History

Houses of this era draw on traditional architecture for inspiration. With Eclectic Era homes, the goal was to remain pure to the style in which the architect was designing, which is a departure from the Victorian Era tendency to mix styles. So what appears in the Eclectic Era is a set of period styles, designed by European-trained architects, that closely align with distinctive parts of Europe, like Tudor Revival, Italian Renaissance, and even Colonial Revival (looking to colonial style that was a carryover from our British oppressors). Then, following the turn of the century, Modernism burst onto the scene, and early Modern styles like Prairie and Craftsman hit the scene in strong force and foreshadowed a later trend almost exclusively toward modernism after World War II. That early Modernism was thwarted following World War I, though, with a renewed focus on the period styles that favored European influence. As with the industrial revolution and developments in roof construction fostered the Victorian Era styles, innovation fueled the return to these period European styles. Folks could use newly developed techniques to mimic the masonry prevalent in those styles for much less cost. Specifically, brick and stone veneers were developed to reduce the cost of having an opulent European-inspired masterpiece right here in Omaha.