleddoors should be avoided.

An unfortunately frequentaddition to the front door ofmany old houses is a storm door.While storm doors do have theirfunctional merits, they obscurethe details of the door behind—details that were meant to beseen. If a storm door must beused, it should be a single pane of glass from top to bottomin a frame of unobtrusive color, though the reflection on theglass still obscures a clear view of the door behind it.

No Victorian housewas built without a porch.The porch was an impor-

tant functional element of the house and, inmost cases, an essential decorative featureas well. Today, though not as importantfunctionally, the porch is still visuallyessential. Often, on smaller houses espe-cially, the porch is the major decorativefeature of the entire exterior; and the architectural style ofthe house is determined by its design.

Though they were roofed in different ways, mostVictorian porches were constructed entirely of wood and set

on a masonry foundation or piers. Wooden latticework usu-ally filled the spaces between the brick or stone piers. Onlarger masonry houses, the porch was sometimes built of

stone and/or brick and had a floor paved withceramic tile; but, on the whole, wooden porcheswere much more commonplace in Nashville.

The disadvantage of wooden porches was theirtendency to rot. At the outside edge especially,blowing rain wet the floor and column bases. Ifaggravated by poor maintenance—allowing guttersto clog, failing to keep the wood surfaces painted—rot was the inevitable result. Some deterioratedporches have been removed altogether. Some havebeen enclosed. Many more have been “improved”with poured concrete floors and altered columns.

Porch RepairRelatively few Victorian porches have survived intact.

Almost all require somerepair, but the situationvaries so much from houseto house that it is difficultto make generalizationsabout what should bedone. Difficult questionscan arise if the workrequired goes beyond the

repair or replacement of a few places here and there.Generally speaking, repairs which conserve as much as pos-sible of the original fabric of the porch are most desirable.Sections that are missing or are deteriorated beyond repair

DDOORSOORS

PPORORCHESCHES

Transitional style doors typically had a glass panel. These are common varia-tions.

Left: A door typi-cal of Italianate and other mid-century styles. Right: Later Vic-torian doors were usually half-glass.

Below: The original opening has been lowered and widened to make room for this picture window. This creates a poten-tial structural problem as well as visual inconsistency.

Left: Ceiling lowered, a new sash installed, and the gap filled. Right: Lower ceiling dropped behind original sash

Below: Flush doors like these are not appropriate as front doors for Victorian houses.

Prob

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s to

Avo

idProblem

s to Avoid



should be replaced,matching the original ifpossible. If the porch is

completely missing or altered beyond recognition, someform of reconstruction is in order.

Decisions on a course of action for treating a porch musthinge on two points: first, how much is known about theoriginal appearance of the porch, and second, how much isthe owner willing to pay.

Determining the original appearance of a porch or ofindividual pieces is not difficult if only a few pieces aremissing. Determining the original appearance of a porchthat has been removed or is missing a great deal of its wood-

work is more diffi-cult and sometimesimpossible to dowith a great degreeof certainty. Cluescan be found.Remnants of thefoundation or piersare often left in theground suggestingthe plan of the origi-nal porch. The out-

line of columns and other woodwork and the line of theporch can often be seen on the wall where the porch joinedthe house proper. The architectural character of the houseitself, if it has strong stylistic flavor, can lead to sound con-clusions on the general appearance of the original porcheven if other clues are not present.

If the question of appearance can be settled, the questionof expense arises. Repair and replacement of bits andpieces is generally within reason. However, replacing largeamounts of Victorian woodwork, though not always prohib-itively expensive, can cost a great deal. Additionally, dem-olition of inappropriate additions like a concrete porch floorcan be a major undertaking.

The preceding paragraphs are intended not to discouragethe prospective renovator but to paint a realistic view of thesituation. In planning a porch rehabilitation, compromisesmust sometimes be made. The lack of sure information onthe porch’s appearance and/or the lack of money will some-times dictate a job that stops short of total restoration. Forexample, wrought iron porch columns are replaced withwoodwork that appears, after careful study, to be appropri-

ate to the house, but for reasons of expense the concreteporch floor is retained. Such compromises are acceptable ifthe renovator carefully studies the situation, carefullyweighs the options, and precedes with as complete andauthentic a rehabilitation as possible within the limits of thesituation.

