Modern saltbox style house
Everything You Need to Know About Saltbox-Style Houses
There’s something about an old house with good bones—and the New England saltbox is the mother of all relics. Drive northbound on I-95 along the Atlantic coast in what has come to be called Yankeeland, and these picturesque homes will start to crop up. “It’s a distinctive profile on the New England landscape,” says Maine state historian Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. “In its rural or coastal setting, it creates a wonderful sense of 18th-century time and place. You can’t look at that without wondering who built that and what their life was like.”
The story of saltbox homes goes beyond brick and mortar, or rather—shingle and clapboard. These humble landmarks are vestiges of early European settlers and the tough realities of everyday living. And while this quaint home style has roots going back centuries, many contemporary architects have reinvented its design in modern revivals. Here’s all you need to know about saltbox-style homes.
Viewing the house from the front, one could easily mistake any saltbox for a colonial-style home—with its flat exterior and simple symmetrical facade—but a few steps to the side and that classic steep-pitched roof will give it away.
The saltbox takes its name from a popular wooden box used to store salt. In early colonial America, salt was hard to come by and valuable enough to merit display in decorative wooden boxes. These boxes, which hung on their walls, had slanted lids—thus a fitting name to also be bestowed upon their houses, which imitated that charming “lopsided” shape.
A mixed-wood saltbox, late 19th or early 20th century, Shenandoah Valley.
Courtesy Jeffrey S. Evans & AssociatesSaltbox homes were typically built with two stories in the front and one in the rear, accented by a single chimney rising from the center.
They were often sheathed with shingles and painted shutters. As it would be a few centuries before electricity was invented, saltbox windowpanes were strategically placed to get maximum sunlight.
Inside, there is often a great-room entrance and a rear kitchen. With the abundance of mature trees in dense forests, these homes had wood flooring with thick-cut planks. The second floor of the salt box was usually a loft where the kids slept or things were stored.
Original designs—those built in the 17th and early 18th centuries—incorporated exposed wood ceiling beams and stone or brick fireplaces, but in the 18th century there was emphasis on plaster finish even in the more modest houses. “Obscuring those wooden beams was a way to put their frontier past behind us,” says Shettleworth.
So What’s the History of Saltbox Houses?
Dating back to the 1600s, saltbox homes were built by European settlers immigrating to New England throughout the colonial period and into the early Republic—most prominently in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
This architectural style, in its creative simplicity, is a testament to the inventiveness required to combat the harsh realities of early Colonial life and farmstead living. The signature high-pitched roof—known as a gable roof—is a holdover from the days of thatching and a way for early settlers to combat roof damage from the weight of heavy snow and brutal winds, winter after winter.
Features of a traditional saltbox-style house.
Courtesy free.woodworking-plans.orgThe saltbox style also persisted largely because of its ability to facilitate low-cost expansion. Early colonists started building lean-to additions on the rear to accommodate their continually changing wealth and family size. The look eventually caught on and became an established part of the design.
In their heyday, the mid-1600s to the mid-1700s, saltbox houses were common in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and what is now northeastern Ohio and continued to be built until around 1820.
These houses might have remained in obscurity had there not been a surge in popularity in the late 19th century, according to Shettleworth: “During the 1870s a whole new generation of architects born in the years before the Civil War came of age, and they were fascinated with American history and colonial-period architecture,” Shettleworth says. “Many architects were visiting these old colonial houses in the coastal towns of New England and sketching them and then in their own very innovative way, using those roof forms to create a new form of American architecture that we call today the ‘shingle style.’”
The saltbox house has continued to be influential to the neo-shingle-style architects of today, including New York City–based architect Robert A.M. Stern, one of the pioneers in rediscovering colonial-revival shingle-style houses and employing their features in more contemporary-style houses. “Saltboxes had a lot to do with inspiring that generation of architects to create these free-flowing roof forms, which you’ll still see in new homes today,” Shettleworth says.
Where Are Saltbox Style Houses Found Today?
Today, most older saltbox homes have been reworked by design firms to preserve the sleek, angular architectural lines of the exterior but include a more contemporary interior with modern features. For that reason, original structures are currently harder to come by, compared with their more common counterparts like Cape Cods and colonials. Of course, the history of these houses lives on through those who continue the legacy.
