Listen up, class – it’s time for your regularly scheduled architecture lesson. Today we’ll be exploring an interesting little movement, and will take a look at a beautiful example of this architecture in Massachusetts.
During the late 1800s, a revived interest in 17th century colonial architecture influenced the rise of a new design trend: shingle-style houses. These rustic-looking homes were a revolt against the popular Queen Anne style, with its busy spindle work and ornamented gables. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, shingle-style architecture “was characterized by a free-flowing, open plan and frequent interpenetrations between interior and exterior space… [while] the irregular elevation of the building convey[ed] a feeling of openness”.
The shingled home shown here in Beverly, MA, “might well be the best of all the surviving shingle-style houses of the 1880s”, says author and scholar Vincent Scully. Known as The Loring House, the 8,500 square foot manse was designed by William Ralph Emerson for General Charles G. Loring and his wife, Mary, and was completed in 1884.
Now on the market for $4.1 million, this piece of architectural history is located just 30 minutes from Boston overlooking the Salem Sound. The interiors of the home showcase beautiful wood paneling, carved mantelpieces and banisters, and hardwood floors. Eleven bedrooms and eleven baths provide ample room for guests. A solarium, boating house, dining pergola, and a long, sandy beachfront provide extensive opportunities for entertainment.
Though the house is in need of some restoration, it has fantastic bones (to see photos of the property in all its furnished glory, visit The Loring House’s official website). With some conscientious work, the Loring House will continue to be a stunning example of shingle-style. Who knows, it may even spark a second revival!
This listing is presented by Joanie Purinton. All exterior photos by Steve Rosenthal.
See more Home and Style at REALTOR.com
Browse more Beverly, Massachusetts, real estate at REALTOR.com
Check out the official listing at REALTOR.com
