“ On the whole, this project has been spectacularly successful, we really love the new kitchen, bath and patio! ”
A.P., Bethesda, MD
Greek Revival
With British influence in America waning considerably after the War of 1812 and the nation rapidly expanding westward, the Greek Revival style was a fundamental expression of America’s triumphant sense of destiny. It also conveyed the idea that the newly formed nation was the spiritual successor to Greece, the birthplace of democracy. Americans’ sympathy and support for Greece’s war of independence from Turkey also contributed to this notion.
Greek Revival is an excellent example of an architectural style that gained popularity by exploring parallels between an earlier culture and the present day. It was popular from about 1825 to 1860 until the Civil War.
As temple-fronted facades on the nation’s churches, banks, town halls, and houses became increasingly prevalent, Greek Revival turned into the unofficial national style. Appropriate to the nation’s emerging sense of self, one of the country’s first Greek Revival buildings was the Second Bank of the United States, built in Philadelphia between 1819 and 1824.
The style moved West with the early settlers and acquired subtle regional differences along the way. Not surprisingly, the fastest growing regions ended up with the largest number of Greek Revival homes. Popular fascination with Greek Revival began to wane in the late 1800s as architects in the eastern U.S. explored other styles, such as Gothic and Italianate.
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Characteristics
Homes in the Greek Revival style are usually painted white to resemble the white marble of this style’s impressive and costly public buildings. Heavy cornices, gables with pediments, and unadorned friezes are specific details. Gable-fronted construction, found in many of today’s homes, is one of the style’s enduring legacies.
Materials
Stucco and wood, and occasionally stone, are the essential building materials of the Greek Revival style. Intended to resemble stone or marble temples, the buildings are either painted white or enhanced with a faux finish, as seen with the Lee Mansion at Arlington National Cemetery.
Windows
The size of window panes in historically accurate Greek Revival residences typically reflect mid-19th-century glazing technologies. As a result, most windows are double-hung with six panes to each sash. Decorative windows are frequently found in three-part assemblages. Among the style’s unique features are the small rectangular windows set into the frieze beneath the cornice instead of dormer windows, which were common at the time. In this style, window surrounds tend to be less elaborate than doorways.
Roof
Low-pitched gable and hip roofs are typical. The cornice line is often embellished with a broad trim band to emphasize the temple-like roof. Standing seam tin or cedar shingles were common roofing materials in the early 1800s, so they are often found in Greek Revival homes.
Columns
Columns and pilasters are among the most common elements of Greek Revival. Although classical columns are round, the Greek Revival style incorporates square or octagonal columns. Some columns don’t feature bases, as seen in the Greek style, while others have bases, as seen in the Roman adaptation. Greek Revival columns can be fluted or smooth, but they’re almost always made of wood.
Classic Greek architecture includes three types of capitals, which is the uppermost section of a column. The simplest and most common capital found in Greek Revival is the unadorned Doric style. Only a few columns feature Ionic capitals, and even fewer are of the Corinthian order. Pilasters are occasionally used in Greek Revival architecture, adding a row of column-like protrusions to an otherwise flat wall.
Entrance
Because the vault design was unknown to the Greeks, a simple post-and-beam construction is widely found in Greek Revival buildings. For this reason, the arched entrances and fanlights common in the Georgian and Federal styles were not part of the Greek Revival movement.
Elaborate door surrounds are standard features of Greek Revival homes. Small-paned sidelights and a rectangular transom are typically framed by heavy, wide trim, sometimes recessed for a more three-dimensional look. The door might be single or double-wide, divided into one, two, or four panels. A portico entrance or porch is almost always included as part of the front entrance.
The stately Greek Revival homes in the DC area have much to offer. You may be eager to update the materials, replace damaged features, or add to your living space. With help from Wentworth, you’ll gain a new appreciation for your home and improve your quality of life while staying true to the original architecture. Here are the Greek Revival home remodeling services we offer:
Greek Revival home remodeling
Greek Revival home additions
Greek Revival interior reconfigurations
Custom Greek Revival detailing
Greek Revival interior design services
Façade enhancements in the Greek Revival style
Water, insects, and excessive loading are the most significant reasons wood columns in Greek Revival homes fail over time. The wood may split or rot, causing structural concerns. Repair is essential to address the underlying damage and restore beauty and structural integrity to your home.
Yes! Our team can make it happen whether you want to restore or replace the cornices, column capitals, door surrounds, or other facade elements in the Greek Revival style. Our dedicated craftsmen are experts at restoration and recreation, depending on your home’s needs.
The time frame depends on the age and condition of your home, the scope of the work, and any underlying structural issues that arise. Before breaking ground, our team will thoroughly assess your home’s condition and prepare a comprehensive report of the work required, including any preliminary repairs. With this information, we can provide an accurate timeline estimate for you to consider before you commit.
Yes! The idea of aging in place is to make your home more accessible as you experience mobility changes that often come with age. Additions such as curbless showers and walk-in tubs, grab bars, comfort-height toilets, wider doorways, and other accessibility features make your home safer and more comfortable. We can even relocate your primary suite to the ground floor for easy access.
It may be possible depending on the cause and extent of the damage. When repair is possible, we will carefully cut and remove the damaged section. We will then apply any necessary inserts, wood filler, etc., and finish the work, so there is no evidence of any repair.