A contemporary saltbox style house in Iceland.
Cavan Images//Getty ImagesAs principal at Massachusetts-based firm Latady Design, Kevin Latady specializes in historic home renovations, where he says “excavator” is the more fitting word for what he does. “I feel as if I am unearthing history, and the house is a kind of archeological site,” he says. “I remember peeling off the layers of this one saltbox to expose the wooden beams and finding unexpected insights into each generation that had lived there.
[Once] before [peeling back] that last [layer of] plaster, we found that someone had wallpapered it. What a surprise.”
Having spent his childhood in a saltbox built in 1726 and later raising his three children in a saltbox that he himself restored, Latady fondly articulates their appeal. “I called our basement ‘the dungeon’ and played in the crawl spaces of my childhood home, letting my imagination go as I speculated on the lives of those who lived there before me,” Latady says. “These houses are a living history, something that reverberates, something you’re spiritually connected to.”
Beyond the hand-worn banisters and the concealed attic doors, these old houses not only hold secrets to be unearthed but suggest there are new ones to be made. “That’s the beauty of these older homes,” Latady says. “The Yankees were always evolving, and their homes were made to be easily modified—and have been for centuries. So it’s about preserving the nature of the historic house and the spirit of those original homeowners, while understanding the needs for the now with an eye on the future.
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See the Most Noteworthy Historic Saltbox Homes Still Standing
Rachel SilvaAssistant Digital Editor
Rachel Silva, the Assistant Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, covers design, architecture, trends, and anything to do with haute couture. She has previously written for Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Citywire.
Saltbox house style – the ultimate guide |
(Image credit: Alamy)
Whether you’re looking for a new home or trying to find a chic Airbnb for a summer getaway, drive a few hours north up the Atlantic coast and by the time you’ve reached New England a familiar shape of home will start to line the streets of suburbia.
Saltbox homes date back to the earliest days of America, as colonial settlers began constructing these two-level homes to support their growing families and create a distinctive style for their way of living. Here, we take a closer look at this distinctive house style.
See: House styles – your complete guide to architectural styles and eras
What is a saltbox house?
(Image credit: Alamy)
Known for their flat front and symmetrical facade, saltbox homes go way back to the 1600s.
A single chimney traditionally rises from the center of the home, which in the earlier days provided heat evenly throughout the whole home.
Today, the homes are considered more traditional than their modern counterparts, and commonly feature wood shingles on the exterior and painted shutters. On the interior, many saltbox homes have a more antique-forward design, with patterned wallpaper and exposed beams being common to show off the older models’ history.
What does a saltbox style house look like?
(Image credit: Alamy)
Saltbox houses are typically two stories at the front, and one at the back, with a pitched roof with unequal sides. A saltbox house is flat at the front, with a central chimney.
The key feature in identifying a saltbox house is the sloped roof that slants down in the back to be just one story. These homes were originally designed this way both to increase the volume of the space as well as to meet a taxation loophole from the colonial restrictions of the 1600s that specified two-story homes would be taxed more than ranch style houses.
Saltbox-style homes were technically considered only one-story given the shape of the roof. The sloped roof is also said to have been developed so that the heavier snowfall in the northern states would slide off easier as it melted and create less of a weight burden for the rooftop.
Where are saltbox houses popular?
Saltbox houses are popular in New England today, but have always been well-regarded – in fact President John Adams was born in a saltbox house in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1735.
The style has remained popular for the centuries since inception because of the history and detail in every preserved home. There are several examples of meticulously cared for saltbox houses on the National Register of Historic Places .
The style has become so tied to New England culture that saltbox homes have also been created elsewhere to remind people of their northern vacation homes.
Where can saltbox houses be found?
Saltbox houses are most commonly found throughout New England, with the highest density being in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Additional examples can be found as far north as Labrador and Newfoundland in Canada.
- See: Cape Cod house style – the ultimate guide to what it is and how to get the look
Why is a saltbox house called a saltbox?
A saltbox house is so-called because it is named after the wooden salt containers from the colonial period.
How to decorate a saltbox house
(Image credit: Alamy)
The truth is, you can decorate a saltbox house the same way you would any reasonable home. There are ways to make it modern, and (more obvious) opportunities to go for a more traditional look. The important thing is to know what to look for when matching elements together.
