There is a fire in the fireplace and beautiful wood beams on the ceiling. You're probably visualizing a Tudor-style mansion with various additional Tudor-style characteristics. Tudor architecture is a quirky yet dignified architectural style that arose in England during the Tudor period. It was so named because its architects, John and Thomas Tudor, used red brick and timber framing like those found at Henry VIII's palace of Whitehall.
Tudor architecture is known for its solidity and strength, derived from its use of large blocks of stone and heavy timber framing. The style flourished under Elizabeth I and her successors, who were great admirers of English history. They wanted to show their loyalty by building structures that had once belonged to their forebears. Many a London residence boasts Tudor windows, doors, and even roofs!
The main features of a Tudor house include: heavy timbered roof with diagonal struts and purlins; half-timbering, which consists of exterior walls built out of vertical boards with horizontal cedar planks or strips attached inside the wall openings (window and door) to produce an attractive finish; panelled rooms with wainscoting (paneling covered in a thin layer of wood or plaster); and decorative chimneys made of stacked tiles or stones.
Tudor houses were built for stability and endurance, not for elegance and grace.
The style is Tudor, and the material should be stone or tile. Use heavy, elaborate wood furniture such as trestle tables, benches, massive chests, and carved four-poster beds when decorating a home in this style. Look for couches with silver fringed skirts and tufted furnishings while adorning your Tudor abode. Add decorative touches such as garlands, rosettes, and painted flowers to give your home a finished look.
For storage, consider adding bookcases or antique cupboards to create a feeling of space. Use of color is important in giving an effect of size and luxury. Warm colors like red, orange, gold, and brown give a feeling of strength and power while cool colors such as green, blue, white, and black make rooms feel smaller and more intimate.
A Tudor house has large windows that let in lots of light. If you don't have enough natural light, consider having window treatments installed. These days, you can find many different styles of window treatments that will add to the character of your home while also providing sun protection from the summer heat and cold from the winter weather.
Not sure what kind of house you want? Consider visiting some historic homes in your area that are available for tours. This way, you can see what a typical Tudor house looked like and get an idea of how it might fit into your own home.
While this kind of structure did exist during the Tudor rule and earlier, it has remained popular enough to be used as a construction pattern to this day. The majority of "Tudor" black and white structures do not date from the 16th century, but rather from later "revival" eras. There are some authentic black and white Tudor buildings available for sale or rental. These go up in price quickly so if you're interested check out Zillow's post on Zestimates.com.
There are also black and white Tudor buildings in film and television. They are often used as dressing rooms or offices. There are even a few that remain active residences today. Here are our picks for the best black and white Tudor buildings:
Blackwell Tower in Oxford, England is one of the oldest universities in the world. It was built between 1391 and 141 by John de Blackwell who made his money as an armourer for the English army during the reign of Richard II. The tower is located on the corner of High Street and College Street and serves as a library today.
Buckland Palace is a large country house near Ropley, Hampshire, England.
Tudor furniture was crafted from locally sourced timber, most typically wood. The impoverished Tudors slept on straw pallets or rough mats covered by linens. There were undercovers, and instead of a bolster or cushion, a log was utilized. The affluent Tudors spent their money on four-poster beds. These large beds were often made out of oak that had been painted white to resemble snowdrifts.
The typical Tudor house did not include any built-in storage, but instead rooms were used for specific purposes. For example, the kitchen was located next to the living room so that food could be prepared while people were watching television. Tables and chairs were also readily available to guests if they arrived unannounced.
Tudor houses had high ceilings with wide doors and windows for air circulation. There were no locks on doors during this time, so security was limited to having a watchman on duty at night. Windows were shut and barred during the day because there was no way to keep intruders out. However, when someone wanted in, they would break a window and crawl in that way.
Fireplaces were common in Tudor homes. In fact, almost every household had access to firewood, which was usually stored outside in racks. Wood was also frequently burned in open fires for cooking and heating water.
The average life expectancy was 45 years old.
During the height of the colonial revival period (1910–1940), "this style comprised 25% of the buildings erected," according to Peter, hence Tudor style residences are mostly seen in that area today. Although it is not a typical form among newly built homes, the unusual architecture remains an enticing alternative for certain purchasers looking to possess a historic property.
The Tudor Revival style has been popular since then, and many examples can be found across the United States. In fact, there are more than 9,000 structures in America that have been awarded the official designation of "Tudor Revival".
It's hard to say exactly when the Tudor Revival became popular. However, it is known that the style was adopted by architects throughout the United States following its introduction in England in 1847. Examples of the style can also be found as early as 1764 but really took off following the arrival of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in America in 1852. The modern-day version of the style was developed between 1910 and 1940 when large numbers of new houses were being built across the United States. It should be noted that although most examples of Tudor Revival buildings date from after 1970, some original house designs from that time period include elements of the style.
There are two types of Tudor Revival buildings: those with timber framing and those with brick or stone veneer walls. The former are generally found in coastal or agricultural areas while the latter are commonly seen in downtown areas.
Because Tudor-style homes are often older, they are more likely to require repairs than new construction or even those built within the past 30 to 50 years. The typical home in this price range will have problems with its plumbing, wiring, and other internal systems that need to be repaired or replaced. Generally speaking, older homes are also going to be harder to heat and cool than newer models because they were not designed to be energy efficient.
There are several areas of a Tudor house that may need repair or replacement over time including the following:
Roofs - As these old houses age, they will generally need to be replaced or repaired. The roof is where most homeowners' attention will go first since it is the part that suffers the most damage from weather conditions. Over time, wood shakes or other types of shingles can become loose or fall off of the roof. Water can also cause damage to the roof by leaking into the ceiling cavity or walls. If left unattended, this water can cause major problems for the interior of the house such as causing mold to grow.
Baths - Old bathtubs tend to break down faster than modern ones because they are not manufactured with plastic pipes like today's baths are.