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Emma Patterson

Janet Ivey

Interior Design II Honors

14 March 2017

Federal Style Housing

The Federal is seen as one of Americas classic styles that reflects the growing wealth of

the new nation (Historic). Since the end of the Revolutionary War, the Federal style house has

evolved and inspired new housing styles all around the nation (HGTV).

The Federal style dominated the American architectural landscape from 1780 to 1840.

The term Federal connotes the time after the Revolutionary War when the establishment of the

new Federal government took place (Wentworth). Americans wanted cultural as well as political

independence, so they began to change the style of their buildings to reflect their change of

allegiance (Vila). This style is often described as a refinement of the Georgian style home with

European trends woven in. The architect credited with the design and creation of the Federal

style home is Robert Adam. Adam traveled to the Mediterranean where he studied both classical

Roman and Greek monuments.

During this era, many architects

appeared in the Americas,

specifically Charles Bulfinch.

Bulfinch is credited with bringing

the Federal style to the United States

after he toured Europe (Historic).

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Since the Federal style connotes Americas hard-won independence, many architectural

aficionados and preservationists admire the style (Wentworth, Bruce) .

The Federal style is often thought as a classic American style. It is an especially popular

style for wealthy homeowners in and around Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and

Washington D.C (Dyas). The materials used to build the Federal actually varied depending on

the location. The homes in the Northeast were typically made of clapboard, while Southern

homes were made of brick (Wentworth). Similar to the Georgian, the Federal is designed around

a half center hall floor plan. The elements they share are symmetry, classical details, and a side

gable roof, yet they are different in ornamentation and sophistication. The details of the Federal

style are more delicate and lacy than the preceding heavier Georgian. With the development of

the Federal came more formal features, such as front door fanlight windows, flanking sidelights,

and more elaborate door surrounds and porticos. The Federal is also well known for its

extravagant three-part or Palladian windows with curved arches (PHMC).

The characteristics of the Federal are very specific and unique to the style. The windows

of the Federal are never grouped, instead they are arranged individually in strict horizontal and

vertical symmetry. As mentioned before, the Federal is known for its Palladian windows, but the

rest of the windows on the front of the house are usually double hung and 6 over 6. The standard

size for the panes were 6 by 8, but as technology improved the size increased to 8 by 13. The

entrance of the Federal is the most decorated aspect of the house. It usually has an elliptical

fanlight and dentil molding around the doorway and near the roof. The Federal typically has one

main entrance, but can have many auxiliary doors leading to patios, decks, and the backyard or

side yards. The design of the door can vary from plain to fancy depending on the elaborateness
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of the house (Andersen). The doors include a six-panel pattern topped with an arched transom

window, framed with simple pilasters and a decorative crown-like roofing (Edgar). Federal

homes distinguish the main entry by painting the door a dark color that contrasts with the

traditional white trim. This style of home is traditionally white windows and white trim, but

more recently the color scheme has become more varied . Lastly, the roof of the Federal is

typically a hip roof capped with a balustrade or has a simple flat roof (Andersen).
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The Federal style furniture, or American neoclassical outside of U.S borders, shares

many similar elements with neoclassical furniture from Europe, but the Americans named their

version of neoclassical furniture Federal because of the era it became popular. Federal furniture

made its first appearance in the U.S during the Federal era, the time after the Revolutionary War,

when the Federalists were battling the anti-Federalists over what form of government America

should take. Federal furniture peaked between 1789 and 1820, though its influence has not died.

This style was most popular in large cities and port towns along the U.S Eastern Seaboard. These

towns and cities were home to many wealthy people who had ties to Europe and these places

were large manufacturers of the Federal style furniture. Like the neoclassical furniture of Europe

that inspired it, Federal style furniture looked to classic Greek and Roman designs for influence.

Federal furniture is wood furniture featuring colored inlays and geometric designs. According to

the Columbus Museum, there are several clues that a piece of furniture is from the Federal

period, or at least inspired by it such as contrasting dark and light veneers, clean edges, straight

lines and carvings that include ribbons, swags, fruit baskets, half moons, eagles, drapery, and

shields (McDonald).

In present day United States you will see the Federal style home adapted into a new style

known as New Classical architecture. New Classical architecture is a contemporary movement of

architecture that combines both classical and traditional architecture. Since New Classical
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architecture is not an architectural style and can appear in various forms, contemporary classical

buildings might be referred to as Neoclassical

Architecture (Wikiwand). The rebirth of the

Federal style can be attributed to the movement

of postmodern architectures embrace of

classical elements due to the dominance of

Modernism. Today, due to a plethora of

classical architecture education programs, one can

find numerous buildings modeling the neoclassical

style such as the White House and United States

Capitol (Wikipedia).

The house I constructed is a classic Southern

style Federal because of the materials, specifically

brick, that are used to build and decorate Southern Federal homes. The roof on my house is a

simple flat roof that is embellished with a balustrade and underneath is lined with ornamental

molding, specifically dentil. Both the balustrade

and dentil molding are significant and unique

characteristics to the 18th Century Federal style

home. Atop of the roof, there are two slender

chimneys, key elements in the design. You may

also see many 6 over 6 windows on my house due

to the fact that they are the common style of

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window used for a Federal style home. Lastly, the front door is decorated with many important

and identifiable elements for the Federal house including an elliptical fanlight, sidelights, and a

elaborate crown shaped portico.

The Federal style has significantly impacted the housing styles of the nation. Without

Robert Adam and Charles Bulfinch, two great architects, the classic American style would never

have been known. The Federal was influenced by the 18th Century Georgian and inspired a new

traditional style known as the New Classical. Next time you travel up north look around at the

architecture, youll be surprised by the amount of Federal style influence you will run into.
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Works Cited

Andersen Windows "Home Style Library." Georgian-Federal Home Style., n.d. Web. 26 Feb.

2017.

Dyas, Brie. "What's That House? A Guide to Federal Style Homes." Porch Advice., 15 June

2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

Edgar, J.M "The Colonial Styles: Georgian and Federal Architecture." Colonial Styles:

Georgian and Federal Architecture | Homeowner Guide | Design/Build Kitchens, Baths,

Additions & Home Remodeling in Lincoln, Nebraska., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

Hgtv. "Federal Architecture." HGTV. HGTV, 24 Apr. 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

Historic New England "Architectural Style Guide." Historic New England., n.d. Web. 26 Feb.

2017.

McDonald, Heather. "Federal Style Furniture." LoveToKnow. n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

PHMC "PHMC Federal Style 1780 -1820." PHMC Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide.,

n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

Wentworth, Bruce "Federal." Askthearchitect., 05 Mar. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

Wentworth. "Federal / Adam Style (1780-1840)." Federal Style Architecture Facts and

History | Guide to Architectural Styles | Home Remodeling & Architecture in Maryland

(MD), Virginia (VA), Washington, DC. N.p., 29 June 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

Wikipedia "Neoclassical Architecture." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Jan. 2017. Web.

26 Feb. 2017.

Wikiwand "New Classical Architecture." Wikiwand., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

Vila, Bob. "Federal Houses." Bob Vila., 09 July 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.