1. Make the most of historical parts
(Image credit: Devol)
Saltbox houses, especially the older ones, will have plenty of charming antiquities to highlight in any interior design. Older windows can be repainted and brought to life with a new shine and some upholstered pieces throughout the living room and dining room to let the history show.
Exposed ceiling beams can also create a more historic look, and rounded, weathered-looking beams won’t have the same quality if you’re pairing them with stainless steel appliances.
(Image credit: Douglas Gibb)
Because of the angular exterior, and therefore interior ceilings, of saltbox homes, building off these clean lines can leave room for juxtaposed modern furniture in the interior. Sure, the wooden shingles might need to be replaced with something more contemporary, or the exposed ceiling beams worn down to a straighter edge, but being bold with your interior design can pay dividends. Layer in bright colors with sharper edges for a modern look.
3. Match colors appropriately
(Image credit: Havenly)
With natural elements poking through the walls in most saltbox houses like wood paneling, wood-slat roofs, and central chimneys, be sure to pair the structural elements of the home with more natural, organic colors like earth tones and textures.
Timothy Latterner is a writer and editor living in New York City. His work has appeared in GQ, Conde Nast Traveler, Playboy, Vice, and Architectural Digest, where he also worked as the local news editor. He typically covers all things design, travel, and pop culture.
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STUNITY HOUSE ARE
Country houses in Germany
Elite eyeing ruby stars There are no shake-ups here: expensive housing, in principle, cannot rise in price or fall in price sharply.
But there are problems. Recently, realtors are increasingly saying that fewer and fewer interesting offers are entering the elite market. Developers have a hard time finding good sites and buyers have little to choose from as too few new properties meet their requirements. Nadezhda Kot, managing director of Kirsanova Realty, tells in an interview with M2 about what prestigious housing is now being sold and bought on the Moscow market.
What is called elite housing today? What criteria are defining for this segment?
The word "elite" in terms of frequency of use will soon be able to compete with obscene expressions on the fences. If people want to sell their product at a higher price, they call it elite. The real estate industry was no exception. Judging by the advertisements, only high-class housing is now being built in Moscow. Of course, if you build a modern house with security and convenient parking in Kapotnya, then compared to other houses in the area, it has the right to be considered elite.
In fact, prestigious housing is intended exclusively for those 3-4% of the population who are consumers of luxury services and goods. There cannot be many real elite objects.
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By themselves, such parameters as a protected area, underground parking, the use of high-quality building materials, today represent a necessary minimum for any modern level housing. And elitism implies the presence of not just a “zest”, but a good kilogram of raisins - these are species characteristics, correct (not necessarily the rarest) materials used in construction and decoration, interesting architectural solutions, unusual options.
Unfortunately, there are not many houses in Moscow that will go down in the history of the capital's real estate market. There are very few unique and conscientiously built buildings in which every thing - from mailboxes to pool filters - is made with the tastes and preferences of wealthy residents in mind.
You have focused on the specific characteristics.
But there are a lot of houses in the Ostozhenka area, the apartments in which do not have good views and are nevertheless considered elite.
The view from the window is an important defining parameter. If the seller puts up an apartment for sale at $50-60 thousand per 1 sq. m and the Kremlin is not observed from the windows of this apartment, then the question arises: where did such a price come from? But if the Kremlin is visible, the seller will always justify the high cost: there are very few objects with such characteristics, and therefore they are fabulously expensive (with other, of course, advantages). The view from the window to the ruby stars determines the status of housing, whatever one may say.
The number of expensive houses is growing and will continue to grow, but their characteristics, unfortunately, are very static. Apartments with unique view characteristics are rare options.
The elite housing segment is considered to be the quietest in comparison with other segments of the real estate market.
What is the current situation?
Currently, there are very few interesting offers on the elite housing market. What is for sale does not always meet the expectations of potential buyers, since it has a rather average level. Unfortunately, there is no joyful news about new offers, interesting products. Over the past year, we have not seen almost a single new site. Everything that is now on the market is addresses that have long been stuck in the teeth. The elite market has not seen an emotional upsurge, progress, positive development for a long time.
