Originally Posted by
A2Mike
To "motz": There are degrees of everything and certainly some examples of "Contractor Classicism" [[a term I prefer to "McMansion") are much worse than others. Architecture with historical precedents has established canons of massing, proportion, materials, detailing, craftsmanship, and other considerations which ultimately determine how convincingly a given architect has understood and employed them in evoking whatever is characteristic of a particular style or period. Ambitious projects, such as the house under discussion for example, will often employ superb materials inappropriately and uninformed by those other considerations, and give a gloss of quality to a product which will not hold up to further scrutiny. Real estate advertising is full of puffery like "acres of marble" and "tons of crystal" when promoting the more conspicuous examples of such buildings. A good example of a well designed house in a historical style is the former Owen Skelton house, an Albert Kahn design, at Vendome and Ridge in the Farms, a few minutes drive from the Art Van house. Drive by both and consider which is the more convincing evocation of a French country manor, and which you would prefer to live in.