AbaloneHill Design

The Idea Spot

Home Design Service

House Style Inspiration
Or Just Fun To Look

Throughout my travels, I have collected pictures of houses and buildings that are interesting to me, and generally represent historic and geographic styles. Please enjoy these pictures. Use them to spark ideas and stimulate conversation. The categories are over simplified. For a more complete discussion see: Carley, Rachel, The Visual Dictionary of American Domestic Architecture, Owl Books; Reprint Edition, March 15, 1997, ISBN: 0805045635. These pictures are low resolution for www convenience but the original are ~1Meg and available on request. (These sections are still under construction and will hopefully continue to evolve over time.)
These window and door lintels and trims are in brick, stone and wood.
These cornice and cornice brackets are in brick, stone and wood.
These pedimented dormers are in brick and wood.
These bay windows are from travels on the east and west coasts.
These are examples of bargeboard, vergeboard and gableboard.
Windows and frames can be a defining feature of a home or an accent to add flavor to a home.
These chimneys are from various sources.
These porch posts are from various sources.
These plaster ceiling medallions are from various sources.
Tin ceiling tiles and moldings are currently available from a number of sources, also available in other materials besides tin.
These oriels are from various sources.
These door details are from various sources.
These decorative railings are from various sources.
These decorative sidings show what can be done to spruce up the look of a home by combining shapes and textures. Many of these siding patterns are available in concrete fiberboard with improved weathering capabilities.
These examples of towers are from various sources.
These decorative scroll works are from various sources.
These decorative lighting ideas are from places visited and worked over the last few years.

 
These flowers are from various sources around the country collected as I traveled. I include these for fun and color.

 

 
Pictures collected in these sections are from various sources taken over my travels.
The 2007 are from Jasper National Park, Canada.
The 2009 are from the Coast of Maine, USA.
The 2009 are from the Fort Bragg and Mendocino California, USA.
The 2010 are from Monterey, California.
The 2010 are from Auburn, Alabama.
The 2010 are from a Denver, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah trip.
The 2011 are from a Ybor, Florida, USA, Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico trip.
The 2011 are from San Diego, California.
The 2011 are from a Virginia / West Virginia trip.
The 2011 are from San Diego, California and Dallas, Texas.
Flowers are from all over the USA.


Tom Paradis, Northern Arizona University, Architectural Styles of America
offers a great collection of style pictures. This link directs you to his
Home Page.
http://www.architecturestyles.org/

Tom divides his collection into
     Colonial Styles
     Early National and Romantic Styles
     Victorian-Era Styles
     Period Styles
     Modern Styles
     Postmodern Styles



Sunset, Living In the West magazine and web site has a nice selection of idea
houses, kitchens and living areas.
The Sunset Web Site Idea Houses


The Arts & Crafts Society has a lot of historical style information cataloged. It is worth a look.


Interesting information about the cost of a home improvement and the amount of value recovered from the improvement. This site covers the US.
Remodeling Cost Valve Report
From Hanley Wood Remodeling.
Hanley Wood Remodeling


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