The History of Tudor Moulding
"Here in Seattle, our rich history helped to shape the local architectural landscape, including the use and variety of moulding profiles."
Depending where you go in the country, you'll find all kinds of different moulding styles. Take Seattle as an example, where our rich history helped to shape the local architectural landscape, including the use and variety of moulding profiles. At Dunn Lumber, we know that moulding can be extremely regional, which is why we went to several local remodeling contractors and asked what mouldings best represent the homes in Seattle's neighborhoods. They picked six different styles—including the Tudor profile—which are all on display at our Bellevue moulding showroom.
Following World War I, Americans enthusiastically embraced two new trends: the romance of European architectural styles, and the expansion of towns and cities into the new automobile suburbs. Drawing inspiration from Norman castles, Mediterranean villas, French cottages, and English Tudor manors, the historic revival homes of the Jazz Age reveled in rich woodwork executed in exotic species that conveyed a strong sense of old-world charm.
I sat down with certified interior designer Keith Miller of Miller Interior Design, who walked me through the history and appeal of Tudor-style moulding in Seattle:
“The Tudor style is another interesting small chapter, part of the Romantic revival era in the midst of World War II. Architects and designers looked into history for things they fell in love with in past times. The Tudor style revealed a love of the charming cottages and castles from England's countryside. These architects and designers were asking how these elements could be incorporated into a single-family home on a lot as small as those we have in Seattle.
The Tudor style was very much inspired by some of the Bavarian qualities of German towns where you have slatwork and plaster on the exteriors, along with angles and almost gingerbread-cut craftsmanship. The paneling had raised details around the wainscoting which itself was a functional decision. The whole point was that wood was so durable, you could hide the dents and scratches better than other materials.
Tudor came in every scale, from a tiny carriage house to giant fortresses down in Beverly Hills and Hollywood. When things inspire, they spread, and the Tudor style trickled all the way up the coast. We had craftsmen wanting to get themselves out of the mayhem of Hollywood, and moving to find peace in Seattle doing the same kind of work on Tudor and Spanish residences. The result of that artistic migration can still be viewed today.”
At Dunn Lumber, we know moulding is worth experiencing firsthand. That’s why we created our Bellevue moulding showroom, where you can tour six different styles to see how they uniquely complement floors, walls, windows, and doors. The showroom is a place for homeowners to envision their dream home, get answers from our experienced team members, or sit down with their contractor to lay out some plans and talk.
You can find the right style of moulding for your home at all nine of our Puget Sound Dunn Lumber locations.
