Classical Revival
If there’s one house style that lends an air of confidence and a deep sense of legacy, it’s Classical Revival. Derived from buildings of Roman and Greek antiquity, Classical Revival houses include Greek Revival and Roman Revival styles and draw on common elements such as columns, pediments, and a strong sense of rigor and balance. Think of classic civic examples like the Parthenon in Athens or the Pantheon in Rome: Buildings like these have influenced architects for centuries and still inform house styles across the country today, albeit in many different forms. “There is a vast constellation of different styles and substyles,” says Benjamin McGriff, of McGriff Architects, a member of the AD PRO Directory. “But across all these variations, there is always a shared emphasis on the key principles of order, balance, composition, and symmetry.” Through the 18th and into the 19th centuries, the Classical Revival house style represented a turn to simplicity after the lavish ornamentation of previous periods like French Rococo, and that clean austerity still has appeal today. “Despite the inherent flexibility of residential Classical architecture to work with many different interior design styles, most clients see it as a somewhat serious and calming aesthetic,” McGriff says.
Neoclassical
Unlike the Classical Revival style, which incorporates direct references to Greek and Roman forms, the neoclassical style pulls from design principles of the classical period in more comprehensive ways. “I define the Neoclassical style as having gable roofs, round columns, general symmetry, some form of entry or porch, and frequently a main core and wings in the massing,” explains Cathy Purple Cherry of the AD PRO Directory–listed firm Purple Cherry Architects, which has offices in New York and across the East Coast. Often, the neoclassical style expresses itself in subtle ways, with façades that are symmetrical and balanced, or an emphasis on classical proportions and scales in interior spaces. Typically, the neoclassical style embraces punched window openings on a solid wall, as opposed to the modern proclivity towards broad expanses of glass and window walls. “Neoclassical style is not about capturing views,” explains Purple Cherry. “We translate the neoclassical style to meet our clients’ needs by increasing the window sizes on the back and sides of homes to capture views and bring in more natural light.” Ultimately, the neoclassical style continues to stand the test of time due to its architectural ubiquity across time and place. “Neoclassical is always going to be an appealing architectural style,” declares Purple Cherry. “Whether someone visited a significant property, or were raised in a classical home, the classic and stately aesthetic will always be appealing.”