Enclosing PorchesWith the advent of air conditioning, the idea of sitting

outside on the porch on a muggy 95-degree day ceased to beattractive to most people, and one of the porch’s mostimportant original functions became less significant. Manypeople are tempted to enclose porches, but this is a tempta-tion to resist. Enclosing a porch, even with single, wall-sized panes of glass does major visual damage to the porchand thus to the house itself. Besides, open porches are stillquite pleasant in the spring andfall. The foregoing does notapply as strongly to side porchesthat are not highly visible fromthe street. These can sometimesbe enclosed without doing seri-ous harm to the principal façadeof the house.

Porch LightsMost Victorian houses in

Nashville were built withoutporch lights. There has been atrend toward the installation ofwall-mounted porch lights, fre-quently resembling coach lights,which are architecturally inap-propriate. Most people want aporch light today, and a properporch light need not detract from the architectural characterof the house. Usually one can be installed flush with theporch ceiling, which lights the entrance without being visi-ble from the street.

Porch StepsVictorian porches with wooden floors usually have

wooden steps. Stone or brick porches and an occasionalwooden porch had stone steps. Victorian porches havenever had brick steps. Do not add brick steps to a Victorianhouse.

PPORORCHESCHES, C, CONTINUEDONTINUED

These decorative posts arecommonly found onVictorian era porches.

Left: An altered porch.Right: A simple reconstruction thatavoids possibly erroneous excess.



Because of theexpense of replacingoriginal roofing, a com-

promise roof is often the only choice.Sheet tin barn roofing crimped at regu-larly spaced intervals makes a fairvisual imitation of standing seam tinand is much more affordable. There isnot a good imitation of wood or tinshingles or slate, and, unless the realthing is being used, a visually low-keymaterial that does not attract attentionis the best choice. Single color com-position shingles in dark colors aregood for this.Composition shinglesthat imitate slate orwood should beavoided. They lookas fake as they are.Functionally the roofis one of the most important elementsof the house and often the first to needrehab attention. Nothing much can bedone to the rest of the house if the roofis not sound. Visually the roof is alsoof great significance. Its design is oneof the basic visual elements that makeup the style and architectural characterof a house. Roof design involves roofpitch and contours, roofing materials,

and decorative trim. All these thingsneed careful consideration in rehabplanning.

Roof ConfigurationThe plan, outline,

pitch, and height ofthe roof make theframework to whichroofing material isapplied and are basic to the visualcharacter of the entire house. In mostcases, the roof configuration is originaland should be retained. Any additions

to the house or changesmade in the roof itselfshould not seriouslyinterfere with the roofconfiguration as seenfrom the street.

Roof MaterialsThree materials were commonplace

on Nashville’s Victorian roofs: woodshingles, slate, and tin. In almostevery case, wood shingles have beencovered over or replaced with anothermaterial. This is all too often the casewith slate and tin as well. Ideallyevery house could have its originalroof material. Replacing wood or tin

shingles is affordable for some; but,unfortunately, slate and standing seam

tin are so expensivethat they are general-ly out of reach. Slateand tin are bothdurable materials andshould last severallifetimes if properlymaintained. They

can be repaired, and every effortshould be made to save such roofsbefore the decision is made to replaceone.

Because of the expense of replacingoriginal roofing, a compromise roof isoften the only choice. Sheet tin barnroofing crimped at regularly spacedintervals makes a fair visual imitationof standing seam tin and is much moreaffordable. There is not a good imita-tion of wood or tin shingles or slate,and, unless the real thing is being used,a visually low-key material that doesnot attract attention is the best choice.Single color composition shingles indark colors are good for this.Composition shingles that imitate slateor wood should be avoided. They lookas fake as they are.

RROOFSOOFS

Gable Treatment

Unfortunately decora-tive trim is more rare thanoriginal roofing. Many

later Victorian houses—Queen Anne, Eastlake, and transi-tional styles—had metal caps with decorative ends at roofridges and open ironwork called cresting and finials atroof peaks. Most of this trim has vanished, but everyattempt should be made to save it wherever it still exists.Unless there is documentation that such trim was original,it generally should not be added to a roof where it does notnow exist.

