How Old is My House? A Greater Chicagoland Home Inspection Primer Pt 8, St Charles, IL

Greater Chicagoland Home Inspection's new blog, "Life at the OLD Homestead" is meant as a primer for those interested in intricacies of old homes. I love old homes...I love inspecting them, I love restoring them, I love living in them. This is dedicated to that passion, and hopefully will shed some light on some of the finer points of these time capsules.

Determining the Age of your Home:  Popular Home Styles

Another method to dating your home is to determine when the popular styles were constructed.  One the style is determined, typically it is possible to find similar homes in the area that may have construction dates recorded with the township.  In the next few blogs, I will develop a historical timeline and other information associated with specific details of each style of home. 

Prairie Style, 1900-1920

 There is nothing more innovative and classic as the Prairie Style.  Having lived in Oak Park, IL for a number of years, the fascination and wonder of this style is still with me. 

Frank Lloyd Wright who lived and worked in Oak Park, Il was one of America's most innovative architects.  His primary objective was to create organic architecture which became one with nature.   

Wright was the first to develop the prairie style; a style whose gently sloping roofs and low proportions fit with the quiet beauty of the prairie.  The architecture was one with the spirit of the Great Midwest Prairies.  

The style is easily recognizable by the strong horizontal lines and one story projections.  Typically, the prairie style also has belt courses and oversized eves which appear to become one with the ground.

The interior is open, with rows of small windows and art glass, all presumably to enjoy the tranquility of the scenery that the expanses that the prairie offers.

Frank Lloyd Wright houses furniture was developed specifically for each floor plan.  Each piece was formulated to work within the style of the house and work in concert with every other piece as well.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio is a treat if you are visiting the Oak Park Area.  There are tours daily, as well as walking tours of all of Frank Lloyd Wrights Homes in the area, and in the Midwest.

Determining the Age of your Home is written by Greater Chicagoland Home Inspection, a St Charles, Illlinois Home Inspection Company.  If you are in the market to purchase a home in the Kane, Cook , DuPage, or Dekalb counties of Illinois, contact us for your inspection needs.