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14a. Second Empire, St. Marys
The Second Empire style remains one of my favourites.
The style originated in France under the reign of Emperor Napoleon III. It quickly became popular and spread to England and later North America. Originally favoured for public and civil buildings, this dramatic and colourful style was adopted for residences and was considered "The HIGH style of the VICTORIAN ERA".
14b. Second Empire (Paris).
What to look for (clues)
- The flat roof bends and continues the shingle pattern onto the second story. This is called a 'mansard roof' and until the last 50 years* branded any house that possessed it as a Second Empire.
- Narrow windows with elaborate surrounds poke through the second story roof. Other windows, in a variety of shapes, grace the rest of the structure.
- It is not uncommon to have patterns within the shingles on the second floor.
- This heavily decorated large building may be balanced or wildly asymmetrical. Protrusions commonly stick out from the front and sides of the house.
- The brackets on the large eaves are frequently paired.
- Very imaginative paint jobs make the style even more prominent.
14c.
14d.
14e.
14f. Second Empire (s. of Dunham, Que.)
14g. Second Empire (Kingston)
14g. Second Empire (Kingston)
Where to find it
Where to find it
- The style is common and can be found, I believe, pretty well throughout Canada. Simpler versions have the mansard roof on all 4 sides, except in Quebec and New Brunswick, where occasionally you can find the mansard roof on only 2 sides and to my eyes the building looks like its wearing a toupee.
14h Second Empire (presently a bank in N.B.)
- * Plain, modern, smaller houses using the Mansard Roof began appearing in the Waterloo Region towards the end of the 20th century. I'll be featuring these later under the heading 'MANSARD HOMES'.
- * Plain, modern, smaller houses using the Mansard Roof began appearing in the Waterloo Region towards the end of the 20th century. I'll be featuring these later under the heading 'MANSARD HOMES'.
- Happily, the Second Empire style has appeared again in the Waterloo Region in the form of senior homes and an hotel.
I also encountered a huge new home in Forest Hill, Toronto that mirrors all the wonderful excesses that were originally seen in France. Dense shrubbery stopped me from taking a proper picture, but this facade will give you an idea of its grandeur.
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