Home Trends

The minimalism, functionalism, and appreciation for nature that set Mid-Century Modern architecture apart in its era also gave the style a broad appeal that endures to this day. More than just an aesthetic preference, the Mid-Century Modern style was born of an attempt to re-invent the ways living space was used.

Design for a New Era

The Mid-Century Modern style took shape during the Modernism movement from the 1930s to the 1970s, but its exact time period is up for debate. Aspects of Mid-Century Modern design appeared in the mid-1930s and lingered into the 1960s, but the mid-1950s was the height of its popularity. The term itself was coined in 1984 by art historian Cara Greenberg.

The movement’s philosophy of better living through design arose largely from the social and economic upheaval of World War II. After the war, cities and suburbs grew with returning soldiers looking for affordable, functional homes for their future families. Wartime scarcity of traditional building materials, as well as the development of new materials, encouraged experimentation with non-traditional materials such as plastic, fiberglass, and plywood.

The period’s social climate also fueled the visions of many architects. Anticipating the dawn of a new era, they viewed their work as a vehicle for social change and sought out fresh, forward-looking approaches.

This emphasis on creating a better tomorrow is what’s behind Mid-Century Modern architecture’s futuristic vibe and emphasis on function. While it draws inspiration from the earlier Bauhaus movement’s streamlined simplicity and functionality, it shows little other historical influence.

The style openly rebels against its more decorative recent predecessors, such as the Beaux-Arts and Arts and Crafts movements. Close connection with nature is another defining characteristic of Mid-Century Modern design. This focus tied into the growing public concern about pollution that later developed into the 1960s environmental movement.

The Modernist movement started in Europe and later came to America with architects such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, and Eero Saarinen. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s penchant for simple organic forms and harmony with nature also helped popularize and develop what we know today as Mid-Century Modern architecture. California was a hot spot for the style, with Joseph Eichler in San Francisco and Los Angeles and Richard Neutra working in the south from Palm Springs to San Diego.

Love of Mid-Century Modern wasn’t limited to the West Coast, though. The style’s simplicity appealed to a broad range of society, helping it flourish for decades around the country. The wealthy hired architects to design boldly innovative homes, while housing developers applied the easily mass produced design principles to tract housing, filling whole neighborhoods with the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic.  

By the mid-1960s, demand faded along with decreasing demand for new housing and experimental design. Today, Mid-Century Modern is considered a retro architectural style, but it still boasts a strong following.

Function Before Form

The belief that form should follow function and the drive to re-imagine the modern living space carries through every element of the Mid-Century Modern architectural style. It’s most apparent in the style’s straight horizontal lines, sleek geometric forms, gentle organic curves, flat planes, asymmetry, and uncluttered spaces.

Most Mid-Century Modern homes are single-story or split-level buildings with flat roofs and asymmetrical profiles. In fact, the Mid-Century Modern style was among the first to use the split-level design. In climates with heavy rains or snowy winters, A-frames are a common alternative to the flat roof. To maintain its characteristic connection to nature, the ideal location for one of these homes is tucked away somewhere into a large plot of land lush with trees and gardens.

Indoors, expansive open floor plans are favored. Sections are separated by elements such as partial walls and shelving or by elevation, with one room a few steps up or down from the next. The open floor plan allows for large windows and glass walls that provide sweeping views of the outdoors and let natural light in from multiple angles, a preference carried over from Northern-European traditions. Sliding glass doors invite residents to step out and enjoy their surroundings. Building material is often extended from outdoors in with features such as a stone patio wall that extends into the living room.  

These homes incorporate a wide variety of building materials, but exteriors tend toward combinations of wood, brick, and stone. Narrow shiplap and natural stone are a favorite combination. Concrete, steel, and other industrial materials are also popular. Many architects intentionally paired contrasting materials, such as wood and steel, in their search for a fresh look.

Beyond variations in material, facades feature little to no ornamentation. A major exception to this norm is the Googie style, pioneered by Morris Lapidus and known for its distinctive “cheese holes,” abstract “woggle” shapes, and decorative “bean poles” designed to evoke a futuristic, atomic-age feel. Even this style, most often seen on commercial buildings, is devoid of intricate detailing.

Color palettes range from rich 1940s colors such as deep reds, blues, and greens to 1950s pastels to the warm, earthy tones of the 1960s. Other Mid-Century Modern homes play it safe with subtle, natural color schemes that blend into the surroundings.

Today, some of the Mid-Century Modern architectural style’s more experimental elements might look like the past’s misguided vision of the future, but the principles of simplicity and harmony with nature remain relevant. Whether you’re looking to renovate an original or build your own Mid-Century Modern home, staying true to these fundamentals will help you get an authentic, yet contemporary look.  

Born of practicality and economy, the Cape Cod architectural style evokes a cozy atmosphere without relying on elaborate design or detailing. Its most iconic features arose from the realities settlers faced surviving the Eastern Seaboard stormy weather. Today’s Cape Cods have been updated for modern living, but they’ve held on to the homey simplicity that’s made them an American classic.

From Functional Shelter to Idyllic Retreat

The Cape Cod architectural style developed in two phases, giving rise to two distinct looks. Original Cape Cod style homes were built by English Puritan settlers from 1690 to around 1850. These modest rectangular buildings were designed for easy construction and maintenance, as well as for heating efficiency.

Some key features, such as the large central chimney, were borrowed from the thatched cottages common in England. Other features, such as the steep roofs, were adaptations to New England’s inclement coastal weather.

By 1740, these houses were widespread throughout New England. From there, the style expanded to Eastern, then to Southern and Central New York, and finally to Lake Erie in the west. By 1830, it was catching on in the Midwest, too.

