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respond to Mystery House #5
Foursquare
Quandary
We recently purchased an American Four Square in Evanston Il. According to some preliminary research, these homes were popular from 1895 to 1915 and were the precursor to the Arts and Crafts movement. Typically, the homes have little ornamentation, a bay window in the dining room, four bedrooms upstairs and a front porch that may or not be enclosed. According to one source, the finest quality of these homes were from the Sears' Catalog.
From Karen:
I live in a 4square in New Jersey and the interior is mostly arts/crafts. I would suggest looking at books featuring houses built circa 1915, no matter waht the style. Houses were often built with a mix of styles. No matter what the style, a lot of the same materials would have been used. There is a great new book out on Arts and Crafts kitchens which would cover your home's period. As well, there was a recent article on 4squares in the National Trust Preservation magazine.
From Scott:
Dear Ann.........I just bought a house very similar to yours and am equally unsure as far as what to do with it. The interior wood is natural but appears to be a rather bland stained pine or fir. Have been debating paint vs "as is" vs replacing with identical trim made out of a more attractive wood. Mine has had an addition put on that is fairly contemporary on the back side. This further confuses the issue as it will be necessary to blend the styles upstairs. So, rather than being able to help you I am actually soliciting your help in the event you should run across any sites, links or thoughts that might be useful. Good luck with your home!
From Your Guide:
For information about American Foursquare architecture, with photos and floor plans, see our American Foursquare Directory. Also, don't miss our directory of Sears House Plans.
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