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!
This shot in Portland, Maine shows several classic elements of the Italianate style, all shared with the Second Empire style. These include bay windows, arched-top openings, double-door entries, bracketed hoods over doors, and bracketed eaves.
The Victorian love of ornament is one of the defining characteristics of the age and steam powered wood working machinery made much of it possible. The red house features a Mansard roof, the single feature that turns an Italianate house into a Second Empire style house.
Understanding the style of a house and will help you identify which features are character-defining so you can prioritize their preservation as you plan changes necessary for 21st century life in an old house. Italianate and Second Empire are two of 25 historic architectural styles described and illustrated 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!