In a good Georgian house, the facade
and the roof appear to be engaged in a
dialogue, each taking a separate point of
view, each getting a chance to make its
point.
What we admire in Colonial- and
Federal-style houses is their balance
and constraint. The houses are simple,
dignified, even powerful, yet neither
roof nor wall are exaggerated. In a lowcost
Colonial farmhouse, for instance,
walls and roof are very simple and
unadorned, with any decoration lavished
on the front door and chimney.
In more costly Georgian homes, the
eaves, rakes, window and door surrounds,
and building corners are often
elaborately trimmed, and in extreme
cases the walls extend with balustrades
to make the home look more monumental.
In