Lead Paint Hysteria and the Destruction of Historic Windows.
What we are witnessing today with lead paint is not thoughtful public health policy. It is a modern witch hunt—fueled by misunderstanding, enforced without nuance, and carried out at the expense of historic architecture. A small, legitimate problem has been inflated into a universal crisis. And as usual, the solution being pushed is the most [...]
Walkway Lighting vs. Landscape Lighting
Walkway - Pathway lighting is a trend you see almost everywhere on middle-class homes these days. Not only walkway lighting but lights everywhere - on fence posts, newel posts, around trees, everywhere you could imagine. Just like black and white houses , this trend is out of control! This is a cheap attempt at curb [...]
The Problem with Brick Halfway Up a House
Brick or stone halfway up the façade of a house is a common feature seen in all new construction and renovations today. This trend is not new but originated in Mid-century homes. If you look at many mid-century houses , you will notice a common feature: brick or stone covering the lower third — and [...]
Roof Balustrade, Widow’s Walks, and Roof Cresting: The Difference and Proportion
Roof balustrades, Widow’s walks, and Roof cresting are signature features of historic American architecture that define a home’s character and era. These elegant rooftop details—whether the classical railing of a Georgian house, a simple railing on a Craftsman house, or the decorative iron cresting of a Victorian mansion—add beauty, proportion, and distinction to the roofline. [...]