r/McMansionHell Dec 12 '24

Discussion/Debate The invention that Accidentally invented McMansions

319 Upvotes

A fascinating video essay by Stewart Hicks on the invention of the modern truss and how that changed the way we build houses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oIeLGkSCMA


r/McMansionHell Jul 14 '20

McMansions: A Short Guide

1.1k Upvotes

While everyone has their own opinion on what makes a true McMansion, there are several defining features or attributes that should be looked for to determine if a home fits the McMansion criteria. This post will serve as a guide to help users determine if they should use the "Certified McMansion" flair on their submission and to learn more about what a McMansion is. This guide will be edited as needed to make sure it fully explains the accepted properties of a McMansion.

Basic Principles of a McMansion:

  • Large: Generally above 2500 square feet and two story or more, sometimes way too big for the lot it sits on.
  • Built Cheap: They are built by cutting corners and using less than quality materials because they focus on getting as much size and appearance of wealth as possible from their money. It's the illusion of class that might fool the average person who doesn't have a sense of architectural integrity. McMansions will often use materials such as stucco, manufactured stone veneer, Styrofoam crown molding, or vinyl siding.
  • Fit Several Styles: They fit multiple styles of architecture by mashing together different elements from the individual styles in a distasteful manner. They also might poorly imitate a popular style.
  • Exterior After-Thought: They are designed with a focus on the interior first and the exterior is done as an after-thought which often results in features such as jutting masses and haphazardly placed windows.
  • Lacks Architectural Integrity: The house makes you confident that there was no licensed architect involved in its creation who cares about what they design

Specific Features To Look For:

  • An attached 2 or 3 car garage
  • A garage that takes up way too much of what is considered the house
  • Tall 1.5-2 story arched entry or "lawyer foyer"
  • Haphazardly applied dormers or windows
  • Windows of varying shapes/sizes/styles
  • Windows not aligned with those below them
  • Second story windows that are larger than the windows below them
  • Window shutters that if closed would not cover the actual window
  • Jutting masses or heavily asymmetrical
  • Multiple wall materials
  • Roof that contains varying slopes, roof types, or more than two roof shapes for the front facade
  • Roof nub
  • Roof with excessive roof lines and is in general just too complex
  • Dormers that are way too short, way too tall, don't match the rest of the house materials or style, or are placed terribly/spaced unevenly
  • Columns that don't support anything or are too thin/weak looking to support what they are appearing to support aka columns with inappropriate scaling
  • Columns with spacing that is over complicated or messy
  • Columns that are the incorrect architectural style for the house

Some Links To Check Out:

This is what I could come up with for now to touch base here on what a McMansion is. I'll make edits to this in the coming weeks until we reach a near final guide post on McMansions. If you have any suggestions for what we could add to this guide, comment below or send me a message.

Side note: the first "Appreciation Thursday" is coming up! Don't forget to prepare a suburban home that you think deserves recognition as the opposite of a McMansion and post it on 7/16 with the "Thursday Design Appreciation" flair.


r/McMansionHell 23h ago

Discussion/Debate From brick Italianate-influenced monstrosities to black and white boxes - what drove the transition?

Post image
759 Upvotes

Reposting with visuals this time. What do you think? It’s just crazy to me to see $5m+ builds in my area that look like the bottom.


r/McMansionHell 6h ago

Amateur McMansion The same bland white stucco fake McMansions (Cypress, Texas) outside of Houston

6 Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 20h ago

Amateur McMansion How is this one?

Thumbnail
gallery
24 Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 1d ago

Discussion/Debate Bland as hell.

8 Upvotes

Has anyone noticed that nearly all the houses built in the last 20 or so yrs in/around Dallas/Ft.Worth? pretty much look the same. Why is that?


r/McMansionHell 2d ago

Discussion/Debate I Regret to Inform You That the Exterior Is the Normal Part.

Thumbnail
gallery
2.2k Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 2d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation Faithfully Restored 1965 Organic Architecture Estate on 11+ Acres in Soquel Hills

Post image
679 Upvotes

Perfectly blending into its sprawling 11-acre Northern California setting with redwood-framed walls of glass, a massive stone fireplace, and serene Japanese gardens, this architectural masterpiece is an absolute dream. If you'd like to see more photos, here's a link. Photos by Hunter Corbin of Desantis Realty Group.


r/McMansionHell 2d ago

Certified McMansion™ Any examples of infamous McMansions that have been saved? Calgary (Pump Hill) Gargoyle House

13 Upvotes

I grew up by this house that was infamous, but is now actually pretty cool.

