The Littlefield
Home, built in 1893, is located on the campus of The University of Texas
at Austin. According to Ruskin's principles, this structure represents typical
Gothic Architecture. The "perpetual variety of every feature of the building..."
is evident in the contrasting colors, shapes, and sizes in the house. The
colors are contrasted in the red brick, white columns, and green balustrade
decoration. Though these colors are complementary and work well together,
the viewer's eye is drawn around the the different aspects of the building
via the colors. The shapes of various parts of the building differ from
one another in that the basic shapes are circles, rectangles, and triangles
intermingled. The towers are protruding cylinders, the basic edifice is
a square, and the protrusions on the roof are triangular in shape. The windows
are also a mixture of arched and rectangular styles. the columns supporting
the building are classical, with ionic and corinthian capitals, where as
the columns supporting the balcony are much thinner and lack capitals. The
nature in the building's decor is shown most in the decorative balustrade
and decoration around the roof. 
The
iron decorations are detailed leaves on the upper porch and ivy-like scrolls
on the lower level. The supports connecting the roof to the facade have
intricate leaf carvings as well, and reflect not only a structural purpose,
but also a decorative one. The corinthian capitals on the upper portico
contain naturalistic carvings as well. These carvings are accurate and precise
in detail, as Gothic naturalism is as well.
Ruskin's principle of rigidity is expressed in the projecting and various rooftop towers and contrast in shape. The "daringly projecting and independent" porches seem stuck on unnaturally to the building's facade, rather than blending into the structure. The contrast in shape and size in the towers on the roof perplex the viewer, as though the eye is overwhelmed with a variety of textures. The mixture of shapes provide a "vigorous affect," expressing energy in its contrasting framework. Each tower seems to try to out do the other, as though there were competition to see which could beat the other in visual disharmony.
The generosity principle is reflected in the precise decoration of the
Littlefield home. The roof supports are "redundant" and precise, although
complex. The sculptor accurately carved each leaf pattern out of the support
beams so precisely that the pattern is replicated perfectly. The "accumulation
of ornament" is most evident in the roof, where different shapes and textures
intermingle to produce an overall cacophonous effect. The contrasting
shapes, styles, and colors are perfectly various and detailed "in a
profusion which conception could not grasp nor calculation sum."
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