mcmansionhell

There will be a Looking Around post on Saturday.

The blog is not deleted, the domain name has just been disabled until a full archive can be made. It's still there under mcmansionhell.tumblr.com. 

Zillow is issuing a cease and desist against MMH

EDIT: I am currently seeking legal counsel. Thank you everyone for your advice and well wishes. 

Looking Around: The Curious Case of Minimal Traditional

Looking Around (Introduction): Where Most of Us Live

Good House of the Week: Hennepin County, Minnesota

Finally, a good Spanish Eclectic (sometimes called Spanish Revival) redux to post - to be honest, I was not expecting to see such a thing in Minnesota of all places. 

This is a pretty meticulously designed imitation, especially for 2005. The details are beautiful, including the planter under the tiny window of the second story, and the Juliet balcony, both of which are endemic t...

50 States of McMansion Hell: Hennepin County, Minnesota

Submit a House to the McMansion Hell McMansion Database!

SEND ME YOUR HOUSES FOLKS MY BODY IS READY

New Series Announcement: Looking Around - An Informal Guide to Architecture

Please give me feedback on which topics you'd like to see first, since it was y'all who gave me the idea in the first place! I'll create a poll based on the responses. It's a broad field, and I look forward to taking a crack at it. 

Good House of The Week: Oakland County, Michigan

Here on McMansion Hell, it is often forgotten that a house can still be large without being, well, horrible. A lot of the houses featured demonstrate classic ills of residential architecture: illogical massing, low quality materials, and bizarre design choices, especially regarding windows.

This week's GHOTW, built in 2004, demonstrates that a house can be large and operate within more opulent styles and still be architecturally refined. This house is in a style that so few really get right: F...

50 States of McMansion Hell: Oakland County, Michigan

One of the most fun houses I've done in quite a while. Hope it's worth the wait!

How can I get better at doing Patreon?

Y'all: there is a lot of y'all. It's really hard for one person to keep track of all this stuff, including doling out rewards. The rewards system was created when the blog was young and there weren't as many Patrons as there are now. 

I want to find new ways to be a better creator so y'all feel like you're getting your money's worth - something that I can keep better track of, as the constant sticker debacle has shown me. 

If y'all have any ideas, I'm all ears.

Good House of the Week: Norfolk County, Massachusetts

After seeing a home that had infinite shutter atrocities, it's nice to see a home that has perhaps two permissible errors (the furthest windows on the second story). This beautiful Dutch Colonial appears to have been built in the 1700s, alas it is not so! In fact, it was built in 2014! 

It just goes to show you that building in the high quality styles of the past is still possible. In places like Massachusetts, though, it may cost a pretty penny. 2017-06-08 21:45:37 +0000 UTC View Post

50 States of McMansion Hell: Norfolk County, Massachusetts

McMansion Hell Does Architectural Theory Part 5: Empiricism & The Picturesque (Conclusion)

Even though there was technical difficulties yesterday, I've made up for it: there's wrestling gifs of Edmund Burke.

Good House of the Week: Harford County, MD

Yes, it has an attached garage and stone veneer (and for the love of Goodness don't look at the rear exterior), but let me tell you it was extremely difficult to find anything remotely good built in the last 30 years in Harford County. 

Either way, this  farmhouse was built in 2009. Despite its flaws, the front facade still has consistent architectural rhythm, no idiot shutters, proportional dormers,  and a cute lil pediment porch . 2017-06-01 21:56:41 +0000 UTC View Post

50 States of McMansion Hell: Harford County, Maryland

McMansion Hell Does Architectural Theory (Part 4): Empiricism & the Picturesque (Part 1)

Good House of the Week: Hancock County, Maine

Guys, is this 1994 Queen Anne redux not ADORABLE?? Even if it might not have all the details right (the roof on the turret is a bit too large and the asphalt fishscale shingles are very 90s) - who wouldn't want to live in a cute 1400 square foot cottage on the coast of Maine?? Overall, this is a tastefully done imitation of a historical style with lovely views to boot. As a bonus, the interiors are extremely 1994, if you want to take a trip down memory lane. 

2017-05-25 22:32:01 +0000 UTC View Post

50 States of McMansion Hell: Hancock County, Maine

McMansion Hell Does Architectural Theory Part 3: British Palladianism

tut tut tut 

Good House of the Week: Oldham County, Kentucky

Though this house may be incredibly dull, the pickings were unfortunately rather slim this week, as Oldham County truly is McMansion Hell. Despite the shutters that obviously can't shut and the lackluster size of the dormers, this house still embodies traditional architecture in a genial manner. I'm especially fond of the entry portico. Link to listing. 

50 States of McMansion Hell: Oldham County, Kentucky

Good House of the Week: New Orleans, Louisiana

I don't really need to explain why this 2016 house is a good house. I mean, look at it!! The dormers are proportional!! The shutters even shut!! Like, if we were playing Pictionary and you asked me to draw a house, I would  instinctively draw something like this.

link to listing 

50 States of McMansion Hell: New Orleans, Louisiana

Good House of the Week: Johnson Co, Kansas

While it was difficult to find a decent house in a land of what seemed like endless drivel, this house is in fact, very cute, if not entirely perfect. 

Infusing Craftsman-style features like pylon columns, brackets, and shingle detailing, the house takes the form of a classic 1-story farmhouse. The attached garage does a better than good job of complementing the primary mass (though it looks more projected at this angle). The continuation of the horizontal rhythm  helped by the conti...

50 States of McMansion Hell: Johnson Co, KS

Good House of the Week

It speaks volumes about Polk County that this was the nicest new house I could find (built 2016) While the garage is a little gross at least they tried to have horizontal rhythm with the doors on the first floor. The house is symmetrical and tries it's best - it's the materials that lack.

50 states of McMansion Hell: Polk County, Iowa

http://www.mcmansionhell.com/post/160021733076/50-states-of-mcmansion-hell-polk-county-iowa

No New Post Today

I'm swamped with the end of the semester, and also preparing for the Architectural Theory Book Club tonight! 

Thanks for your understanding. See y'all Thursday.

Patreon Exclusive: Good House of the Week

Hi guys, I want to be a better creator and give you more things. So I've decided to, every Wednesday after the regular post, post an image of a good house built since 1980 that I found in the same area as all of the bad houses I consistently find. 

Please enjoy this happy house built in 2014.