I fear that we dont have the craftsman today that existed over 250 years ago. Then, they were artists with an aesthetic eye. Today, most housing developments are constructed with plastic or foam moldings. The cost of authentic hand carving and other woodworking details is exorbitant today so most developers have to go the cheaper route. I once worked at Winterthur and was astonished at the level of craftsmanship that existed once in this country. Every visit to the collection revealed new aspects of artistry no matter how many times I walked through them. I dont want to sound cynical, but what 2023 offers architecturally cant even begin to compare with what the 18th and early 19th centuries exhibited. I can only continue to hope that one day the pendulum swings back a little closer to the artistry and beauty of America's architectural past.
I would love to visit Winterthur! Unfortunately, if I did visit the staff would probably have to gag, bind and sedate me to get me out of there at closing time! I have been in happy heaven watching your Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival videos. Ever since I was 11 years old and my parents bought a set of encyclopedias and I discovered the architecture, furniture and clothing history sections I have loved looking at and learning about these three styles the very most.
Thank you for sharing! I'm thinking our house may be the same style/era as the Penny Paker room- we'll have to make it to Winterthur some time! Great information.
Great video as usual, Brent. I really like the low styles because I've always been more interested in how more common people lived, even though the high styles can be awe-inspiring. As an aside, often when I get to your videos early there are spam comments (that I report, always) left. I believe there is an option for you, or whoever manages this channel, to flag comments containing certain words so that they have to wait for someone to approve them. It might be a good idea to use that setting and flag terms related to indecent adult material, which I see promoted here often (sadly). I'm sure it's not something you want to be associated with! Just a tip, I hate seeing that stuff here, really takes the wind our of my sails. Have a nice day! :)
Thanks so much, it is so annoying and disheartening to me. It is also somewhat random. I try to flag it early but I think you are right. I'm going to go change my settings and try to block it. Thanks for the suggestions.
Are all these features made of wood or are some of them plaster (or other materials)? I still can’t really figure out how rooms were purchased and moved here but someday maybe it will make sense .
Most all of this is wood plaster occurs in ceiling decoration and crowns. Some of the wood decoration is compo, which is a mix of saw dust, molasses and animal hide glue. 98% is wood. Oh and read the book "Moving Rooms" it tells all about how rooms were moved historically.
Another chapter in that long book titled “we don’t have to accept lazy architects; we can get better by spending a little more”. If I/we step back a bit from the actual architecture and interior design, it’s interesting to ask the question “why”. Why did the various movements of design evolve, gradually disappear and then get revived? What were social imperatives? The Grand Tour was certainly one; keeping up or beating the next noble Lord or nouveau riche was another. What was genuinely new about these styles? How much should we be building new buildings in the style of the old? What I take from these video collections is not that I want to build a room exactly like this one or that one but rather that we can, and need to, think about what will make my room or my house really suit my tastes and my budget. By the way, what timber is in that 1804 panelled room and what finish is there? It looks like a fruit wood and the finish almost like no finish?
@@BrentHull sorry. It was the room that you said was an early example of Georgian panelling. It’s useful to put some kind of name to the evolving styles (Tudor, Jacobean, Colonial, neo-classical, etc) but I’ve always thought Georgian was a very wide description. The first George came along in 1714 and the last one died 1830 (?). In that time, British architecture and interior design went through a lot of fashions and our general definition of Georgian was just a relatively small part of fashion.
The ancient Greek and Roman orders were "re" discovered during the late Crusades and early Renaissance. The mathematical symmetry appealed to the newly enlightened artists and such and once they were sketched out by those who traveled to the ancient world, everyone could see how pleasing and beautiful and inspiring they were. So, the Classical revival of architecture began during the Renaissance. In America, things moved toward the Victorian until about 1876, when our Centennial reminded folks of the classical styles of 100 years prior - thus began the "Colonial Revival" period. Again in the mid-70s, in the run-up to the Bicentennial, those colonial elements were again in vogue. Sadly, the Brutalist movement in the late 40s thru the 50s really did a lot of damage to architecture for public buildings, and that plain, boxy (read "cheap") form has turned our built landscape into some rather dreary vistas. But the beauty of the classical orders can still be achieved in modern ways, if one knows what they're doing.
Hi Brett. I just bought a 1770 Georgian house. It is not an opulent high-Georgian house - I think you could call the style somewhere between a high-end Georgian farmhouse and a low-federal style house. Can you suggest any books that I could use to give me ideas on how to authentically finish the rooms? Thanks
This is a great series, thanks. I'm learning that my taste is very Georgian :)
Awesome! Good to know.
As Brent said, amazing stuff, so inspirational.
THanks!
Awesome, the simple details in the penny maker room is just what I needed for my project. Thank you very kindly.
Ok, good luck.
