BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE

 

By Caroline Clemmons

Writing a book involves dozens of details. You and my fan group, Caroline’s Cuties, helped name the horses and dog. Thank you! That was fun. Those were only a tiny part of writing a book.

For instance, they have to have a house. Usually, I select a Victorian frame home. Sometimes I use brick to build the house. In the town in which we used to live, there’s a beautiful Victorian home of red brick. The home has an elevator, which must have been expensive and unusual at the time the home was built. I’ve been in the front room of that home, but didn’t get to try the elevator. On one visit, the hostess opened the elevator door for my friend and I so we could see inside.

For Keith Martin’s home, I wanted something different, but correct for the period. My youngest daughter and I love to go on home tours and also simply drive through certain neighborhoods that contain lovely homes. We don't covet those homes, we simply enjoy seeing the variety of details. After recalling those we’ve toured or seen, I decided on Italianate-style architecture for Keith’s home. Of course, Keith would never have conceived of building such an elaborate house. He was fortunate that his friend Levi Iverson (book 4) steered him toward buying the home.

Here’s a photo that 

is the closest I found. 

This one has been divided 

into apartments.

If you (as I wasn't) aren’t familiar with the definition of Italianate, here is what Wikipedia says:

Italianate architecture is a popular 19^th century style of building that was inspired by 16^th century Italian Renaissance architecture combined with Picturesque influences from farmhouses of the Tuscan countryside.

This Victorian-era style that began in Britain and spread around the world favored the use of elements from a romanticized past to create buildings that offered an alternative to the prevailing formality of classical architecture.

That’s not as helpful as it could be, is it? So, I kept looking. Here are some elements included:

Tall house from two to four stories

May have a Belvedere cupola or tower on top

Decorative window trim, tall windows

Bay windows

Porches with decorative woodwork

Cast iron or pressed metal decorative elements on balconies and porches

Entrances with decorative details such as columns and brackets

Elliana and Keith's Foyer

She expected to live in a log cabin

or small home until she arrived.

 

You can read about it in their story as it appears in KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, book 5, Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides. If you haven’t read it, get your copy at:

https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Order-Bride-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0CW7B2GZS/

There are four earlier books in the series: GENTRY (the rancher. Book 1), JESSE (the sheriff, book 2), QUINN (the reluctant rancher, book 3), and LEVI, book 4). All are available on Amazon in e-book and print, and all are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. Here’s the series link—if you scroll through the ads.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Texas+Hill+Country+Mail+Order+Brides+Series&i=stripbooks&crid=1LSNU1RCRR4EP&sprefix=texas+hill+country+mail+order+brides+series%2Cstripbooks%2C139&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and keep reading!