French Looks English to Me!

French Norman architecture looks like English Tudor–except for one important distinguishing feature: a tower-like structure topped with a conical shaped roof.

Sunny Gables Estate is a classic example.

These are both European, medieval revivalists styles that feature hand-hewn half-timber and rough plaster exteriors with brick and stone cladding, wrought-iron details, high-pitched, front-facing gables and diamond-cut, leaded-glass windows.


Public interior rooms are centered around massive fireplaces, surrounded by floor-to ceiling wood panels; smooth and rough plaster walls with exposed wood-beam ceilings, and wrought-iron hardware on railings, light fixtures, doors and windows often with gothic designs.


How did these two styles diverge? The story of that battle is for another day.

Stay tuned.

Open the door…

…IF YOU CAN!

This authentic triple-door Mosler Bank Vault was manufactured on the East Coast and shipped here to be installed as part of the lower foundation of Sunny Gables in 1929. It is seated to face exactly zero degrees North. The only other known Mosler Vault of the art-deco era that is not installed in a bank is on Main Street in Disneyland, Anaheim, California!