Rowhouse Chicago: 1890s

Hands down, the 1890s were the decade of the most elaborate row houses, with an astounding combination of styles.  Here you have Queen Anne, Beaux Arts, and Classical Revival rows.  And they're never predictable; one style often borrows from another in ways that would make a purist blush.  This is a good example of learning the rules of color, texture, proportion, and rhythm, but not always using them in a traditional manner.