From stately modern farmhouses to quaint country cottages, there’s certainly no shortage of unique home styles here in the U.S. of A. But if you’re looking for something of solid build and storybook charm, look no further than the Tudor style house. Named for England’s Tudor period, which occurred at the end of the Middle Ages, the aesthetic harkens back to Medieval times with intricate exterior details that evolved in distinct ways when it moseyed over to America at the end of the 1800s. To learn more about what defines a Tudor house, including the history of the architectural style as well as its key design characteristics, keep reading.
The History of Tudor Architecture
Tudor architecture is named for the Tudor period of England, which began with the reign of King Henry VII and lasted from 1485 to 1603. As populations grew after the Black Death, so too did the country’s commercial prosperity. Wealthy landowners were able to build cottages and manor homes well insulated from the cold with stucco, sturdy log timbers, and sloped thatched roofs.
Though the style eventually fell out of favor abroad, it picked up steam again in the northeastern quadrant of the U.S. between 1890 and 1940. The boon was especially big during the prosperous 1920s, when newly-moneyed urban dwellers sought to show off their wealth with elaborate, expensive-to-build, Old World-inspired dwellings in the fresh-air-filled suburbs. The homes, which are technically known as Tudor Revivals, were even nicknamed “Stockbroker’s Tudors” to denote the economic class able to afford them.
Tudors fell out of fashion once more after WWII, when returning G.I.s sought simpler, cheaper, and easier-to-build accommodations for their quickly growing families. Today, Tudors are not nearly as common as colonials and ranchers, but aspects of their distinctive design are still incorporated into home exteriors when a certain level of storybook charm is desired.
Tudor Style House Characteristics
With an asymmetrical facade comprised of overlaying roof gables, Tudor style homes are resplendent in detail. Their signature exterior feature is an exposed structural frame of timber beams, which, in Tudor Revivals, is often purely decorative.
Additional characteristics of a Tudor house include:
• Decorative timbering. As mentioned above, advances in building structures mean that the exposed beams you see on Tudors today are purely ornamental. They’re often confined to the top half of the house.
• A mixed-material facade. Often a combo of stucco and brick, this lends a Tudor its layered look.
• Door and window detailing. They’re often accented with thick stone trim.
• An arched entryway. A rounded front door adds to the fairy-tale effect.
• Multi-pane windows. The shape skews tall and skinny. Diamond panes are often used to up the Old World feel.
• A steeply pitched roof. The better to weather snow and cold climates.
• A statement chimney. Bonus points for chimney pots on top!
• No porch. This keeps with the more formal aesthetic.
Tudor Style House Interiors
One of the biggest pros of a Tudor home is its asymmetrical frame, which allows for a variety in room height and window placement. This gives each interior space its own unique feel. That said, design elements you’ll often find inside include:
• Exposed beams. Painted dark and placed strategically to draw the eye up, especially in living rooms, the timbering is intended to mimic what’s often seen on the exterior.
• A sweeping staircase. Even if the entry hall isn’t particularly large, the path upstairs is typically a focal point.
• Plaster walls. The textured look adds a rustic note.
• A grand fireplace. To go with the grand chimney, of course!
Where to Find Tudor Style Homes
Though Tudor homes can be found throughout the U.S., there are a few areas where the style is concentrated in grand forms. Located on the Main Line of Philadelphia, the English Village Historic District is a 29-home community inspired by England’s Stratford-Upon-Avon. The goings-on in the grand Tudor estates of Tuxedo Park in upstate New York inspired Emily Post’s Blue Book of Etiquette, and, in Oak Park, Illinois, the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright homes is a spectacular showcase of the Prairie riff on the Tudor Revival.
Sarah Zlotnick is the Lifestyle Director at Country Living, where she covers a little bit of everything—small towns, life in the country, and, her favorite, antiques. A research buff at heart, she loves a deep dive into the history of vintage finds and uncovering the reasons behind old-as-time traditions.
