Fairytale Charm

Elizabeth Betts Hickman

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Look around new neighborhoods these days and you're likely to see traces of a rather ancient style: It's Tudor, so-named for the picturesque architecture that accompanied the reign of the Tudor family in England, 1485-1603.

That's right. Tudor is a serious look back in the pages of architectural history.

While the style is certainly old, most of today's versions use design details found on early 20th century American houses, since the 1920s in particular saw a revival of Tudor design.

In fact, Nashville has quite a nice crop of early 20th century Tudor revival-style houses, which stand out because of their half-timbering, range of window sizes and mix of materials such as stone and brick.

And the style has stayed in revival because of its beloved quirkiness.

"It just has a charm," says local custom builder Alan Looney, president of Castle Contractors, a design/build firm that's done several Tudor-inspired homes in Middle Tennessee. "They definitely have an Old-World look, and people just gravitate toward it."

It's all about the details, he says, and it's true. Tudor revival is a detailed style that thrives on variety, in terms of materials - most homes in the style include stone, brick and half-timbering - and architectural elements.

For instance, on the Tudor-inspired new house shown here, Looney used a chocolate-colored mortar between the bricks and specified that they be pushed in and out to create a rough look.

"I really liked the detail of this house," says homeowner Amy Mulron, who lives in the house with her husband, Tim, and their children. "It seemed obvious to us that it wasn't a cookie-cutter house. It was very different."

It had classic storybook appeal, too.

"My daughter, who feels that she is a princess, felt it looked like a princess' house," Mulron says.

Who can resist that?

The details of this house:
Detailed trim. The ends of these gables flare out for extra interest, and the trim is wide and layered.

Brick. During installation on this house, it was pushed in and out to create a rough, uneven look, and chocolate-colored mortar adds distinction, too.

Large windows. Multi-paned windows with a transom add light to the interior and grandeur to the house.

Stone. Here, stone defines the entry and is one of several exterior materials. The crenellated battlement (the cut-out squares that make it look like a castle) is a Tudor touch.

Window details. These are regular windows with diamond-shaped muntins (the strips that look like they divide the glass into panes) to replicate old glass.

Half-timbering. It's mixed with real stucco for authenticity.

Gables. Here, three large gables provide a little symmetry, although Tudor-inspired houses often are quite asymmetrical.

This Tudor revival-style house, owned by Tim and Amy Mulron in northern Williamson County, was designed and built in 2001 by Castle Contractors, a local custom design/build firm.