Victorian Style Homes in Washington DC Metro Area
When it comes to historic architecture in the Washington Metropolitan area, Victorian ranks high indeed. This is true whether it involves detached single-family homes for sale, condos in grand old former apartment buildings or those glorious row houses that are so synonymous with the region.
The style gets its name from England’s Queen Victoria, who ruled her country from 1837 to 1901. In Washington, DC and its surrounding environs, the elegant genre came into being during the mid-1800’s and lasted into the early 1900’s. Victorian design is often referred to as a turn of the century form.
Victorian Style Homes for Sale
In many ways, Victorian architecture with its flourishes and intriguing shapes was a push-back response to the earlier and relatively unadorned Federal style. Whether a “gingerbread” house with its gables, spindles and decorative latticework or a row house with front bays, spires and rich detailing, Victorian presented not one style, but a lavish collection and interpretation of various other revival trends.
If all this sounds confusing, simply look at it this way—Victorian architecture has often incorporated other influences such as Gothic Revival, Italianate, Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne Revival. The style also influenced Arts & Crafts and Craftsman-type designs.
So where can Victorian properties be found? All over, actually. Or at least wherever there are historic homes of a certain era. DC’s crowded urban corridors are rife with Victorian row houses as well as grand old apartment buildings and hotels that have been converted to condos for sale. And, there’s plenty of single-family homes in more residential neighborhoods that fit the bill, from cottages to large mansions. There are even entire communities that originally sprung up as Victorian villages, including Takoma at the northern part of the DC border and Takoma Park on the Maryland side. These two historic entities were originally one community, dating back to 1890.
There’s no shortage of Victorians in Alexandria as well, from Old Town to historic districts in neighborhoods such as Rosemont and Del Ray. You’ll also find plenty of Victorian-style single family homes in Arlington, including the communities of Maywood, Lyon Park, Lyon Village, Bluemont, Bon Air and many more. The list goes on and on, from Fairfax County to neighborhoods throughout Maryland, including Hyattsville and Mount Rainer.
So ultimately, this distinctive design form actually has many facets, from quaint cottages and rambling farmhouses to inner city buildings all in a row. In a region so associated with history, Victorian real estate is an integral stitch in the fabric of time. Call District Partners at Compass, (202) 400-3070, to learn more.
