Shafqat Dad shares insights on the Italianate architectural style.

1. Presented by Shafqat Dad
Architectural
Spotlight: Italianate

2. Introduction
Can you imagine a popular architectural style being created as a
reaction to another style? This is what happened with the Italianate
style. Italianate began in England in the 19th century, spanning 1802
to 1885. It was a reaction to the harsh lines of Formalism as well as
an expansion of the Picturesque movement. The form of Italianate
was taken from Italian farmhouses and villas. Gone were square
windows and porches; arched windows and curved roofs
characterized these homes.

3. Ornamentation
There is one trait of Italianate that stands out:
ornamentation. It makes sense that this style has more
opulence than Formalism in that doors, windows, roofs,
and porches stand out not only through colour or
texture, but by shape. There are tall columns that flank
front doors along with large panes of glass. Windows
were tall and thin and had either u-shaped or
pedimented crowns, often with decorated hoods in sets
of three. Other notable details included corbels, deep
eaves, and panel moldings. The roofs were low pitched
with a cupola (tower).

4. Italianate Colours
These homes were meant to remind
people of the villas of Italy with
exteriors in “stone” colours (e.g. pale
grays, greens and blues). If the home
had a light exterior, the trim was
done in dark colours, such as olive,
deep brown or red-brown.

5. Famous Italianate Homes
There are several notable examples of the Italianate style
in England and Wales. Many were designed by famed
architect John Nash. For example, Sandridge Park in
Devon is a three-story home built for Dowager Lady
Ashburton in 1805. This country home is a mix of
Picturesque and Italianate with a cupola and
turret. Cronkhill in Shropshire is another Italianate home
designed by Nash. It was built in 1802 to reflect a Tuscan
villa on the Attingham Estate. The home was restored in
2016 in which it was painted its original ochre colour.

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