Storybook Style: America's Whimsical Homes of the Twenties
Storybook style, fairy tale, Disneyesque, Hansel and Gretel--these are all synonyms for what is surely the most delightful residential style of the twentieth century. With their romantic evocation of faraway lands and eras, storybook homes were created by architects and builders with a flair for theater, a love of fine craftsmanship, and above all a sense of humor--attributes that make them especially endearing to the jaded modern eye. The storybook style was born on the backlots of Hollywood in the 1920s, where brilliant set designers first learned to evoke the exotic architecture of medieval Europe and the Middle East. Movie-going Americans became fascinated with these settings, and architects and builders were quick to capitalize on this enthusiasm. The whimsical style soon spread from coast to coast, and the unforgettable results are portrayed here.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:076435308X
ISBN13:9780764353086
Release Date:July 2017
Publisher:Schiffer Publishing
Length:176 Pages
Weight:2.50 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 8.7" x 11.1"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Rare original idea
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
My first impression of this book was that it was a trifle; once I started to read it though, I discovered it was surprisingly substantial. What a joy to look at these quaint medieval-inspired houses. Lots of them, and all those turrets! You won't find mention of this phenomenon in any of the popular books on house styles, and the author deserves credit for documenting it. The book displays a professional knowledge of architecture, unlike many in this category which seem to be written by art historians, and you can rest assured the author will not confuse a mullion with a muntin, or claim, as another one once did, that Tudor is an early Rennaissance style. (Although he happens to be incorrect in saying "terra cotta" means "hollow tile"; it means "baked earth".) No vacant catalog-esque prose here; the author knows his subject and enjoys telling others about it.
Whodathunkit - a page-turner architecture book!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
5 stars plus! A book to delight the heart! It's so well-written you don't want to stop reading, yet you want to see what delight awaits on the next page. My suggestion - page through and look at all the pictures - then go back and read it all. Great job - please do another one! These guys did a similar book called Red Tile Style, on spanish revival architecture - if you like this one, check it out- it's also very well done.
Living in fantasyland - wonderful!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
This is exactly the book I was looking for. I love this style home, but I never knew exactly how to describe it (or that it was even a 'true' architectural style). This book has not only given me some ideas about what I'd love to have in a home, but also made me aware that there are such homes in my area :) The pictures are really wonderful. A lovely book for anyone with a sense of whimsy.
Wonderful Book - From a Builder
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
This is the best compilation of pictures of Storybook homes, elements of Storybook architecture and the history of this wonderful style of building I have seen. As a builder of Storybook homes it is gratifying for me to see a quality book bringing attention to this subject. From my experience I know there is material for another edition, perhaps with more details of each home and the people who own them. Thank you for publishing this treasure.
This is the book I've been looking for.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
I like castles and medeival houses especially with timber-beam construction like Old English villages & Bavarian Forest inns. This book has those styles in brilliant color photos. Although there are no floorplans to speak of, Storybook Style is a refreshing, enchanting look at homes that only your immagination could have dreamed up from half-forgotten fairytales of a place that time forgot. Most of the featured buildings are in California. These are the kind of homes I would like to build for my mom for her retirement and a place I could visit to get away from the real world. Charming, distinctive, quaint, eclectic, fanciful, old-country... Some of the adjectives to desribe these homes that are so far from the typical modern boring houses of today. A book well worth the money for the coffee table or for design ideas.
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