Shadow Lawn

Defining Features

This Historic District Profile was developed to help property owners. It explains the typical features of buildings found in Shadow Lawn. This can be helpful when you are planning a project that would change your home’s exterior.

The historic homes in the Shadow Lawn Historic District are formally designed. They suggest country manor houses in France, England, and early America. The details of these architectural styles are quite specific and should be preserved.

When Shadow Lawn was developed, automobile ownership was common among well-to-do Houstonians. This neighborhood differs from earlier developments in its treatment of garages, which are accessed via driveways at the side of the house, rather than via rear alleys or service streets.

Historic District designations are used to maintain the character of a neighborhood. Once an Historic District is created, certain rules apply to the entire neighborhood. These rules require that changes to properties in the District must be appropriate. In other words, the historic character of the property must stay the same.

Exterior changes must be approved in advance. The Planning Department can help with this process. If the project is approved, the property owner receives a Certificate of Appropriateness. In many Houston neighborhoods, deed restrictions require that the neighborhood civic association also approve changes to a property. The civic association’s regulations and standards may differ from those of the City. The information shown here refers only to City requirements. Property owners should check with their neighborhood association before beginning any project.

When planning a building project within the Shadow Lawn Historic District, please refer to this chart. It shows which building elements are compatible and which are not. Definitions of common architectural terms can be found in the glossary.

	Compatible	Incompatible
Foundation	Raised pier and beam	Slab on grade
Porch	Small or no front porch Square or round columns (Colonial Revival)	Porch that wraps around house Turned or square tapered porch supports Fluted classical columns with Ionic or Corinthian capitals
Roof	Hipped or gabled roof shapes Pitched roof Wide or shallow boxed eaves Dormers Composition shingles	Shed, flat, gambrel or mansard roof shapes Dentils or classical eave moldings Cupolas or towers Metal roof Slate or tile roof
Exterior Wall Cladding	Horizontal lapped, bevel, or drop wood siding Patterned or plain brick masonry Stucco Half-timbering (Tudor or French Eclectic)	Vertical siding Corrugated metal Stucco Flat modular panels
Front Door	Single door that faces street Recessed panels Glass lights Sidelights Pediments (plain or scrolled)	Single door that faces side property line Transoms Round fanlights Pilasters
Windows	Large, vertically proportioned Double-hung, single-hung, or casement Wood or wood clad	Aluminum Pediments above windows Large plate glass Fanlights Patterned upper panes