DDECORAECORATIVETIVE TTRIMRIM

This type of trim iscommonly found on

Victorian houses.



Add-On Siding

Many people who are distressed bythe idea of having to keep wood paint-ed—an ongoing maintenance necessi-ty—have had their wooden houses, orwooden portions of masonry houses,covered with “low maintenance” siding.These sidings range from the asbestosshingles and roll siding of some yearsago to the aluminum or vinyl sidingmost often installed today. All such sid-ings damage the house. At the veryleast, even the most careful installationwill damage the visual integrity of thehouse, and few installations are careful.Further, such sidings are prone to trapmoisture behind them, which rots thewood underneath. Because the sidingremains new looking for a time, mois-ture-related problems often go undetect-ed and cause serious structural damage.

If siding is already on a house, itshould be removed now! Often theexcuse is heard, “I don’t want to take thesiding off because I’m afraid of what Imight find underneath.” This excuse isthe very reason to take the siding off.Any deterioration present under the sid-ing is not getting better and is probablygetting worse. Remove the siding andmake necessary repairs as soon as possi-ble.

Exterior wood, whether used as sheathing for theentire house or as a porch and trim work on a masonryhouse, has both functional and decorative importance.

Functionally, wood serves either wholly or in part as the exterior shellof the house and must withstand the often-harsh assaults of wind, rain,sun, and changing temperature. To this end, wood is painted. Eventuallyweather will deteriorate paint, and seeing thatthis protective coating is renewed periodical-ly is vital. Unpainted wood deteriorates veryrapidly. Occasionally stain was used ratherthan paint. Stain alone was often used onwooden shingles used as siding. Stain with acoating of varnish was often used on frontdoors.

As decorative treatment, wood was used in anincredible variety of ways on Victorian houses, sometimes with resultsthat border on spectacular. While rehabilitation should always preserveas much of the original fabric of the house as possible, replacement ofdeteriorated wood may prove necessary. Replacement wood shouldduplicate the form of the original. Duplicating Victorian decorativeeffects can be difficult and expensive, but preserving the character of thehouse is worth the effort.

Paint and stain colors also played a vital decorative role. The whiteseen more often than not on Nashville’s Victorian houses is not an appro-priate color in most cases. White was out of style during the Victorianera and only returned to favor toward the turn of the century. Color fash-ions changed somewhat during the period with each successive fashionsuited to contemporaneous buildings. The Metropolitan HistoricalCommission has at its office several excellent publications on properpaint colors, which are available for consultation.

WWOODOOD

Brick is designedto withstand weatherwithout paint or any

other protective coating and to lookgood while doing it. As such, brick isa relatively maintenance-free materi-al. Unless it has been the victim ofserious neglect or outright abuse,brick usually requires little attentionin the rehab process.

Brick RepairIn this brief publication, it is not

possible to get into a detailed discus-sion of the causes of brick and mortardeterioration. Very often it stemsfrom excess water, either leakingfrom faulty gutters and downspouts orseeping upward from the ground.There are other possible causes aswell, and the cause of the deteriora-

tion should be found and correctedbefore any time or money is spent onrepairs. When repairs are made, threeimportant properties of the masonryshould be carefully considered: soft-ness/hardness, dimension, and color.

Old brick and old mortar are con-siderably softer than brick and mortarin general use today. Modern firingproduces brick that is very hard, and

BBRICKRICK

Decorative woodenshingles



modern mortar contains portlandcement, also very hard. Old, softerbrick can be seriously damaged in thenormal cycle of expansion and con-traction caused by extremes of tem-

perature if hard,inflexible, newmasonry mate-rials are placedagainst it.When a hole ispatched or

missing mortar replaced, the materialsadded to the wall should match thesoftness of those original to the wall.

Care should be taken to match thesize and shape of original bricks andmortar joints when repairs are made.This problem is mostly frequentlyseen in the replacement of missingmortar, called repointing or tuckpoint-ing. Too often, repointed mortarjoints are much wider than the origi-nal joints, drastically altering theappearance of the wall. Carefulrepointing is hard to do but is worththe effort.

