New Home Architectural Styles? (Arlington, McLean: fit in, condo, how much)

[CAVA1990]

Will this area ever get away from the brick, Georgian/Colonial McMansion style that seems to charactererize just about every NoVA SFH built since the early '90's? Will they eventually look outdated (I kind of think they already do). Any predictions on what will replace them or will they still be building them all that way 100 years from now? Is anything new starting to emerge?

[Stephen 81]

If they do look outdated, it'll be because the poor quality of their construction stands in contrast to all the 19th and early to mid 20th century brick Georgian buildings in VA and MD. I don't think those look outdated after 150 years, so I'm not sure that the newer ones will look outdated, either.

That said, gigantic versions of Craftsman-style homes seem to be increasingly popular here, at least in McLean and N. Arlington tear-downs. Just as long as nobody starts building stucco houses here - I think they look great surrounded by jacarandas and the ocean, but they look pretty bizarre next to a bunch of maples, oaks and magnolias.

[Caladium]

I'd like to see a completely new and different look, not just a return to something done before. Something that plays with light, since we seem to be able to do all sorts of things with glass now. Maybe something almost Suessian, perhaps, or a design inspired by the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz movie. (Or, Munchkinland for that matter--that could be sort of an interesting organic look for a town center.) If we're going to play with light, we can add the colors of sea glass (translucent greens, purples, blues, pinks). One house like that might look strange, but a whole street like that could be stunning. I'd buy a house like that. (Of course, I'm not sure if everyone else would--and there you see the challenge. It has to bea sure sell.)

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by Stephen 81

If they do look outdated, it'll be because the poor quality of their construction stands in contrast to all the 19th and early to mid 20th century brick Georgian buildings in VA and MD. I don't think those look outdated after 150 years, so I'm not sure that the newer ones will look outdated, either.

That said, gigantic versions of Craftsman-style homes seem to be increasingly popular here, at least in McLean and N. Arlington tear-downs. Just as long as nobody starts building stucco houses here - I think they look great surrounded by jacarandas and the ocean, but they look pretty bizarre next to a bunch of maples, oaks and magnolias.

Brambleton has one section that has some stucco/colonial single-family homes (example). The more adventurous looks are in the new townhome models (example | example)

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by Stephen 81

If they do look outdated, it'll be because the poor quality of their construction stands in contrast to all the 19th and early to mid 20th century brick Georgian buildings in VA and MD. I don't think those look outdated after 150 years, so I'm not sure that the newer ones will look outdated, either..

IIUC they continue to be built like that precisely in order to avoid looking dated the way every other style around here tends to. Obviously someone had to go first and there may have been a reason it happened with neo georgian yet not with victoran, craftsman, modern, etc, etc.

Whether that same dynamic holds with very large houses is anyone's guess I suppose.

[scottfs]

I'd like to see brick homes built with actual structural brick, not this junk with a brick facade on the front, siding on the other three sides. That ain't a brick home. I like the look of the flemish bond myself. If you know anything about brick masonry, it's easy to see which homes are true brick homes vs. just a facade.

I don't mind the McMansions so much as I do the sea of townhomes. They all end up looking the same, so boring. It'd be great to see some "normal" sized SFHs in the area, but the land is too valuable so they mostly build THs or the McMansion.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by scottfs

I don't mind the McMansions so much as I do the sea of townhomes.

the rigidity of 'it MUST be Georgian" seems even more intense for TH's, perhaps because the fears of looking dated are more severe for the TH's than for SFH's.

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

Brambleton has one section that has some stucco/colonial single-family homes (example). The more adventurous looks are in the new townhome models (example | example)

I love stucco homes. I didn't realize how much I missed them until you posted those pictures. They just look so clean and fresh (and the upkeep is zero--my parents haven't painted their house once in the 30 years they've lived there, and it still looks nice. The only thing that needs painted is the wood trim).

I love the look of brick (partially because I never saw it growing up--not very earthquake proof!), but can't stand the painted brick you see in so many older neighborhoods.

[scottfs]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

the rigidity of 'it MUST be Georgian" seems even more intense for TH's, perhaps because the fears of looking dated are more severe for the TH's than for SFH's.

Good point, I also figure that style is probably pretty low-maintenance for communities with condo-type ownership, which keeps the fees down. Nothing really to paint, and they probably cap all the wood sills and whatnot with vinyl, what else is there to do?

I do like the few craftsman style homes I've seen pop up around here. That style seems to fit in fairly well here, whers stuff like stucco I agree looks terrible in this area as mentioned above.

[brooklynborndad]

DW and I were taking a walk near Prosperity the other night, and saw this HUGE (mcmansion sized) craftsman style. "Whats a country inn doing here?" "I wonder how much a room for the night would be, and do they serve breakfast?"