Classic wood porch bracket designs: Porches will never be the same (1981)
… once you discover the whimsical charm of the carpenter’s art
From the richly ornamental to the whimsical, the voluptuous curves and geometric interplay of porch brackets have enriched the faces of American houses for over a century.
From before the Civil War to the beginning of World War I, elaborate wood trim (made possible by the mechanized lathe and scroll saw) was used to adorn houses all across our country. Still decorating many old houses, these fanciful brackets are being appreciated once again.
The ones on these pages, in the fishing villages on the North Shore of Long Island, were often designed by sailors while at sea.
For the less handy, reproductions can be bought today from mail-order catalogs, or originals can sometimes be found at local salvage yards. (See some modern-day versions you can buy online here.)
MORE: Rosedown mansion: See a restored plantation home from the Old South
ALSO SEE: Vintage Homes Adult Coloring Book #3: Beautiful Victorian Houses