Difficulties in color matching arisein part from the vast variation in brickand mortar composition and manufac-ture over the years and in part fromnatural aging and the accumulation ofgrime that occurs over time. Brickscan often be found to approximate thecolor of original bricks. Mortar tint-ing can be more difficult and requiresa good and willing mason. An exactcolor match on brick and mortar ishard to achieve, but an effort in thisdirection should be made.Paint and Brick

As previously mentioned, brick

does not require a coating of paint tobe functional or attractive. Very fewhistoric houses were painted original-ly. Most Victorian builders liked theway brick looked, often lay-ing it in fancy patterns orcombining it with stone fordecorative effect. Over theyears, some old houses werepainted to disguise additionsor to hide dirt or sloppyrepair work. In very fewcases, virtually none here inNashville, was a brick Victorianbuilding of any type painted to beginwith. To paint such a building now,for the first time, is to detrimentallyalter the architectural character of thehouse.

Aside from aesthetics, paintingbrick raises practical questions. Paintis an ongoing maintenance responsi-bility—expensive and a bother.Painting brick introduces a mainte-

nance problem to a material thatshould be largely maintenance free. Itrarely helps with moisture problemsas many people have hoped it would.

So why paint?A painted house

usually can be effec-tively and safelycleaned, but carefulthought is in orderbefore this is under-taken. It would be

helpful to know why the house waspainted in the first place. Was it tohide alterations and repairs? Was it tokeep deteriorating mortar in place? Ifthis is the case, cleaning could be dis-appointing or could necessitate fur-ther maintenance. Cleaning is usuallya good idea and a positive step. Butthe process should not be undertakenlightly.

Normal Mortar

Improper Repointing

Brick Cleaning

Brick can be cleaned of dirt and paint effectively with safe chemical meth-ods in most cases. Under no circumstances should sandblasting or any otherkind of abrasive cleaning be used. This kind of process does not really cleanthe brick. It removes the outer layer, exposing the rough, softer, moreporous inner core of the brick. It also wreaks havoc on mortar. The appear-ance of the brick suffers as a result; but even more important, exposing theinner brick makes it much more vulnerable to the extremes of the weatherand, because it is very rough, likely to accumulate grime much more quick-ly than before. Clear sealers often recommended for sandblasted brick arerarely very effective and require frequent renewal. Sandblasting salesmencan be very persuasive, in spite of growing public skepticism of abrasivecleaning. Thus sandblasting sometimes masquerades under gentle-soundingnames like dusting or feather blasting. It is all the same, and it should besteadfastly avoided. Sandblasting can cause serious damage, and theprocess is absolutely irreversible.

BBRICKSRICKS, C, CONTINUEDONTINUED

The focus of this pamphlet has beenon the exterior of Victorian houses. Theexterior, especially the street façade, is

the part that is seen by the public and that the owner, in asense, shares with the public. It is generally held, therefore,that maintaining historical accuracy is much more importanton the exterior of a house than on the interior, the private

preserve of its occupants.The interior of a house is where adaptations to modern

living usually become a serious issue. Everyone wants to bewarm in the winter and cool in the summer. No one wantsto read at night by gaslight or heat a bathtub-full of water ona wood stove. Adapting an old house for modern conven-ience is perfectly acceptable and, if done with care, will do



While stone andbrick are quite differ-ent physically, similar

rehab recommendations apply. Likebrick and mortar, stone and mortarshould be compatible. New mortarjoints and replacement stone shouldmatch the old. Cleaning with gentlechemical methods is recommended.Abrasive cleaning should be avoided.

Painted stone looks even worse thanpainted brick. Stone should not bepainted and should be cleaned of paintunless special problems exist thatwould make cleaning inadvisable.Vines damage stone masonry as theydo brick. Keep vines off stone wallsand foundations.

Most vines that grow on brick andstone, especially ivy, are harmful and

should be removed. They may lookromantic and lovely, but they causetwo problems. First, they hold mois-ture that can damage the wall and seepthrough to the interior of the house.Second, the shoots they send out actu-ally penetrate brick and mortar joints,wedging the wall apart. If allowed tocontinue long enough, this process cancause the wall to collapse.

