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McKenna Hagan

Ivey

Honors Interior Design II

14 March 2017

Second Empire House Style Research Paper

The Second Empire house is an extravagant piece of artwork. As part of the Victorian

time period, the Second Empire homes are commonly associated with haunted houses. The dark

colors and detailing gives this haunted feature. The Second Empire housing style came about

because of the French Revolution and Napoleon IIIs take over of France.

The Second Empire style of housing, which is also commonly referred to as a Mansard

house because of its unique roof, originates back to the 17th century designs of French architect

Francois Mansart. Hence the name for the style of roof: Mansard. The mansard roof is defined

as, a roof that has two slopes on all sides, with a lower slope being steep and the upper slope

almost flat (Homes and Interiors). 17th century France included the French Revolution and reign

of Napoleon III, as stated earlier. His fierce takeover of France happened between the years of

1852 to 1870, causing not only a shift in French ruling but in the French culture. During the

French Revolution, art was influenced heavily and it was then translated onto housing and they

were built in extravagance to model the era. This historical influence drastically changed the

housing style in that time period because it offered a new way for artists-in this case architects-

to express themselves. Expression of this kind comes around to resemble the time period vividly

and overall have great affects on the style and architecture. These social, economical, and

political changes packed a heavy influence into the housing style, as reflected by the Second

Empire style. This new found culture and its influences was then transported from France, to the
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United Kingdom, to then the United States. The Second Empire style became popular in the

United States in the 1860s and 70s. The style especially flourished in America after the Civil

War. It was mostly found in the northeastern and midwestern parts of the country. (PHMC

Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide)

The Second Empire styles influences from France were reflected and shown in great

detail. The key feature of the house is without a doubt, the mansard roof. Back then it was

considered both a fashionable and functional element since it created a fully usable attic

space.(PHMC Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide). Other common features includes: iron

cresting on the roof, bracketed cornices, corner quoins, dormer windows, arched windows and an

occasional balustrade. Typically, the style was very symmetrical and commonly had towers at the

top for more decoration. Shingling on the roofs were unique as well. Fish scaling was

commonly used to decorate it. Other decorative features included belts around the houses and

extravagant gingerbread trim tying the all of the outdoor features together (Second Empire

Architecture Facts and History). Furniture found in this style house is typically dark wood, such

as, mahogany or ebony. Interior designers worked with upholsterers and designed heavy, thick

curtains and other hanging that had braids and trimmings. These curtains were found in

bedrooms or living rooms (Buffalo as an Architectural Museum).

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Example of a Second Empire House (Picture used for my

3D model)

Example of cresting

Example of corner quoins

Example of towers on a Mansard house

Today, in the United States, Mansard style homes can still be found. It was mostly

popular around 1855-1885, but the style quickly faded after the panic of 1873 and an economic
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depression. It remained in the Pacific Northwest much longer. Majority of the style is found on

public buildings or in modern renovations. Many of the current Second Empire style homes are

found towards the west coast nowadays. After World War II, many subdivisions called for

certain housing regulations and the Mansard offered a solution. The ordinance called for a one

story house or low pitched structures. This style gave a gateway for two story houses to be

accessible while still following the regulations. Because of the roof structure, it commonly hid

the appearance of a second floor, allowing a loop hole into these regulations. A famous architect

named John Elgin Woolf, popularized the Mansard style in Los Angeles for numerous

Hollywood movie stars. His designs, often called "Hollywood Regency", were embraced by

those who yearned for a traditional formality. Many of his homes were featured in period shelter

magazines such as Better Homes & Gardens and House Beautiful. (Washington State

Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation).

Example of a modern Mansard style home (Athens, NY)

The house I designed for my 3D model is of course, a Second Empire style house. In

order to construct it, I had to begin with a picture that included earlier. With that picture, I got

my measurements and used them accordingly to cut out my base from the board provided. From

there, I had to V-groove where the walls would meet and then glue the ends together. I painted
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my house next and started on the roof. This was the most difficult part because my roof is more

complicated. I measured and cut it out of cardstock (this took several tries) and then glued it

onto my house. For more details, I cut out different windows and a front door. A small porch

was then added along with columns on either side of the door and some decorative trim at the top

of the overhang. More details, such as, corner quoins, a belt, and a tower were added as well.

All together the house turned out well, but it was much more difficult than I had imagined.

In conclusion, the Second Empire style, which is commonly seen as haunted houses, is a

grab from 17th century France and was then brought to the United States, where it shortly

became popular. The Second Empire housing style came about because of the French

Revolution and Napoleon IIIs take over of France. The events going on in France at the time

heavily influenced the housing style and features. Its design features, like the mansard roof,

distinguished it from other styles as well. This style can still be found today in certain locations

but is mostly seen in public buildings now. Altogether, this style is unique and has interesting

history behind it.

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Works Cited:

Housing and Interior Design Book: Lewis, Evelyn L., and Carolyn S. Turner.

Housing and Interior Design. Tinley Park, Il.: Goodheart-Willcox, n.d. Print.

Homes and Interiors Book: Sherwood, Ruth F. Homes & Interiors. Woodland

Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print.

"Mansard." Mansard. Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic

Preservation, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.

"PHMC Second Empire/Mansard Style 1860 - 1900." PHMC Pennsylvania

Architectural Field Guide. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, n.d. Web. 26 Feb.

2017.

"Second Empire Style (1855-1885)." Second Empire Architecture Facts and

History. Wentworth, 29 June 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

"Second Empire." Second Empire. Buffalo as an Architectural Museum, 2002.

Web. 26 Feb. 2017.