Some Ideas to Consider …

  • Home Style of the Month: Second Empire

    The Second Empire style was most popular in the United States in the 1860s and 1870s, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest. In its time, the style was considered modern and fashionable, simultaneously favored in France and the United States by affluent homeowners.

     

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    OldHousonline – French Connection

    The style originated in France, where some French architects used the phrase “horror vacui” – the fear of unadorned surfaces – to describe the Second Empire style and its emphasis on heavy ornamentation. Second Empire homes became prominent in France during that country’s “second empire,” the reign of Napoleon (1852-1870).

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    Iron cresting on mansard roof

    A tall mansard roof with wrought iron cresting is the most prominent distinguishing feature of this style. The roof was considered both visually appealing and practical since it created a fully functional attic space.

    Appropriate for a style focus in October, Second Empire homes are often featured in Halloween imagery as the quintessential haunted house.

    • Elements of Second Empire Style
    • Mansard roof with decorative slate pattern
    • Cast iron decorative cresting at roof
    • Patterned tiles on roof
    • Segmented arched windows
    • Prominent arched doorway
    • One story porch
    • Tower

     

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    Credit: decorpad.com – Arched Doorways

    At Country Club Homes, we stay in touch with the latest custom home design trends to share exciting new ideas with our clients. Contact us today at 203-762-0550 or visit us at countryclubhomesinc.com to learn more about our work.

  • Customize a Kitchen Island to Fit Your Lifestyle

    Whether you like to entertain, your passion is cooking or you just like a cozy spot to gather with your family, your kitchen island  can be designed to meet your lifestyle.  It can be decorative or purely functional, can have clean lines or more traditional details, can be painted or stained.  You get to choose……

  • Increase Space with These Bathroom Storage Trends

    Today’s master bathroom, or any bathroom for that matter, is no longer just functional, but also inviting and a place for refuge from our ever stressful world.  Your design style should be brought into the bathroom along with some great storage and organizational options that are available today. Install a wide built-in niche with shelves…

  • Use Traditional Decor to Create a Child’s Room

    Children’s rooms have evolved. Gone are the days of painted animals or sticking to a color palette of primary colors or pastels. Children’s rooms have become both elevated examples of your personal design style and functional spaces for your young ones to grow. There are many great ways to incorporate traditional decor in your child’s…

  • Add a Luxurious Library Retreat to Your Home

    Libraries are for book lovers!  In today’s busy world, we often don’t take enough time for ourselves or for sitting down with a good book.  Imagine a space dedicated to collecting and displaying the books you’ve collected over the years, while also providing a retreat to which to escape. Some library design ideas that you…