A shingle style home: Delving into the details of this timeless coastal architectural design
In the picturesque town of East Hampton, a modern example of the Shingle style house can be found. Sandra Cavallo's renovated home, perched high on a bluff overlooking Old Silver Beach and the Herring River salt marsh, is a testament to the enduring appeal of this distinctive American architectural form.
Originating in the Northeastern United States during the late 19th century, the Shingle style developed as an adaptation of English Arts and Crafts movement, Queen Anne style, and Colonial Revival architecture. H.H. Richardson, a noted American architect, was a pioneer in this style, contributing to its development as a modern American architectural expression.
The distinctive features of Sandra's shingle home include silvery grey shingles, cross-gambrel rooflines, shed dormers, and large covered porches and lookout decks. The strategic placement of windows takes advantage of the expansive views of Buzzard's Bay. The exterior of the house features covered porches or piazzas encircling the primary rooms, generously sized double-hung windows, and French doors.
Inside, the interior of a Shingle Style house should be eclectic, often reflecting people's travels and history. Wood floors throughout, whether plank or parquet, are topped by carpets that could be Persian, sisal, or anything between. Chintz and patterned wallpapers are to be expected in shingled houses, especially in the bedrooms. The 'Hall', at the centre of a Shingle style house plan, often serves as the entrance hall, primary living room, or a combination of both.
Sandra's renovation aimed to respect the original design while incorporating modern sustainability principles. The shingle style extension features porches encircling the house, a nod to the traditional Shingle architecture of New England and Long Island, characterized by shingled facades made from wood, stylized columns, and wraparound porches.
The floor plan of a shingle-style house is unique, with a simplicity in floor plans and massing, and the wood exteriors providing a continuous volume. Colours in a Shingle style home can be pale and monochromatic or bold and varied.
The Shingle style is distinctive for its integration with the environment, reliance on wooden shingle cladding as both protective and decorative skin, irregular and expansive roof shapes, and an Americanized architectural vocabulary that combines colonial nostalgia with Victorian complexity and Arts and Crafts craftsmanship. It remains a hallmark of the Northeastern coastal and rural architectural heritage.
Thus, Sandra Cavallo's renovated home in East Hampton stands as a beautiful example of the Shingle style, blending seamlessly with its natural surroundings while showcasing the unique charm and character of this American architectural form.
The interior design of Sandra Cavallo's renovated home echoes an eclectic lifestyle, reflecting her travels and history, with wooden floors and carpets of various textures, chintz, and patterned wallpapers adorning the walls, especially in the bedrooms. The home-and-garden layout includes large covered porches and lookout decks, carefully positioned to offer stunning views of the Herring River salt marsh and Buzzard's Bay, which blend the Shingle style house effortlessly with its surroundings.