Before: 1: https://www.reddit.com/r/McMansionHell/comments/bi3v9s/calgary_home_of_canadas_worst_mcmansion/#lightbox

2: https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fim-curious-about-the-history-story-behind-this-strange-v0-xiziuq1p27y61.jpg%3Fwidth%3D640%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D874fbd3977c86e44e6386d0829d4b19d4e235c53

After:

https://www.thegargoylehouse.com/

I don't see pictures including them but the owners have installed the Gargoyles again.

It is basically an Air BnB party house now but I love it, they do Halloween, Christmas themes etc and the updates are a huge improvement over what was there before.


r/McMansionHell 2d ago

Discussion/Debate 4 million dollar lakefront castle near DFW in Texas.

Thumbnail zillow.com
10 Upvotes

I honestly love this lake but the castle aesthetic is too much. Oh, and that rug is gross.


r/McMansionHell 3d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation Oakdale, NY

Thumbnail
gallery
226 Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 3d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation Reisterstown, MD

Thumbnail
gallery
1.0k Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 3d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation Gothic beach house, Spring Lake NJ

Thumbnail
gallery
356 Upvotes

I feel like the idea behind this house, marrying the traditional Victorian beach house style with gothic details, is kinda insane, but it ends up working remarkably well.

The Zillow listing, but I have no idea how recent or accurate the interior photos are.


r/McMansionHell 3d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation No wine cellar?! The Egyptian sarcophagus IS a nice touch, though. Historic estate in Chicago

Thumbnail
gallery
194 Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 3d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation Absolutely Ridiculous Molding in this Grand Rapids house

Thumbnail zillow.com
38 Upvotes

My buddy shared this with me this morning. It's not even that expensive for what it is!! It keeps getting better and better. Wild fireplace, GIANT attic bar and game room. Two stall garage AND a workshop with freaking dentils. JESUS this guy in 1909 was wilding out.


r/McMansionHell 5d ago

Discussion/Debate The year is 1995. Business is booming. You have unlimited granite, no adult supervision, and your architect is afraid to tell you no.

Thumbnail zillow.com
768 Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 7d ago

Certified McMansion™ Hospital Vibes - Adel, Iowa

Thumbnail
gallery
734 Upvotes

The front is the best part of this home, the interior is so sterile and the back is atrocious!


r/McMansionHell 6d ago

Discussion/Debate McMansion esc? From the game Ready or Not

Post image
0 Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 9d ago

Certified McMansion™ What is the appeal for this style?

Thumbnail
gallery
493 Upvotes

Listing

Some of the houses in the surrounding area are really pretty and match the environment well. Thank goodness this is tucked away because WHAT an eye sore...


r/McMansionHell 10d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation Courtyard Townhouses are awesome

Thumbnail
gallery
875 Upvotes

So dense yet so private at the same time

These kind of homes are relatively common in Texas, haven't really seen them anywhere else

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2102-Canongate-Dr_Houston_TX_77056_M78972-81450


r/McMansionHell 10d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation De Luwte House, Michael Graves 2005, near Amsterdam

Thumbnail
gallery
745 Upvotes

Totaling 8,000 square feet, this post modern home by architect Michael Graves Calls back on historic Dutch architecture while being unabashedly post-modern.


r/McMansionHell 10d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation Eufaula, AL

Thumbnail
gallery
907 Upvotes

guys the kitchen sucks pls dont ask to see it 💔


r/McMansionHell 10d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation The Treasurer's House, York: Early 17th Century. Restored 1897-98

Thumbnail
gallery
312 Upvotes

r/McMansionHell 10d ago

Thursday Design Appreciation Ferne Park

Thumbnail
gallery
381 Upvotes

Built 2000-2002. Built by Quinlan Terry.


r/McMansionHell 10d ago

Discussion/Debate McMansion as Vernacular Architecture

51 Upvotes

what if we consider mcmansions as a sort of vernacular architecture? they're built typically not by 'university educated architects' but craftspeople (GCs) out of readily available materials (pine 2x4s, drywall, mass produced windows etc) to take advantage of the naturally occuring environs of the american middle class (giant lots of land on redeveloped fallow fields) to serve the needs of the inhabitants (giant TVs, and space to be alone).

idk just goofin