STEP ONE
The exterior of your home is an excellent starting point for understanding the overall design and character of your home because it allows you to view the entire concept as a whole, rather than analyzing it room by room.
Here are a few key elements to look at and make brief notes on:
Era
Homes built in specific eras often follow architectural trends of the time. If you have a sense of when your house was built (or the era you want to evoke with your project), use this as a starting point and see if there are any particular architectural cues from the time that resonate with what you have or are looking to create.
Form and Number of Storeys
The shape, form and number of storeys can indicate the architectural style the builder was working towards. Look at the overall form of your home. Is it boxy, rectangular, T-shaped or L-shaped, symmetrical or not? Does it have a second floor? Are ceilings flat or sloped according to the roof shape?
Roof Style
Pay attention to the roof's shape and pitch. Styles like gable, hipped, mansard, or flat/low slope often correspond to specific periods or architectural concepts. Consider the roof's overhangs, dormers, or decorative features; they can reveal subtle design indicators.
Façade Materials
Evaluate the primary construction materials that comprise the exterior: brick, wood siding, stone, stucco, steel, glass. Note any special looking patterns or details. The choice and implementation of different materials can often help to identify era of construction, regional preferences, the type of builder and their level of craftsmanship and particular style references that might have been used.
Windows
Observe the type (e.g., double-hung, casement, fixed). Note the shape (e.g., arched, rectangular, circular) and how lites (window panes) are divided. Placement and symmetry can further hint at the home’s style.
You can refer to our guide on window types to get started.
Details
Consider how the primary entrance is positioned in the form. Look closely at the window and door trim, eaves, and decorative elements. Are they simple or ornate? Consider proportions. Does the house have a formal feeling or a more eclectic personality. What stands out when you approach the building?
Fig. 2. - Form and roof pitch
Fig. 3. - Window types
Fig. 1. - Storeys and roof style
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-This guide provides a brief, highly graphical overview of Canada's architectural heritage, highlighting the defining characteristics of various building styles and types across different historical periods. We love older Parks Canada publications.
Parks Canada. Buildings of Canada: A Guide to Styles and Types. 1980, https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/7173/buildingsofcanada.pdf.
-This guide, commissioned by an East coast municipality, is quite comprehensive. It provides more detailed information on the architectural styles that are common in Canada.
Town of Sackville. Heritage Architecture Style Guide. 10 Mar. 2014, https://sackville.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Heritage_Architecture_Style_Guide_Final_10March2014.pdf.
-This book provides a comprehensive overview of major architectural styles and building terminology in Ontario from the late 18th century to relatively modern times.
Blumenson, John J.-G. Ontario Architecture: A Guide to Styles and Building Terms, 1784 to the Present. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1990.
-A concise introduction to considering the architectural character of your home is provided in the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Cultural Resources - Preservation Guides. The National Park Service preservation guides are a great resource in general and well worth exploring.
-This book outlines what to look for, what to do and what not to do when working on important building details.
Cusato, Marianne, and Ben Pentreath. Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use & Avoid. Sterling, 2007.
-This book provides an excellent detailed guide to American residential architecture (basically the same as Canadian architecture).
McAlester, Virginia Savage. A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised): The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America's Domestic Architecture. Knopf, 2015.
-This book provides detailed information on building elements.
Benjamin, Asher. The American Builder's Companion. Illustrated ed., Feb. 26, 2009, Dover Publications.
-This book provides detailed information on building elements indicating scale and proportion.
Radford, William A., Bernard L. Johnson, and Charles P. Rawson. Radford's Portfolio of Details of Building Construction: A Remarkable and Unique Collection of Full-Page Plates, Accurately Drawn and Reproduced to Exact Scale. Complete Details for Every Style of Interior Trim, Including Special Built-In Features. Illustrated ed., Dover Publications, Aug. 31, 2012.
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