The most common cladding form is stucco and decorative trim boards are often used to evoke medieval half-timbering. Brick is often employed decoratively as a plaster insert to give the appearance of aged walls as seen in medieval European towns. The original roofs were generally cedar shingles, sometimes elaborated in exaggerated overlapping wave patterns to mimic the appearance of traditional thatched roofs.
From Heritage House Tour 2014: "This elegant Storybook home effectively illustrates the popular inter-war style with its double gables and steep pitch roof which sweeps almost to the ground, anchored by flying-buttress gateways to the side yards. Round arched windows and entryway, and leaded glass details in an asymmetrical arrangement highlight the charm and playfulness of the design."
From VanMapp, British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955: "3058 West 36th Avenue was built in 1931 and first appears in city directories in 1932. The first listed residents of the house were Bertram and Jean Webster. Bertram was a salesman for Home Oil. Bertram and Jean lived at the house from 1933 until 1935. The house is of the the English Storybook style, featuring an open end gable, and shingles. The early residents of the house included a dentist, a salesman, and a superintendent. The first long-term resident was William P. Egerton who lived in the house from 1942 until 1952."
From VanMap, British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955: "3076 W 36th Ave was first owned and occupied by Harry W. Morrison who worked as a purchasing agent at M-W Ltd. This English Storybook-style home was built in 1931 and features a high gable roof and front-facing red brick chimney. Morrison lived here until Cyril B. Romer, a manufacturing agent, took residence from 1934 onward."
From Heritage Vancouver Building Permits Database, VPL British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955, VanMap: "This English Storybook style home features a cross gabled roof, stucco siding and a centered front door framed in stone. It was built in approximately 1938. This style of architecture is commonly seen on interwar homes in the west side of Vancouver, influenced by soldiers returning from WW1 who were inspired by European architecture. This house is first listed in the 1939 city directory under resident William M. Robinson, a clerk at Vancouver City. William and his wife May continued to live at this address until at least 1955 during which time William worked for the City of Vancouver in the engineering department. 4011 West 39th is located deep within the Dunbar-Southlands neighbourhood, close to West 41st Avenue and just east of Pacific Spirit Regional Park. Indigenous people have inhabited the Dunbar-Southlands area since as early as 400 B.C. where the area’s proximity to the mouth of the Fraser River allowed easy access to fishing and hunting. Today, the Musqueam Reserve is located south of SW Marine Drive bordering the water. Many pre-1940 houses, often storybook-style, have been demolished in this neighbourhood. In recent years, Dunbar-Southlands has seen a very high rate of annual demolition permits as many smaller character homes are being replaced to maximize square footage."
From Heritage House Tour 2014: 'The asymmetrical façade with rolled eaves at the gables, round arched entryway and windows, leaded panes and other details is typical of the style and the stucco finish is likely original for this era. The current owners embraced this character and have retained many original features inside and out including windows, flooring and the front door. The fireplaces, radiators and the light fixtures in the hall are all original to the house."
From The James Residence Conservation Plan: Donald Luxton And Associates Inc.: "The James Residence, built in 1942, is valued for its “Storybook Cottage” and timeless Arts and Crafts style architecture, its association with architect Ross Anthony Lort, and with builder Brenton T. Lea.The “Storybook Cottage” architecture of the James Residence is an illustration of enduring, traditional domestic ideals. The “Storybook Cottage” style derived from period revival styles that were popular between the two World Wars. At the time, houses were expected to display some sort of historic reference, in order to demonstrate the owner’s good taste. This was especially prominent along the boulevards of West King Edward Avenue and Cambie Street, which intersect near the James Residence. An English Arts and Crafts influence is shown in the half-timbering in the front gable and in the diamond-patterned leaded casement windows of the James Residence. A more generalized, romantic, “Storybook Cottage” influence is visible in the rough rubble masonry used for the front chimney and quoins, as well on in the roof, which is meticulously crafted from hand-bent cedar wood shingles, cut and layered upon one another, giving the appearance of a thatched roof."
From Heritage House Tour 2014: "This elegant Storybook home effectively illustrates the popular inter-war style with its double gables and steep pitch roof which sweeps almost to the ground, anchored by flying-buttress gateways to the side yards. Round arched windows and entryway, and leaded glass details in an asymmetrical arrangement highlight the charm and playfulness of the design."
From VanMapp, British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955: "3058 West 36th Avenue was built in 1931 and first appears in city directories in 1932. The first listed residents of the house were Bertram and Jean Webster. Bertram was a salesman for Home Oil. Bertram and Jean lived at the house from 1933 until 1935. The house is of the the English Storybook style, featuring an open end gable, and shingles. The early residents of the house included a dentist, a salesman, and a superintendent. The first long-term resident was William P. Egerton who lived in the house from 1942 until 1952."
From VanMap, British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955: "3076 W 36th Ave was first owned and occupied by Harry W. Morrison who worked as a purchasing agent at M-W Ltd. This English Storybook-style home was built in 1931 and features a high gable roof and front-facing red brick chimney. Morrison lived here until Cyril B. Romer, a manufacturing agent, took residence from 1934 onward."
