Symmetrical Homes
The homes of Washington and Mason are incredibly similar. One big difference that is clear is that Mount Vernon appears to look like the expanded version of Gunston Hall. The two held very lavish estates to match their significance. It is clear that Washington expanded Mount Vernon due to his greater role and larger influence, as he progressed further than Mason in terms of his political career and became the first president of the United States.
It is important to examine the designs that Washington and Mason employed in their estates. During the time, certain designs suggested status of the homeowners, their builders, and certain rooms. In the book, The Chesapeake House: Architectural Investigation by Colonial Williamsburg, researchers at Colonial Williamsburg examine the architecture of homes in the Chesapeake area and study how that may be connected to the social status of builders and owners. During the time, social status was directly linked to wealth. Wealthy individuals could afford fancy ornamentations, such as creating symmetrical building designs. According to these researchers, symmetry, along with proportionality, “was an integral part of classical design” that represented “balance and harmony of constituent elements with each other and as a whole” (Cary 71). Throughout the book, the researchers study various homes in the Chesapeake area to support their argument. To support their argument about proportionality and symmetry, the authors use the George Wythe House in Williamsburg to convey the importance of balance. In the book, the home is pictured and the window placement stands out. The researchers stress the importance of “the space between the windows” as “window placement was often a negotiation between the needs of the plan and the desire for exterior balance (76). There are two chimneys above the home, which are also evenly spaced. The steps to the entrance are also proportional to one another, like Mount Vernon. According to the researchers, the information about the designs came from “craftsmen”, “British Precedents”, and “architectural books” (79-81). Both Mount Vernon and Gunston Hall employ British designs, especially through the concepts of symmetry and proportionality. These ideas were employed to flaunt their wealth for visitors. Additionally, they were both very important individuals and had to employ designs that were commonly favored. Mount Vernon and Gunston Hall were almost completely alike before Mount Vernon is expanded under George Washington. Not only are the homes symmetrical in terms of design, but the homes are also remarkably similar to one another.