Colonial Revival (late 1800s to mid-1950s):
Spanning more than a century, Colonial Revival is a popular style in the District and its suburbs.
“I don’t know if there’s a neighborhood without it,” Brierton says.
The lines are symmetrical; the windows are often in pairs. A small porch supported by pilasters may cover the front door.
The Fairlington apartment complex in Arlington County is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a fine display of Colonial Revival style. Two other notable examples are the Frances Perkins House (2326 California St. NW) and Meridian Manor in Columbia Heights.
Tudor Revival (late 1800s to 1940):
Tudor Revivals are recognized by the decorative wood timbers on their facade; the tall, narrow windows with diamond panes; and the severely pitched roofs. There are, of course, variations on the theme.
The majority of houses in Northwest’s Foxhall Village and in Baltimore’s Tuscany-Canterbury neighborhood are Tudors.
Another landmark is the Newlands-Corby Mansion in Chevy Chase.
Beaux-Arts (1880 to 1920):
From apartment buildings to embassies, Beaux-Arts examples line Massachusetts Avenue NW from Dupont Circle to Sheridan Circle and fill the Meridian Hill area.
Sculptural decoration, grand entrances and staircases, balustrades, pilasters and garlands are typical of Beaux-Arts design. These buildings generally have a flat roof, and many have arched windows.
A classic Beaux-Arts is the Patterson House (now the Washington Club) on Dupont Circle, Moeller says.
The Mexican Cultural Institute, formerly the McVeagh residence, at 2829 16th St. NW was designed by Nathan Wyeth, the only Washington-based architect who received his diploma from the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, Williams says.
American Craftsman (1905 to 1930):
See a bungalow and chances are it’s an American Craftsman, which features low pitched roofs with eaves and front porches with large square columns.
The floor plans are compact, Williams says. (You won’t see the Victorian-era servant wings and quarters.) There’s an all-purpose living room and often a bedroom on the first floor.
Dunblane in Tenleytown is a Craftsman, and the 16th Street Heights neighborhood has many Craftsman and American Foursquare houses.
Mid-Century Modern (mid-1940s to mid-1970s):
Pockets of Mid-Century Modern houses can be found in many spots, including Alexandria and Cleveland Park.
These houses are low and boxy, and often feature floor-to-ceiling windows. They have open floor plans and use finishing materials such as steel and aluminum or wood and glass.
Designed by Walter Gropius and the Architects Collaborative, the Hechinger House on Chain Bridge Road in Northwest is an example.
An I.M. Pei-designed house at 3411 Ordway St. NW in Cleveland Park has three barrel-vaulted arches. A collection of other houses designed by Pei is right around the corner on Rowland Place.
Laura Barnhardt Cech is a freelance writer.