Architectural
Styles in Rensselaer County:
Queen Anne Style:
1880s and 1890s
The Queen Anne Style takes its name from the reign
of an 18th century English queen and was initially inspired by
medieval English country cottages.
This style emphasized functional layouts, so these
homes generally have a rambling plan and irregular roof lines.
Gables, massive chimneys, dormers and bay windows are all common
features of the Queen Anne Style.
These buildings are highly decorative. this effect
was often produced by combining colors and textures. For instance,
different wall surfaces, such as shingles, clapboards and panels
of wood ornament may occur on one building. Extensive use of sawn
ornament to accent dormer windows or detail porches also helped
to create a decorative effect.
The wealth of Queen Anne details and preference
for asymmetrical massing encouraged highly individualistic free-flowing
designs.
Look for:
 Queen
Anne buildings are often irregular in shape with a variety of
colors, textured materials and ornamentation used.
Several types of siding materials can be use on
one house: brick, masonry, wooden shingles and clapboard.
Windows may be a mixture of sizes and shapes including
one-over-one double hung sash, stained glass, round-arched, or
the Queen Anne window (see below).
The complex shape can be achieved with the use of
dormers, towers, turret roofs, and porches.
Decorated chimney caps and iron cresting can set
off the roof.
  Walls
and siding flare out between floors.
A variety of shingle patterns included the "fish
scale" patterns at right.
A large pane of glass surrounded by smaller panes,
often of colored glass, is a component of the style and referred
to as a Queen Anne window.
Turned and carved wooden details
were part of
the "Eastlake" version of the Queen Anne style.
Decorative Gable
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 A
number of Queen Anne style details can be seen in this photo:
Triangular pediments and other classical features
Decorative shingle patterns
Variety of window types including the Queen Anne
window
"Eastlake" details such as turned wooden
spindles
Photos by Lorraine E. Weiss; Drawings
by Andrea J.Becker
Next style: Colonia
Revival and Neo-Classical Styles
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