In my architectural practice I have designed new old Southern homes for 17 years. In the process, I have developed some simple rules of thumb. I call these the Pillars of Traditional Design. They serve as creative guidelines that keep me focused while I design homes that are authentic and timeless but still work for today. The pillars are not exclusive to the South. They can be applied to design a genuine traditional home in any region of the country.
EIGHT PILLARS OF TRADITIONAL DESIGN
1. Invent within the rules. The language of every traditional style, whether Spanish Colonial, English Georgian, or Greek Revival, is recorded in a common set of rules that have guided generations of builders. These rules of style are tools that shape the outline of the house, govern the appropriate materials to use, and determine the way the details go together. You can create a new design by inventing clever arrangements for a floor plan or a distinctive detail--like a unique suite of rooms or a new interpretation of a front porch. When you invent within the rules, you build fresh ideas that push traditional forms in new direction.
2. Respect the character of place. A new old house should blend into its setting by working with the natural landscape and by fitting in with the neighboring houses. You should choose a place where the house will settle into the lay of the land rather than be perched on display. Look at local building traditions for clues about what to build. Notice the shapes, building materials, and decorative details of old houses, and then use them as a creative springboard. By taking the time to study the local architecture, you will discover themes to help you create a new house that looks like is has always been there.
3. Build for the ages. Most old houses were made of rugged materials that have withstood the test of time, and their permanence makes them genuine. Shoddy construction and cheap materials make even a well-designed house look fragile and inauthentic. In a new old house, every part should reassure you that it is solid and meant to last. Sturdy materials are more expensive, but the pay for themselves in building character and durability for the long run.
4. Tell a story over time. Every new old house should have a story to tell about where it came from and why it looks the way it does. Part of the charm of a real old house is that it tells a tale of changes over time. In a new house, you can script a story of growth over many years--a room that was remodeled, wing that was added, or screen porch that was glassed in--picturing the house as an accumulation of additions. With this fiction, you enrich the experience of the house by covering its newness with a mantle of make-believe.
