Masonry is my favorite building material and Detroit is not lacking in homes built of brick and stone with a good amount of terra cotta as well. A very popular building style was English Revival in its many varieties like Tudor, Jacobian, Cottage in the early 20th Century Detroit. Of course there are other examples displayed on this page: Victorian, Streamline Moderne, Classical Revival, Mediterranean, and Romanesque.

Stone Masterpiece 1

This eastside stone home was moved in the early 20th Century to this location. The whole design was flipped when it was rebuilt, the original floor plan shows the entrance on the left side of the home.

Stone Masterpiece 2

A detail of the second story arched window and the stone. Notice on the far right the square blocks of stone used for window trim and mullions.

Elegant Apartment 1

First of three photos of a northeast side apartment building, now vacant. Once a very stylish place to live, the eclectic style includes gothic arched windows. Also notice the composite capitals on the stone columns

Elegant Apartment 2

This second photo details the roof parapet and top story. The brick and stone around the windows and the chevron design are small parts of the artistic quality of this building. The cornice is further detailed by tile.

Elegant Apartment 3

The final picture shows a second story porch with beautiful arches. Also notice the window trim variations on the far right.

Dutch Colonial

This eastside Dutch Colonial has wood shingles on the second story and a stone first story to create a very heavy and solid feeling structure.

Klinker Design

The use of twisted or large misshapen bricks, some times called klinker bricks, is done expertly in this northeast home. Also note the liberal injections of stone into the façade.

Simple Elegance

This far northwest side home shows refined masonry techniques. Notice the slightly recessed entrance door and window trim.

Moderne Curve

Another northside home was constructed in the Streamline Moderne style, typified by smooth walls and curves. This is a perfect example, with a second story side porch.

Nogging Designs

This detail of a central city home shows the variations that can be used for brick nogging with half timbering.

Brick and Stone

A northside home shows a combination of brick and stone for an English Revival style. Notice the rowlock brick courses used for the one story tower section.

Brick Side

Simple brick detailing is used in this central neighborhood home, notice the trim courses of solider bricks and the diamond shaped tile decoration.

Window Balconies

Another apartment building shows some high style with the redsand stone balconies with more tile accents and small brick arches

Window Surrounds

More brick arching covers the tops of these windows at a YMCA with stone topped columns. Also notice the Mission style tile section of roofing.

What Remains

Brush Park, the premier neighborhood at the turn of the 20th Century, has many examples of this: former mansions displaying fantastic masonry craftsmanship.

Romanesque Residence

A rare example of a Richardsonian Romanesque house lives on the city's near east side. The arching of windows and doors and banding using different materials is a common feature of the style.

Polychromatic Masonry

Another central neighborhood residence is an eclectic Victorian with lots of Romanesque features, including the doorway and polychromatic use of masonry. Brick, stone and terra cotta is used here.

Fence Detail

Located on a brick alley fence in a northwest neighborhood, this detail adds to the character of the house. Terra cotta is used as the floral accent.

Precinct 22

A column capital detail found at the Detroit Fire Department Precinct 22. Notice the precise dentils above. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Ganther.

Precinct 22

A pilaster at Detroit Fire Department Precinct 22. Notice the further detail of the face, volutes, lions head and a shield. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Ganther.

Background Image

This image, part of the trim on an office building at Griswold and Michigan Avenue in downtown Detroit, is used as the website's background and shows intricately carved human and animal figures with symbolic details.