VICTORIAN ORNAMENTATION

Victorian architecture is known for having a significant amount of ornamentation; sometimes this ornamentation is called "gingerbread." Many of the older sections of Perkasie feature many Victorian homes. These decorative features take a lot of work to maintain them properly as many of these features are made out of wood. Water, wind, and insects can adversely effect maintaining Victorian architectural details.

PORCH BRACKETS and VALANCES

Brackets are used to support a balcony, cornice, or other overhanging or projecting structure. The brackets below are found on porches in Perkasie. The decorations on the brackets are designed to be seen from both the street side and from the porch as part of the detailing of the building. Sometimes these porch brackets provide structural support, but in most cases these brackets serve only as decoration.

A valance is a short band of decoration that is found at the top of a porch between two porch posts. These bands of ornamentation may be used with or without porch brackets.

These brackets at 134 N. Sixth Street (at Race Street) give an uplifting feeling to the porch, especially when viewed from below at street level.	These unusual brackets at 524 E.Walnut Street in South Perkasie are solid wood; they are not cut out patterns as most brackets which are found in Perkasie.
Today these brackets from 520 E. Walnut Street in South Perkasie would be made by cutting out the wood using a scroll or jig saw; in the past they may have been cut by hand by the artisan / carpenter. These patterns are similar to cutting out shapes in a stencil.	These 130 N. Sixth Street brackets are cut from a triangle shape of wood. The forms appear to be a series of concentric parts of a circle. A valance above the brackets is made of spindles turned on a lathe.
Simple brackets and a valance made of a pierced panel are found on these twin homes at 503 (ocher) and 501 (green) Race Street (between Fifth & Sixth Streets).	Notice how the color of the paint can effect how much we notice the details of the gingerbread. This porch at 507 Race Street features white against white details.
Many brackets don't stand out themselves; it's the spaces between the brackets that really stand out. Pairs of simple curved brackets on this porch frame either side of more detailed pendant decoration.	The finial and brackets with curved forms is contrasted against the valance made of angular geometric forms. Both these photos are from 506 Race Street.

PORCH DETAILS

The side of this porch at 520 Race Street has a significant amount of ornamentation. The roof is outlined with decorative woodwork details and contains wood shingles. Solid porch brackets hold the sides of a valance.	The valance itself features spindle turnings on the valance. In the past the craftsman may have used a lathe powered by a foot pedal or by a motor.
The entryway gable on this gray stone building at 531 Race Street ( Sixth and Race Streets) has deep set eaves. Within the curve of the eaves is beaded turned ornamentation.	This entryway at 504 Arch Street (Fifth and Arch Streets) features a gable with strips of wood used for decoration. Cut-out brackets and flower-like forms cut out of the valances accent the wrap-around porch on this home.