SSTT ONEONE

It is at timesnecessary to addon to an old

house to create more space or to makeexisting space more usable. Allthrough history, houses have grown insuccessive stages as changing needsdemanded. Many old houses inNashville already have one or moreadditions, some dating from early inthe history of the house. There is noth-ing wrong with adding on if it is donewith care and sensitivity to the archi-tectural character of the originaldesign.

There are two general rules to fol-low. First, the addition should notcompromise the integrity of the princi-pal façade of the house. The principalfaçade is architecturally the mostimportant and is a vital component ofthe character of the entire street. It

should be preserved if possible. Inmost cases, this means an additionshould be at the rear of the house, notvisible from the front. In the case of acorner house, an addition to the rearwould of course be visible, but theprincipal façade need not be affected.

Second, the addition should be acontemporary design distinuishablefrom the original structure. Old build-ings are expensive and very difficult toimitate successfully, and imitations ofold architecture create problems withperception. Additions that imitate thedesign of the original house blur theline between old and new. Perceivingits successive stages can then be diffi-cult. Being able to readily see the dif-ferent stages of the house is importanttoday and will become more so asthose who come after us will study ourways of life by looking at our build-

ings. The historic value of an oldhouse is best protected when the addi-tion is readily distinguishable from theoriginal. With the careful use of mate-rials, scale, and color, such an additioncan be a harmonious partner of theolder parts of the house.

AADDINGDDING OONN

Remember Remember

The architectural character of asingle house is a vital componentof the character of the entireneighborhood.

Additions should be a contem-porary design distinguishable fromthe original structure.

IINTERIORNTERIOR

little harm to thearchitectural char-acter of the house.

As a general rule, do not do anything to a room thatwould seriously hamper a period restoration in that roomshould an owner desire one. This means retaining, orrepairing if necessary, original wall surfaces, doors, wood-work, mantels, floor surfaces and hardware. All this maynot be possible in a given room, but it should be the goal.This approach allows for any style of decorating, from sleekcontemporary to Grandma’s attic, but retains the basic fea-tures of the room necessary for an accurate period restora-tion, should that be desired in the future.

This approach discourages inappropriate treatments thatare difficult to reverse, such as lowered ceilings, obtrusive

installation of climate con-trol systems, inappropriatewall and ceiling treatmentslike sheet paneling andspray-on textures, and indis-criminate alteration of thefloor plan.

Exceptions will some-times need to be made. Eachhouse must be considered asa separate case, and theneeds of individual ownersvary widely. Kitchens and

bathrooms usually require a complete overhaul. Closetspace often must be created where none exists. Traffic pat-terns sometimes need adjusting, requiring the moving of awall or door. All of this is perfectly acceptable if the goal ofpreserving the essential architecture character of the houseis kept firmly in mind, and the new is made to fit unobtru-sively with the old.

Saving PlasterOften when the rehabilitation of an old house begins, the

owners find cracked and crumbling plaster; but cracks andholes do not necessarily mandate removal of the plaster.Plaster can be patched and repaired successfully, usuallysaving time, effort, and money in the process. Seriouslydeteriorated plaster should be removed; but all too often,renovators rush into plaster removal when it is not really

necessary. Because of its low cost and ease of installation,dry wall is usually the choice for plaster replacement.However, dimensional problems can arise when fitting drywall to original baseboards and other moldings because it isusually not as thick as the original plaster layer. Originalplaster should be saved if possible.

Crown Moldings and Ceiling MedallionsOnly a few Nashville houses had any kind of crown

molding or ceiling medallions. There has been an unfortu-nate trend among those renovat-ing old houses to add elaboratecrown moldings and medallionswhere none existed. This can bean expensive addition and diffi-cult to reverse once finished. Theresult usually looks exactly likewhat it is—a phony addition,

especially the medallions, which hang below the originalceiling plaster. This is a fad to avoid.

MantelsThe mantel is often a dominant visual feature of a

room. Styles of mantels varied widely over the years; if amantel is missing, care should be taken to replace it withone of an appropriate style. Mid-century Victorian homes,such as the Italianate style, usually have a cast iron mantelwith a stone hearth. The lines are simple with a curvedmantel shelf and an arched firebox opening. LaterVictorian homes, such as Queen Anne and Eastlake styles,have a wide variety of configuration and materials. Themantels feature a rectangular firebox opening with glazedtile used for the hearth. Decorative style sometimes takescues from exterior decoration of the house, which is oftenvery elaborate. Mantels within transitional Victorianhomes are similar in overall form and materials to those oflate Victorian houses. Decorative work is based on classi-cal motifs, such as columns and garlands. Most Victorianmantels were designed for small coal-burning grates.These grates sometimes are enlarged to burn wood, butcare should be taken not to do visual violence to the man-tel.



