When you look at the exterior of your older home and visualize a finished picture, your fondest desire would be for a complete visual package that matches the original builder’s intent. We at Classical Details know this can’t happen all at once, so we propose that every step along the way be a step towards that end, patiently improving the style and composition of the home.

Classically inspired details exist on so many New England homes; however, they have been so poorly repaired and maintained over the last half-century that they often display little or nothing of the great achievements in design that is American period architecture. No greater irony exists than in wood gutter work. The traditional wood gutter installation was so superior in construction and visual beauty that what constitutes wood gutter work today is a far cry from just 100 years ago. The irony is that people hire carpenters to install wood gutters today which usually don’t last 10 years (if that long), and they seldom enhance the visual aesthetics of the house.

So it may be said that if gutters are installed correctly, they should provide visual satisfaction and mechanical integrity, backed with a warranty. This is always our goal! We guarantee it. We know because we have removed gutters that are over 100 years old and lined them with copper liners, and they will last another 50 years. The owner cannot always know how this is accomplished, for correct composition and accurate mechanical performance are the builder’s realm.

We feel the same way with all the elements of a home – all surfaces are part of the composition and need to be treated in such a way as to maintain, if not improve, the visual quality of style. Whether it’s a portico, a porch or a cornice, the builder who is familiar with period architecture should be able to treat any surface such that the work improves any building new or old.

Most buildings in New England cannot be classified as classical architecture; they are derived, however, from ancient forms and bear the stamp of a timeless form of building. If the builder understands and can replicate this idiom, the homeowner can be satisfied that for every dollar spent, he or she can expect good visual performance and a guarantee for exterior work that can withstand the harshness of our weather.

That is the basis of Classical Details: restore, renew and improve period architecture.