I fear that we dont have the craftsman today that existed over 250 years ago. Then, they were artists with an aesthetic eye. Today, most housing developments are constructed with plastic or foam moldings. The cost of authentic hand carving and other woodworking details is exorbitant today so most developers have to go the cheaper route. I once worked at Winterthur and was astonished at the level of craftsmanship that existed once in this country. Every visit to the collection revealed new aspects of artistry no matter how many times I walked through them. I dont want to sound cynical, but what 2023 offers architecturally cant even begin to compare with what the 18th and early 19th centuries exhibited. I can only continue to hope that one day the pendulum swings back a little closer to the artistry and beauty of America's architectural past.
Agreed 100%. Thanks for sharing. I don't think we can get back there but we can try.
Yes. Thanks for this one. I love the simpler vernacular styles of Georgian and Federalist architecture
Me too!
Whenever Brent Hull combs his perfectly sculpted, silky hair; a majestic kitten is born.
Ha, I don't even know what that means.
Ain't that the truth? The facts don't lie!
Lol
I would love to visit Winterthur! Unfortunately, if I did visit the staff would probably have to gag, bind and sedate me to get me out of there at closing time! I have been in happy heaven watching your Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival videos. Ever since I was 11 years old and my parents bought a set of encyclopedias and I discovered the architecture, furniture and clothing history sections I have loved looking at and learning about these three styles the very most.
Nice. You need to go. You'll have a blast.
this channel is soooooo inspiring!
Thanks so much!
I love the PENNYPACKER Room - this marriage of simplicity and subtle details
I agree! One of my favorites.
Thank you for sharing! I'm thinking our house may be the same style/era as the Penny Paker room- we'll have to make it to Winterthur some time! Great information.
Great! Yes, you need to visit.
Great video as usual, Brent. I really like the low styles because I've always been more interested in how more common people lived, even though the high styles can be awe-inspiring.
As an aside, often when I get to your videos early there are spam comments (that I report, always) left. I believe there is an option for you, or whoever manages this channel, to flag comments containing certain words so that they have to wait for someone to approve them. It might be a good idea to use that setting and flag terms related to indecent adult material, which I see promoted here often (sadly). I'm sure it's not something you want to be associated with! Just a tip, I hate seeing that stuff here, really takes the wind our of my sails. Have a nice day! :)
I also reported it
I haven’t seen any - so you are doing a great job. Thanks from England
Thanks so much, it is so annoying and disheartening to me. It is also somewhat random. I try to flag it early but I think you are right. I'm going to go change my settings and try to block it. Thanks for the suggestions.
Are all these features made of wood or are some of them plaster (or other materials)?
I still can’t really figure out how rooms were purchased and moved here but someday maybe it will make sense .
Most all of this is wood plaster occurs in ceiling decoration and crowns. Some of the wood decoration is compo, which is a mix of saw dust, molasses and animal hide glue. 98% is wood.
Oh and read the book "Moving Rooms" it tells all about how rooms were moved historically.
Another chapter in that long book titled “we don’t have to accept lazy architects; we can get better by spending a little more”.
If I/we step back a bit from the actual architecture and interior design, it’s interesting to ask the question “why”. Why did the various movements of design evolve, gradually disappear and then get revived? What were social imperatives? The Grand Tour was certainly one; keeping up or beating the next noble Lord or nouveau riche was another. What was genuinely new about these styles? How much should we be building new buildings in the style of the old? What I take from these video collections is not that I want to build a room exactly like this one or that one but rather that we can, and need to, think about what will make my room or my house really suit my tastes and my budget.
By the way, what timber is in that 1804 panelled room and what finish is there? It looks like a fruit wood and the finish almost like no finish?
Thanks, and I need a room instead of 1804, there are so many.
@@BrentHull sorry. It was the room that you said was an early example of Georgian panelling. It’s useful to put some kind of name to the evolving styles (Tudor, Jacobean, Colonial, neo-classical, etc) but I’ve always thought Georgian was a very wide description. The first George came along in 1714 and the last one died 1830 (?). In that time, British architecture and interior design went through a lot of fashions and our general definition of Georgian was just a relatively small part of fashion.
The ancient Greek and Roman orders were "re" discovered during the late Crusades and early Renaissance. The mathematical symmetry appealed to the newly enlightened artists and such and once they were sketched out by those who traveled to the ancient world, everyone could see how pleasing and beautiful and inspiring they were. So, the Classical revival of architecture began during the Renaissance. In America, things moved toward the Victorian until about 1876, when our Centennial reminded folks of the classical styles of 100 years prior - thus began the "Colonial Revival" period. Again in the mid-70s, in the run-up to the Bicentennial, those colonial elements were again in vogue. Sadly, the Brutalist movement in the late 40s thru the 50s really did a lot of damage to architecture for public buildings, and that plain, boxy (read "cheap") form has turned our built landscape into some rather dreary vistas. But the beauty of the classical orders can still be achieved in modern ways, if one knows what they're doing.
Hi Brett. I just bought a 1770 Georgian house. It is not an opulent high-Georgian house - I think you could call the style somewhere between a high-end Georgian farmhouse and a low-federal style house. Can you suggest any books that I could use to give me ideas on how to authentically finish the rooms? Thanks
Hi, good luck. the 3 part colonial interiors books will show you many good interior examples.
Do you think the ghost come unique to each room?
haha, good question.