The architecture style of Queen Anne is actually a version of the popular Victorian style of architecture. It is the name of the most eccentric and most elaborate of all the homes categorized as Victorian. Sometimes it can be hard to separate what is a Queen Anne style house from a regular Victorian, but there are small things to look for that Queen Anne buildings are known for.
A Background on Queen Anne Style Architecture
Again, the Queen Anne Style of architecture is the eccentric version of the Victorian style. It was the style of architecture that the wealthy and famous wanted their homes to be built in because at the time that it was popular (1880s and 1890s) excess was a status symbol.
It was also the machine age, so no longer did homes have to be built only with the materials that were locally available. Factory built materials for homes could be sent all over the country via train; which meant that those who could afford it could have any fancy and ornamental prefabricated materials that they wanted shipped to them for their new home.
Different Variations of Queen Anne Style Architecture
Per the authors of the book A Field Guide to American Houses, Virginia and Lee McAlester, there are at least 4 different versions of Queen Anne style architecture that can be identified:
The Mystery of the Queen Anne
Even though there are different versions of the Queen Anne style that can be identified, the style itself can be hard to describe. As best explained by architecture writer, Jackie Craven:
“A list of Queen Anne features can be deceptive. Queen Anne architecture does not adhere to an orderly list of characteristics—the Queen refuses to be easily classified. Bay windows, balconies, stained glass, turrets, porches, brackets, and an abundance of decorative details may combine in unexpected ways.
Also, Queen Anne details can be found on less pretentious houses. In American cities, smaller working-class homes were given patterned shingles, spindle work, extensive porches, and bay windows. Many turn-of-the-century houses are in fact hybrids, combining Queen Anne motifs with features from earlier and later fashions.”
So, even though it is a style of architecture that can be categorized, it is one that is hard to actually describe definitively. And who knows, your own home may not be officially recognized as a being built in the Queen Anne style of architecture, but may still contain some of the beautiful Queen Anne features.
Source: http://architecture.about.com/cs/housestyles/a/queenanne.htm