Crown Molding

IINTERIORNTERIOR, C, CONTINUEDONTINUED

Balusters



Though theaverage oldhouse owner

cannot logically be expected to main-tain a period restoration of the groundsof his house, a few pointers on Victoriangardening practice can be helpful.

PlantingGenerally the fashion was away

from carefully trimmed formal gardenswith symmetrical arrangements of pathsand hedges. A natural, rustic look, oftencarefully contrived, was preferred.Foundation plantings were not in style,but vines were often grown on trellisesat the side of the house or on the porch.The yards reflected the period’s archi-

tecture in that it was ornamental. Yardswere meant to be admired, a notionchampioned by landscape architectAndrew Jackson Downing.

FencesWhere fencing was used, Victorians

preferred as transparent a fence as pos-sible, allowing the person on the streetto see into the yard. Low wooden pick-et or iron fencing was common inNashville’s Victorian front yards. Highsolid walls obscuring the view of the

house and/or yard are not appropriate atthe front of the house. Privacy is oftendesired in the backyard today; high,solid fencing is perfectly acceptable atthe back if it is not obvious or obtrusivefrom the street.

Side and Rear YardsMost Victorian houses in Nashville

were designed for and built on narrowurban lots. Side yards are generally notin keeping with the rhythm of the street,which calls for a house every fifty feetor so. The rear yard was reserved formore utilitarian needs, such as laundryand vegetable gardening, which wastypically concealed by high solidfences.

LLANDSCANDSCAPINGAPING

This pamphlet is designed toacquaint the owner of an oldNashville house with the basic con-siderations involved in a careful reha-bilitation, rather than to providedetailed technical information on therehabilitation process itself. TheMetropolitan Historical Commissionhas in its library more detailed infor-mation on a long list of rehabilitation-related topics. The staff is willing tomake site visits and offer additionaladvice. For further assistance, call(615) 862-7970.

SourcesAmes, David L. and Linda Flint

McClelland. "An Overview ofSuburbanization in the UnitedStates, 1830 to 1960." National ParkService. <http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/suburbs/index.htm>

Doyle, Don H. Nashville in the NewSouth, 1880-1930. Knoxville, TN:The University of Tennessee Press,1985.

Harris, Cyril M. AmericanArchitecture: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York: Norton Publishers, 1998.

“Heritage Preservation Services.”<http://www2.cr.nps.gov>

McAlester, Virginia and LeeMcAlester. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Knopf, 1984.

“Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.” <http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/tax/rhb/stand.htm>

“Technical Preservation Services forHistoric Buildings.” <http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/briefs/presbhom.htm> (Covers topics ranging fromreroofing to exterior painting. Hardcopy available at the MHC office.)

Text, Illustrations, Design: SarahJackson and David Paine, 2003

AADDITIONDDITIONALAL IINFNFOO

Metropolitan Historical Commission does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, national origin, religion, or disability in admission to, accessto, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. The Metropolitan Historical Commission does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices.The following person has been designated to handle questions, concerns, complaints, requests for accommodation, or requests for additional informationregarding the Americans with Disabilities Act: Terri Johnson, 3000 Granny White Pike, Nashville, TN 37204 Phone: (615) 862-7970, Fax: (615) 862-7974.The following person has been designated as the Metro Title VI Coordinator to handle questions, concerns, complaints, or requests for additional informa-tion regarding Title VI of The Civil Rights Act: Michelle Lane, Department of Finance, 222 3rd Avenue North, Suite 650, Nashville, TN 37201, Phone: (615)862-6170, Fax: (615) 862-6175. Inquiries concerning non-discrimination policies other than ADA and Title VI compliance should be forwarded to: VeronicaFrazier, Department of Human Resources, 222 Third Avenue, Suite 200, Nashville TN, 37201, Phone: (615) 862-6640.

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