Hacienda Home Style .com

In our continuation to of the exploration of Colonial Spanish Style the exterior details are covered.  The homes may have included balconies and courtyards of the most typical Spanish style homes, but the American version has some other specific architectural details that should be present. 

Canvas Awnings: May have been striped or solid in color. The frame work may have been the traditional aluminum retractable style… but more traditionally an iron frame work with spear style finals would have been used.

Small Porches: Usually just big enough to land and get out the rain. Not typically enough room for furniture on homes with a small porch style.

This home has a small porch and awnings but it is not typical of the Revival style so traditionally associated with Southern California. 

A better depiction of Spanish Colonial Style would be this picture:

Low slung tiled roof and arched colonnade are typical in the Spanish Colonial architecture. The awning is rather large by typical in style. A small porch is evident. The use of smooth plaster walls and iron work balconies is also evidence of the era. 

Evidenced in this photograph are the characteristics of Spanish Colonial Revival Style.

Small square footage impart a modest, comfortable appearance.

The small porch at the entrance is typical as well as the use of smooth plater walls and low slung tiled roof line.

Notice the sculptural elements in the walls over the door and windows. Also the "bell tower" has a bit of architectural detail sculpted into the plaster.  

Wrought iron railings and a bit of iron window decoration all give evidence of the true style. A French Door in the front balcony may be a bit out of character as the doors usually faced inwards towards a courtyard. 

What's missing? Arches.  The design without any arched structural elements gives way to a bit of the Art Deco period.

Next, we investigate the interior design of Colonial Spanish Style. 

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So many styles are related to Spanish Colonial Style Homes… each with just a bit of difference.  Today we begin the research into the styles architectural details, interiors and furnishings. 

Sometimes referred to as the Spanish Colonial Revival Movement… Spanish Colonial Style became a fashionable during the 1915 Panama-California International Exposition in San Diego.  

The Exposition was held to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal and was built in San Diego in hopes of calling attention to the fact that this city had the first American Port of Call for ships traveling north after passing through the canal into the Pacific Ocean. 

The colonial Spanish style architecture dominated the early Spanish colonies in North and South America. 

The popularity of Southern California and it's culture became a nationwide movement after the novel Ramona was published and became hugely popular.

The impact the novel had on the culture and image of Southern California was enormous. Its romanticizing of Mexican colonial life gave the region a unique cultural identity and its publication coincided with the arrival of railroad lines to the region, bringing in countless tourists who wanted to see the locations in the novel.

Combinations of details from several eras of Mexican and Spanish architecture, marked most predominantly by the use of smooth plaster walls, concrete castings or terra cotta ornaments and clay tile roofs.

Other characteristics might include small porches or balcony, arched walkways, canvas awnings and decorative iron trim. 

California Romantica: Spanish Colonial and Mission-Style Houses

Revival architects have taken the grand scale interior rooms and transformed their designs into modest, comfortable designs that worked well in city planning.

This movie is a 1930 exploration of the entire state of California. I was fascinated the entire 10 minutes of the film.

San Diego, Las Angeles and San Francisco ports are shown in great detail. The "working" Missions of California and Spanish style homes are viewed. A Spanish style courtyard home (now a museum) and an adobe home are also in the film.

If you love Spanish style architecture, this film gives a glimpse of this style from the 1930's viewpoint. Of course, the movie also includes Olivera St. in Las Angeles and China Town in San Fransisco. Golden Gate park, Sequoia and Yosemite Parks[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrYWBXzvB3s[/youtube]  

This is a varied subject that will take time to explore. Their are many "ages" in the Spanish Colonial Style era.  

Technorati Tags: spanish colonial style, spanish revival, colonial spanish style, southern california, spanish style homes