From Heritage Vancouver Building Permits Database, VPL British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955, VanMap: "This English Storybook style home features a cross gabled roof, stucco siding and a centered front door framed in stone. It was built in approximately 1938. This style of architecture is commonly seen on interwar homes in the west side of Vancouver, influenced by soldiers returning from WW1 who were inspired by European architecture. This house is first listed in the 1939 city directory under resident William M. Robinson, a clerk at Vancouver City. William and his wife May continued to live at this address until at least 1955 during which time William worked for the City of Vancouver in the engineering department. 4011 West 39th is located deep within the Dunbar-Southlands neighbourhood, close to West 41st Avenue and just east of Pacific Spirit Regional Park. Indigenous people have inhabited the Dunbar-Southlands area since as early as 400 B.C. where the area’s proximity to the mouth of the Fraser River allowed easy access to fishing and hunting. Today, the Musqueam Reserve is located south of SW Marine Drive bordering the water. Many pre-1940 houses, often storybook-style, have been demolished in this neighbourhood. In recent years, Dunbar-Southlands has seen a very high rate of annual demolition permits as many smaller character homes are being replaced to maximize square footage."
From Heritage House Tour 2014: 'The asymmetrical façade with rolled eaves at the gables, round arched entryway and windows, leaded panes and other details is typical of the style and the stucco finish is likely original for this era. The current owners embraced this character and have retained many original features inside and out including windows, flooring and the front door. The fireplaces, radiators and the light fixtures in the hall are all original to the house."
From The James Residence Conservation Plan: Donald Luxton And Associates Inc.: "The James Residence, built in 1942, is valued for its “Storybook Cottage” and timeless Arts and Crafts style architecture, its association with architect Ross Anthony Lort, and with builder Brenton T. Lea.The “Storybook Cottage” architecture of the James Residence is an illustration of enduring, traditional domestic ideals. The “Storybook Cottage” style derived from period revival styles that were popular between the two World Wars. At the time, houses were expected to display some sort of historic reference, in order to demonstrate the owner’s good taste. This was especially prominent along the boulevards of West King Edward Avenue and Cambie Street, which intersect near the James Residence. An English Arts and Crafts influence is shown in the half-timbering in the front gable and in the diamond-patterned leaded casement windows of the James Residence. A more generalized, romantic, “Storybook Cottage” influence is visible in the rough rubble masonry used for the front chimney and quoins, as well on in the roof, which is meticulously crafted from hand-bent cedar wood shingles, cut and layered upon one another, giving the appearance of a thatched roof."
Click on the diagram or expand the term index to learn more about the features.
Gable Roof
A pitched roof that ends in a gable (the triangular portion of a wall defined by the sloping edges of the roof and a horizontal line between the eave line).
Mullion
A vertical post, frame, or double jamb dividing two window sashes or large panes of glass. Not to be confused with muntin.
Shingles
Placed in an overlapping fashion, shingles can be installed as cladding, or on a roof. Though traditionally wood, shingles may now be made from a wide range of synthetic materials. Types of shingles: Asphalt Fishscale Sawtooth Shakes
Stucco
A material – sometimes called render, made of an aggregate (sand) and a binder (Portland cement, and water). It is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. Sometimes used on interior walls, and ceilings (called California plaster), it is mainly used on exteriors and can cover less visually appealing construction materials such as concrete, cinder block, or clay brick.
Form
English Storybook is a fanciful, asymmetrical style with strongly vertical gabled bays and dormers projecting from a cross-gabled or hipped roof. The roofing may be rolled over the eaves to simulate thatching. The steep roofline sometimes descends almost to the ground and may be curved upwards toward the base to give a kind of flying buttress look – for example, providing a roof over a gateway into the back garden. Windows are often grouped in threes, sometimes with rounded tops, and set with leaded glass. There is rarely a porch and the front door is usually placed near the middle of the facade. Cladding is stucco. Some have flared false-buttresses descending to the ground at the corners to give the house a slightly triangular, taller form. The more picturesque versions are popularly known as “Hansel & Gretel” houses and evoke the romanticized English countryside seen, for example, in 19th century watercolours of rustic scenes.
Background
English Storybook is an interwar style inspired by English cottages. Soldiers returning from World War I brought back their encounters with European architecture. The English Storybook style is a close relative of the Tudor Revival. Like Tudor Revival, this style became especially popular during the 1920s and 1930s. People had more money to invest in new houses thanks to economic improvement after the end of the war. This led to an explosion of picturesque designs. Along with the Revival styles that were widely built, the construction of quaint cottage-like homes spread. These houses came to be called ‘storybook cottages.’ In the same period, the rise of Hollywood spread images of distant places and styles. This may also have contributed to the popularity of the Storybook style. Storybook cottages are sometimes called Cotswold Cottages, English Country Cottages, or Ann Hathaway Cottages.
Details
- Steep cross-gabled or hipped roof
- Sloping, uneven roof (‘Catslide’)
- Rarely have porch
- Picturesque profile
- Asymmetrical design
- Low doors and arched doors
- Strongly vertical gabled bays and dormers
- Usually stucco cladding
Learn about the similarities and differences with French Storybook