Developers are starting to have problems with the implementation of objects. This is evidenced by the size of the commission that developers offer realtors from time to time: these amounts are often higher than the average market.
The cost of luxury housing has grown significantly in recent years, which immediately affected the preferences of buyers who began to be interested in smaller apartments. Luxury real estate - by definition the most expensive housing, but now prices are on the verge of acceptable, even from the point of view of very wealthy buyers.
How important is it to be involved in the elite projects of an architect with a name?
While the name of the architect is a very relative advantage, this factor is not decisive even for buyers with a large budget. People will buy an apartment only if they like it, it hooks them on an emotional level. But not because a well-known architect in a narrow circle worked on the project.
Moreover, with all the abundance of specialists who annually graduate from universities, we still do not see a sufficient number of eminent architects on the market who could compete with each other, create good, different, interesting projects.
Another thing is that experienced architects are invited when there is a need to create a new product for the Moscow real estate market, and the developer does not want to be limited to the construction of an ordinary concrete box. For example, if we are talking about a large multi-complex that combines several formats.
As vacant sites on Ostozhenka are reduced, the elite geography is also beginning to change. What do you think, which Moscow districts can claim the status of elite? Is the choice of these areas justified?
Now there is a lot of talk about the fact that the time has come to promote new sites, districts, because the principle of “location, location and location” operating all over the world (place, place and again place. - M2 ) in relation to Moscow allegedly outlived itself. But it is not so.
Indeed, many developers who did not have the opportunity to get sites on Ostozhenka began to build facilities in other areas inside the Garden Ring. As a result, Plyushchikha, as they say, was "pulled out" as an elite area - today it is in demand. Now Kitay-gorod and Taganka are next in line: very expensive objects with a good concept will soon appear there. The most interesting thing will begin - the promotion of these areas. Now it is difficult to say whether they will be able to get the status of elite.
Because the view of the Kremlin, as they say, has not been canceled.
However, each district has its time. Ostozhenka is also an artificial product. Once it was a terrible old Moscow street, where the elite never lived. The development of this area began with the construction of the center of Galina Vishnevskaya here. Over time, Ostozhenka acquired the features of a prestigious district. At the same time, it has its drawbacks, for example, a lot of old houses that need to be restored. In addition, until recently, the social infrastructure was poorly developed here.
Two supermarket chains and several expensive restaurants have just appeared.
It is clear that someday developers will get their hands on Kitay-gorod, but for the time being this area is not very interesting for them. Having assessed the risks, experts understand that they will have to seriously spend money on communications. On sites close to the Kremlin, all kinds of government cables are found, on sections near the river - karsts, voids, etc.
Look how many projects have been announced, but construction has not yet begun. These are very complex sites, it is extremely difficult to build objects on them both physically and economically.
How can you surprise demanding buyers of luxury real estate today? Are there any new formats of expensive housing appearing on the market?
The first lofts began to appear in Moscow, which, presumably, will not be cheap at all. But the question arises who will become the end user. If all over the world the creative intelligentsia prefers to settle in lofts, then only quite large businessmen have such money for housing. At the same time, a person must be young, progressive, loyal and tolerant. He will have to live in an area that is not yet adapted to his needs, where there are no expensive dry cleaners, supermarkets and other infrastructure elements familiar to him.
Quite a lot of apartments will enter the elite market in the near future, and it will finally become clear how much this product is in demand.
So far, we do not see a single completed project with apartments specifically for living. There are practically no end users among the people who bought such real estate in Moscow City - mostly the objects were purchased for the purpose of resale. There is a possibility that people just do not yet understand what to do with the apartments. After all, the average buyer is a family man, he has children, pets, etc. And life in a skyscraper, in a business district, is not the most suitable place for a family.
There are several reconstructed mansions in the base of offers in the elite market. How interesting is this format to buyers?
Mansions are absolutely not suitable for single family living. People want isolation, which means they need a completely autonomous house territory. But, as a rule, city mansions have an entrance from the "red line" - directly from the sidewalk, that is, it is impossible to isolate oneself from the rest of the world. In addition, a lot of everyday problems are immediately revealed: you need to hire security, maintain a house (people who have country residences know what it is).
