Authentic Victorian Villas and Cottages

Book excerpt: More than 100 magnificent home plans provide lovers of Victoriana the finest examples of period architecture. Compiled by Isaac Hobbs, a prominent Philadelphia architect of the period, the book also offers an informative discussion on the principles and practices of practical home design and construction. Designs and floor and ground plans for villas, cottages, and other residences are revealed in 122 detailed engravings, among them a six-room ornamental cottage (without bathroom facilities) for $1,500; an elegant Elizabethan villa, with entry hall, library, china closet, and five bedrooms, for $27,000; and an ornate Gothic suburban residence, complete with parlor, sitting room, dressing rooms, six bedrooms, and two bathrooms, at a cost of $33,000. Invaluable to architects, preservationists, and home restorers, this authentic guide to a wealth of house styles from the late 1800s will also delight anyone intrigued by Victorian life.