The Queen Anne style, with its charm, imagination, and versatility, is a misnomer that has captivated the world of architecture. It is not a reflection of the Renaissance-inspired and formal designs of Queen Anne's era, but a Victorian architectural style that emerged in England in the late 19th century. This style, popularized by Richard Norman Shaw and other English architects, combines elements from the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras, creating a unique and picturesque design.
Image: Blue Victorian-era design home with Queen Anne details
The Queen Anne style made its way to America through the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, where British exhibits showcased buildings constructed in this style. American architect Henry Hobson Richardson was among the first to adapt the Queen Anne style to the American sensibility with the Watts-Sherman house in Newport, Rhode Island.
The Queen Anne Style in America
During the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Queen Anne style gained popularity in the United States. Here, it was known as Queen Anne Revival. Surprisingly, this colorful and decorative style thrived in a time when technology and machines were on the rise.
Image: Watts-Sherman House in Newport, Rhode Island
Advancements in building techniques, such as balloon framing, allowed for the creation of complex house shapes. Along with an expanding railroad system, factory-made pre-fabricated components like doors, windows, and roofing became easily accessible across the country. Pattern books and architectural plan books featuring spindles, turrets, steep roofs, wraparound porches, and other ornamental accents were widely available to both the wealthy and the emerging middle class.
As a result, Americans were enamored with these innovative and fanciful homes. The wealthy built lavish mansions, while country dwellers created scaled-down versions, complete with all the traditional Queen Anne embellishments. Even renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright contributed to the Queen Anne Revival craze by designing several homes in the Chicago area.
Features of the Queen Anne Revival Style
While the Queen Anne Revival style drew inspiration from early English designs, it developed distinct American characteristics. Patterned shingles replaced half-timbered exteriors, and ornate trims and other details were added.
Whether it's the iconic "Painted Ladies" in San Francisco or the more restrained versions found in major cities and rural settings, Queen Anne Revival homes boast identifiable whimsical fairytale designs. These homes feature multiple gables, wide overhanging eaves, numerous chimneys, painted balustrades, wooden or slate roofs, and more.
1. Asymmetrical Facades
Unlike traditional rectangular or square styles like Georgian, Colonial, and Cape Cod, the Queen Anne Revival style embraces complex asymmetrical exteriors.
2. Irregular Rooflines with Gables and Dormers
From asymmetrical facades, the Queen Anne Revival style transitions to complex rooflines with multiple gables, dormers, towers, turrets, and chimneys. At least one gable typically faces the front.
3. Round or Square Towers and Turrets
Towers and turrets are distinctive features of the Queen Anne Revival style, adding a fairytale whimsy to the design. Towers often extend the full height of the home, while turrets are small towers on the upper level.
Image: 2-story Queen Anne Revival home with steep roof pitch and traditional asymmetrical facade
4. Pedimented Porches That Wrap around the Front and One Side
Porches are an essential element of the Queen Anne Revival style, often framed by columns, brackets, and other ornamentation. Some homes may even feature a second-story porch.
5. A Fanciful Mix of Siding
Queen Anne Revival homes stand out with their unique siding choices. From half-timbering and stucco to decorative stone panels, bold paint colors, patterned shingles, brick, and clapboard, these homes exude character and charm.
Image: 2-story Queen Anne Revival style home in an Illinois historic district
6. Porch Spindlework
During the height of the Industrial Revolution, technology allowed for the creation of intricate spindlework—the decorative trim around a porch. Builders and architects purchased spindlework through mail-order catalogs, adorning their homes with side brackets, porch posts, railings, and pendants.
Image: Stylish, intricate spindlework on Queen Anne Revival porch
7. Decorative Windows
Windows play a significant role in the Queen Anne Revival style. Bay windows and smaller oriel types add decorative elements to these homes. The lower sashes usually have a single pane of glass, while the upper sashes may feature small square panes or ornate stained glass.
8. Columns
Wrap-around porches with large columns give Queen Anne Revival homes an air of elegance. Classic columns, paired and sitting on pedestals, are common in high-style Queen Anne Revival homes. Decorative turned-wood columns on the porch are also seen in some designs.
Image: Painted Lady, with its gable-style roofline and pretty blue and red hues
Queen Anne Cottage
Not all Queen Anne Revival homes are grand mansions. Smaller, less ornate versions called Queen Anne Cottages were also popular among those seeking simpler and more modest homes.
The William G. Harrison house in Nashville, Georgia, is one of the first Queen Anne Cottages in the country. Built for a local lawyer and businessman, this one-story cottage showcases square layouts with gables, a hip main roof, a wrap-around porch, and some spindlework. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Homes.
Image: William G. Harrison House, historic 1-story Queen Anne Cottage in Nashville, Georgia
Offshoots of the Queen Anne Revival Style
The Queen Anne Revival style has had a lasting impact on American residential architecture. Styles like Shingle, Arts & Crafts, and Bungalow trace their roots back to the Queen Anne Revival era. Here's a brief overview of two notable offshoots:
Bungalow Style
The Bungalow style flourished from 1905 to 1930, with many examples found in older American neighborhoods. These one- to 1.5-story structures feature large eaves, small porches with columns set in brick bases, and can be made of brick, wood, or stucco.
Image: 1-story Bungalow Cottage with gable roof and inviting front porch
Shingle Style
The Shingle Style emerged in the late 19th century and became popular among wealthy families seeking elegant seaside homes. Inspired by Colonial architecture, these homes feature shingled exteriors, sweeping rooflines, turrets, bay windows, and horizontal bands of windows, allowing ample light and ocean breezes.
Image: Shingle Style home with rock/stone and shake exterior
The Queen Anne Revival Style, with its timeless appeal and distinctive characteristics, continues to capture hearts and imaginations. Whether you're drawn to the extravagant "Painted Ladies" or the simplicity of a Queen Anne Cottage, these homes offer character, whimsy, and endless versatility.
Footnote: The lead image in this article features a stunning 2-story, 5-bedroom Victorian-style home. With a colorful asymmetrical façade, irregular gabled roofline, turret, and chimney, this home is a true representation of the Queen Anne Revival style. For more details, refer to Plan #195-1161.
