Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Little vernacular country house in Druid Hills

From the picture you can't tell that this house is on a busy street in an impressive neighborhood. The lot is small but the setting is a spacious mini-estate. Gravel drives curve around. Click here to see a big picture.
P2132135-Emory-Vernacular

Additions on the back preserve the perfect proportions of the facade.
P2132137-Emory-Vernacular

They don't build houses like this in any neighborhood. Unless this one is historic, it's doomed. But this is the one house on a long drive east from Morningside the makes me feel good every time.

It's easy to impress with bigness, expensive details, extensive landscaping, appeals to modern tastes. But you don't often get charm. Small spec homes are cheap and usually look cheap. Folks building custom homes build big, impressive, and to the trends.

I guess that's the safe thing.

Remember this Briarlake Vernacular?
P1291842BriarLakeVernacularTight

4 comments:

  1. that first house is perfect and charming! I could move in tomorrow :-) While it is a bit small for current tastes, unfortunately, I think homes of that quality and style are still being built. I always prefer small houses of quality and charm over big houses.

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  2. When "they" build vernacular these days, it's with a big budget and an architect. You get a big, high-styled, charm, but not affordable for ordinary folks.

    There is one in Atlanta's Brookhaven neighborhood. It's beautiful, approachable, and stands out even among the many other great houses in the neighborhood. It would take a few million$ to duplicate.

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  3. Hi Sir I am a regular visitor for blog as am an architect in india....

    i would request to write more about green architecture... eco friendly etc.... as i practice them...

    architects as architecural know more about Green eco architectural designs are reusable materials, green designs etc.. ..… Create an Eco friendly Green design… Save Earth.. interior designers Bangalore as of natural materials interior designers in Bangalore with almost modern concepts architects bangalore

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  4. Isn't this right down from Emory? They're doing something with it...tore down a structure next door and seem to be making a park or something? I think the house is safe, though.

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