Here is the best of both worlds: New houses with old world sensibilities. In Creating a New Old House, architect Russell Versaci shows you that it is possible to design and create a new house that looks and feels like it has always been there.

Versaci explores how architects, builders, and craftsmen are reinterpreting the traditional American house. Through photographs and engaging text, discussions of history and craftsmanship, and sidelong glances at the workings of real old houses, Versaci explains how traditional houses go together and what gives them their unique design appeal.

• Features 17 new, old-style houses -- from colonials to farmhouses -- from all over the country
• Versaci identifies Eight Pillars of Traditional Design that create a solid foundation for combining authentic, traditional design with livability to create homes that feel old yet work for the demands of modern family living.

About the author
Russell Versaci, is an accomplished residential architect who has spent two decades in professional practice designing traditional houses. Recognized for his expertise by his peers in traditional design, Versaci is a founding member of the Institute for Traditional Architecture, a select guild of architects dedicated to teaching the art and craft of traditional building.

"A book providing the guidance and details necessary to create a new/old house is long overdue. Russell Versaci writes with authority about the value of historical accuracy when creating a house with architectural integrity. He keeps the reader focused on both design direction and practical considerations."

-- Barbara Sallick, co-founder and senior vice-president of Design, Waterworks

"Russell Versaci presents a masterful survey of the best in new, historically inspired homes. But he gives us more than pretty pictures; he also shares the techniques that skilled designers use to achieve historical resonance and emotional impact. And for owners about to build a new traditional home, this book is an invaluable guide to showing the level of design skill you should expect from your architect."

-- Clem Labine, editorial director, Traditional Building

Introduction

Reviving the Classic Homes of the Past

A PORTFOLIO OF NEW OLD HOUSES

CALIFORNIA SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL
Recapturing the Romance of Spain

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANCH
River House in Big Sky Country

SPANISH-PUEBLO ADOBE
Reviving a Primitive Power

MIDWESTERN GREEK REVIVAL
An Honest Prairie Farmhouse

CONNECTICUT VALLEY COLONIAL
Relocating a Relic

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH FARMHOUSE
A New Farmstead with a Past

HUDSON VALLEY GREEK REVIVAL
Building by the Book

MARYLAND TIDEWATER PLANTATION
Preserving History

GERMAN STONE FARMHOUSE
Bringing a Farm Back to Life

CAPE COD COTTAGE
A House of Salvaged Bones

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT FARMHOUSE
A New Farmhouse for an Old Village

SOUTHERN ANTEBELLUM PLANTATION
Proper Southern Manners

FRENCH CREOLE COTTAGE
A Weathered Bayou Cottage

TEXAS GERMAN RANCH
Sunday House on the Prairie

FRENCH COLONIAL PLANTATION HOUSE
A Portrait of Louisiana Heritage

CRAFTSMAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BUNGALOW
House of Fine Woodworking

COLONIAL REVIVAL SHINGLE STYLE
New England in the Northwest

Directory of Architects

Let's find a great old house and fix it up." Perhaps you daydream of living in a home with a past. But in real life, you know that the adventure of rebuilding an old house often leads down a rocky road. By creating a new old house, you can skirt these troubles and satisfy your old-house soul. This book will show you the path to a new home that is patterned on tradition.

Two decades ago in architecture school I discovered my own passion for things old. At the time, Modernism was the rule of the day. The spare forms of Modern American homes did not have the connection to the old-fashioned arts and crafts that made traditional houses delightful places to live. In the world of Modernism, I was a lost soul.

Disenchanted, I turned to history for inspiration. While searching through dusty volumes in the library, I uncovered treasures. America was rich with forgotten styles, from the first colonial dwellings and styles of the new republic through early-twentieth-century classicism. Determined to rediscover the legacy of the past, I decided to make a career out of designing homes built on tradition.

Longing for an old house
Like many of you, my clients long to recreate the gracious homes of the past. In pursuit of their dreams, we have brought to life the new old house, a vintage home designed for modern living. We have unearthed forgotten details of style, building techniques, and materials with timeless character and integrated them with the benefits of modern conveniences. The houses we have created are new variations on classic styles, blending the emotional comforts of the past with the creature comforts of today.

Timeless pillars
As an architect, I delight in the complexity of designing houses. In the process, I have learned ways of building "new old," which have become my working tools. I call these principles the Pillars of Traditional Design. The Pillars are design principles drawn from the old ways of building which seamlessly weave the past into the present.

The houses in these pages have been created by architects, builders, and homeowners who are dedicated to making new old houses. These homes represent rich geographic diversity of regional styles in America. You will see portraits of seventeen new houses in the traditional styles of our forefathers: from the native forms of the Southwest and Spanish settlements in Florida and California, to the early architecture of the colonies from New England to Georgia, through the Greek Revival style, to the pioneer traditions of Texas and the Rocky Mountains.

These outstanding examples, selected from more than 300 homes, present the way traditional American styles are being reinterpreted in the best new homes of today. My hope is that they will inspire you to create the new old house of your dreams, wherever you may live.