The best way to learn about historic houses is to look at them closely, and the most fun way to look at them closely is to do a puzzle showing a wonderful historic house! So, we made a unique and interesting collection of Historic House Puzzles for you to enjoy!
Popularized by house plan books and its use by Queen Victorian for her summer home Osborne House, the Italianate style got a toehold before the Civil War. It took off after the war, with examples of the style appearing in all parts of the United States.
Many Italianate houses are asymmetrical in massing, like this San Francisco, CA example. The house has many character-defining features of the style, including the bracketed eaves, bay windows, and matchboard siding. Wood-framed Victorian-era houses in northern California often have exceptionally exuberant millwork details. As seen here, many examples have had these details highlighted by their paint schemes.
Italianate is one of 25 styles and types described and illustrated with hundreds of color photos in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Click on the dashed box at the top-right in the puzzle box below to open the puzzle to full screen. In the top left, you can change the number of pieces (100 pieces is the default), toggle piece rotation, and change the background color. Then hit “OK” and have fun!