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an architect or paraprofessional and con-
structed of higher quality materials.
In the Astoria area, I have noticed the fol-
lowing styles to be prevalent. However, there
is a wide variety of styles. The listed elements
are guidelines, not absolute rules.
Folk National: mid 1800s to 1930. House
styles changed as railroads made building
materials easier to transport. This caused a
movement away from regional styles of local
materials to wood frame buildings of simple
style. The common form is the gabled front
house of one or two stories with a covered
front porch. There is little ornamentation. An
example of this style is the Customs House in
Astoria.
Italianate: 1840 to 1885. Many of the ear-
liest surviving grander homes in Astoria are
Italianate. Usually, there are two or three sto-
ries with a low pitched roof. The eaves have
decorative brackets or corbels. The windows
are crowned, multi-paned, tall, narrow and
perfect for long lace curtains. Decorative exte-
rior trim elements can be quite ornate, espe-
cially in the late Italianate.
Victorian: 1860 to 1900. Victorian is a time
era, not a house style. Queen Anne, Stick,
Shingle and Folk styles are numerous. An
example of Queen Anne is the Flavel House
with all of its asymmetry, detailed “ginger-
bread” wood work, observation cupola, wrap
around porch, tower, etc. Folk Victorians have
simpler woodwork detailing and are usu-
ally smaller in size. These house styles are an
exercise in excessive ornamentation and wor-
thy of a separate column.
Colonial Revival: 1880 to 1955. The
American centennial in 1876 created an inter-
est in the colonial era, ushering in this popu-
lar style. Usually, there is an accentuated front
door with a portico and round columns. Doors
can have fanlights or sidelights. The façade
is typically symmetrical. Windows are typi-
cally a cottage size double hung. Houses can
be single or multistoried, although the sin-
gle story is more rare. There are multiple sub-
types, as this was the dominant building style
after the Victorian Queen Anne style passed
from fashion.
Craftsman: 1900 to 1930. This was a dom-
inant style for smaller homes in the early 20th
century. The Craftsman bungalow is one or
two stories, with a low pitched roof. Eaves
are wide and unenclosed. Square columns
or piers support a full or partial width front
porch. Woodwork is without ornamentation.
Rafters are exposed. Knee braces on gables
are often present. There is an emphasis on nat-
ural materials, wood, stone, river rock, earth
tone colors, etc.
American Foursquare: 1895-late to 1930s.
This is a common multistory house shape
with a square floor plan, “boxy” design,
hipped roof and center dormer. There are typi-
Zillow
ABOVE: A Folk Victorian home in Astoria. Despite renovations, one can see the bones of a Folk Victorian. The more simpler style is more practical
and affordable than the more opulent Italianate and Queen Anne styles. INSET: The Forsstrom House’s 1915 extensive remodel of a 1894 one
story Victorian created a modified American Foursquare in Craftsman style.
cally four rooms upstairs and downstairs. The
boxy shape provides a large amount of inte-
rior room space to make efficient use of a city
lot. These homes can be in many styles; Prai-
rie, craftsman, Colonial Revival and Folk.
Mixtures. Often, homes have a mix of
styles. One of my personal favorites is near
11th and Grand Avenue. It is an American
Foursquare with a Queen Anne wrap around
porch with Colonial Revival columns. It is a
charming house.
This summary is not meant to be com-
plete, but it might give you an idea for further
research. I have also seen examples of Tudor
Revival, Prairie, Mission and others. Keep in
mind that original elements of a house might
be missing. The subject of house styles is
complex, but understanding your house style
is essential to making correct choices for ren-
ovations or restorations in the absence of pho-
tographic documentation.
Lauri Serafin is the owner of the Forsstrom
House in Astoria’s Shively-McClure Historic
District. She can be contacted at Forsstrom-
House@gmail.com. You can find more details
about her restoration work at theforsstrom
house.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022 // 5