Mediterranean / Tuscan Style Homes -- PHOTO TOUR (Denver, Lakewood: transplants, houses)

[mrlucero2002]

Okay, so I just went to the 2008 Parade of Homes in Lakewood and was really impressed with the new Mediterranean / Tuscan style of homes. In fact, I heard that more builders are going to start building in this Mediterranean style.

Does anybody know if this information is correct? Also does anybody know of any developments or existing neighborhoods where we can look at homes built in this new style?

Thanks for all your info

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by mrlucero2002

Okay, so I just went to the 2008 Parade of Homes in Lakewood and was really impressed with the new Mediterranean / Tuscan style of homes. In fact, I heard that more builders are going to start building in this Mediterranean style.

Does anybody know if this information is correct? Also does anybody know of any developments or existing neighborhoods where we can look at homes built in this new style?

Thanks for all your info

I have to say, this style is one of the number one styles requested by our clients right now. It has been for at least a year. Mediterranean, Tuscan, old world are hot right now. The only sub-divisions that I know of that have these styles are very high end custom sub-divisions like Huntington Trails, Somerset Meadows ect. with homes from the 600-3-4 mill. From the prospective of a Designer, these styles are incredibly fun to do.

[denverian]

There are some scattered throughout Stapleton, but most houses are traditional styles - not that Tuscan isn't traditional, but you know what I mean!

I went to the P of H and saw those homes. Very beautiful, but I wouldn't want to live out there. Seemed like the middle of nowhere, no retail nearby, and the houses really were just too big. Most of them would require at least two full-time house cleaners just to keep up.

[Dorthy]

There are a few in Hilltop and some in Lowry as well.

[steveindenver]

I think the houses in the parade, judging by pictures I saw, were more Spanish colonial revival?

In Park hill, hilltop, etc you see quite a few Spanish Eclectic style homes as scrapes, many holding true to the concept both inside and out.

In Stapleton and Lowry certain builders offer to shell the house in a "spanish" style with stucco and tiles on the roof -- generally a 20-30 grand cost increase, most of that in the roof alone -- but the interior layout remains the same as if the house had normal siding.

For whatever reason I've always heard from realtors that a Spanish style home sells for a bit more in Denver. Oddly my wife who is from Spain refuses to live in one.

[vegaspilgrim]

I love this style and have always wondered why it's not very common in Denver. You'd think especially with all the Californians who have moved in over the years it would be more popular. In Pueblo, Grand Junction, and Montrose, they even build whole subdivisions in the southwestern style red tile roof/ whtie stucco look. But not Denver. I've snapped pictures of numerous examples of this style of architecture in my photo tours.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

I love this style and have always wondered why it's not very common in Denver. You'd think especially with all the Californians who have moved in over the years it would be more popular. In Pueblo, Grand Junction, and Montrose, they even build whole subdivisions in the southwestern style red tile roof/ whtie stucco look. But not Denver. I've snapped pictures of numerous examples of this style of architecture in my photo tours.

There are actually many wonderful old Spanish style homes in Park Hill mixed in that look like something straight out of old L.A. neighborhoods. I guess Stapleton mixed in Spanish style to replicate old Denver neighborhoods. Infiniti is a builder in Stapleton that does a great job with Mediterranean style homes, inside and out.

[Outback Annie]

I've heard that stucco and tile don't do well in snowy conditions. The tile roofing doesn't hold well under a snow load. My last house was stucco and tile but that was in the Mojave Desert. Those materials love dry conditions although no doubt they have building materials to handle all conditions these days I expect.

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by Outback Annie

I've heard that stucco and tile don't do well in snowy conditions. The tile roofing doesn't hold well under a snow load. My last house was stucco and tile but that was in the Mojave Desert. Those materials love dry conditions although no doubt they have building materials to handle all conditions these days I expect.

concrete tile and stucco do just fine here. We use them every single day withour designs. That type of siding and roof is pretty expensive for installation. The roof had to have been engineered to hold the extra weight of the concrete tiles, stucco is all trowled on by hand, and is just generally more expensive than hardboard siding.

Colorado is a good mixture of east and west when it comes to Architecture. There are pockets of just about every style found in the US. Most of the Spanish style or "old world" style homes are going to be found in high end, custom sub-divisions.

Another style that originated in California seems to be the more common here, which is the Craftsman style, as well as prairie style, which originated with Frank Loyd Wright

[preppyglam]

Here in CA, that's all they built...tract to custom for a long time...until recently- thank goodness. So overdone. EVERYONE is over it here. We are breaking away from the Med/Tuscan look and going more Olde World and "Napa" (kinda like Tuscan, but a bit more contemporary with more organic looking rock veneer and geometric architecture). And, Traditional and Cape Cod/New England styles are starting to pop up, too.

What the heck in Med. doing in Colorado?! Thats funny. I love seeing the comtemporary, the mountain chalets, the rocky mountain rustic chic lodges that look a little euro inspired, the tudor revivals in denver proper, etc.

Its going to be really strange to see Med. estates without Newport Beach in the back yard.

If there are any CO builders reading this- start guiding people ahead of the curve. All that Tuscan and Med. mish-mash is over and now considered cliche. I bet all the CA transplants you all complain about are rolling their eyes right now. (Sorry to sound a little snippy! This hits close to home!).