It was around this time the term “Cape Cod house” emerged. The Reverend Timothy Dwight IV, President of Yale University, was taken with the modest charm of these houses during a tour of New England in 1800. In his four-volume work Travels in New England and New York, published starting in 1821, he described the Cape Cod houses he saw, and the name stuck.

Cape Cods in the original style remained popular throughout New England into the mid-1800s, when Victorian houses overtook them. For the next 70 years, they gradually faded from public memory. It was the Colonial Revival period in the 1920s and 1930s that brought the Cape Cod architectural style back into the spotlight.

Boston architect Royal Barry Willis was enchanted with the style and set out to bring its advantages to the nation’s attention. Willis and the associates of his architectural firm modernized the homes by making them larger and better adapted to the needs of early 20th-century living. Willis added detailing, while overall maintaining the exterior’s reserved elegance. The style caught on so well that this more spacious, decorative look is what most think of as the typical Cape Cod house.

The modern Cape Cod’s popularity got another boost during the residential construction boom in the late 1940s and 1950s, when soldiers returning from WWII were looking for simple, practical living spaces. Thanks to their homey appeal, the Cape Cod architectural style was used to build some of the first major housing developments in the 1950s. Still today, these houses are often found in welcoming neighborhoods with tree-lined streets and spacious parks.
 
Since then, the Cape Cod house, encircled by a white picket fence, has become one of the most iconic architectural styles in America, and its popularity shows no sign of waning.

Cozy Charm That Stands Up to the Elements

Early Cape Cod houses were broad, rectangular, wood-framed structures one room deep and 1 or 1.5 stories. Their exteriors were largely unembellished. Today’s Cape Cods are typically larger and feature a few modern adaptations, but both styles fall into three basic classifications.

Half Cape – Also known as a Single Cape, this is the smallest, simplest of the Cape Cod styles, designed with the front door on one side of the facade and two multi-pane windows on the other. Settlers often started with this style, then built additions as their families grew.

Three-quarter Cape – This style is similar to the Half Cape, but with an added wing and multi-pane window, so the door is flanked by two windows on one side and one on the other. The extra space made it the most popular style of Cape Cod house among settlers, who often built them by adding on to their original Half Cape homes.

Full Cape – These roomy homes feature a central front door flanked by a set of two multi-pane windows on each side, symmetrically placed. Because it mirrors the Half Cape, it’s sometimes known as a Double Cape. Although too costly for most settlers, they became the most popular choice during the 1920s revival movement.

In these modern versions, the kitchen and the second story were expanded. Full Capes are small compared to the typical Colonial Revival-era home, but their snug size is a big part of their appeal.  

The original Cape Cod house centered on a large chimney connected to a fireplace in each room. Rooms were arranged around the chimney in a rectangular open floor plan modeled after the traditional English hall. In later adaptations, modern heating methods made fireplaces less important, so the chimneys were reduced in size and moved to one end of the house. In the center of this type of Cape Cod, you’ll find a hallway that divides the house in two.

A steep, side-gabled roof with shallow overhangs is a feature both traditional and modern Cape Cod homes share, and for good reason: they’re efficient at shedding the region’s heavy snowfall. In traditional homes, the ceiling was kept low to conserve heat. The upstairs was often little more than loft space under the roof, and either went unused, or housed children’s or guest rooms.

The gabled dormers so often seen as a quintessential part of the Cape Cod style were only added in during 1920s Revival movement when homeowners wanted the whole second floor available as living space. On a modern Full Cape, dormers are typically located on each side of the chimney to create more space on the upper floor and often contain bedrooms.  
 
Multi-pane, double-hung windows are a classic for both traditional and modern Cape Cods. The shutters that frame them were originally used to keep out the driving wind and rain of coastal storms, but on most modern homes, they’re primarily decorative.

Settlers’ Cape Cod homes were built from pine and oak, then clad in clapboard or cedar shingles. While sometimes painted white, the shingles were more often left unpainted and allowed to weather into the soft, silvery gray that’s become one of the Cape Cod’s most recognizable elements. Because getting this look requires the oxidizing effect of salt air, it doesn’t work well away from the coast, so many inland Cape Cod homes make use of brick, stone, and stucco.

When painted, preferred colors include reserved shades of gray, blue-gray, and buff with light trim, reflecting the sea, sand, and grasses of the coastline.

The minimal detailing of the Cape Cod style appealed to the Puritan value of asceticism while also making the houses cheaper and easier to build and maintain. When Royal Barry Willis revived the style in the 1920s, the era of Art Deco, he updated it for modern tastes with more ornate rake boards under the eaves and trim around the door and windows.

It’s this cozy, welcoming simplicity that’s made the Cape Cod architectural style a symbol of peaceful suburban living around the country. Although it’s designed to weather New England’s storms, with a few adaptations, it can work well in almost any climate.

Drawing on Spanish Colonial traditions and mid-century trends, the Ranch architectural style blends form and function to create a space made for relaxed suburban family living. Its low-cost, adaptable features let even those on a moderate budget build a comfortable, modern home. These characteristics are a big part of how the Ranch home became one of America’s most popular architectural styles.

Casual California Style Goes National

The origins of the modern Ranch architectural style begin with Spanish Colonial architecture. Between 1910 and 1930, the Colonial Revival movement gave rise to numerous Spanish Colonial homes all over California. The traits of these homes were soon adapted for suburban living.

Some of the earliest signs of these adaptations appear in the work of architect Roland Coate, but credit for the Ranch architectural style as we know it today goes to architect Clifford May, who built a prototype Ranch house in 1931. By melding aspects of Spanish Colonial style, adobe ranch houses, and Modernist architecture, he created a more casual, flexible, and up-to-date alternative to the typical boxy Colonial house.

By the 1940s, Ranch style’s popularity had grown, but the homes themselves remained modest in size, due in part to the economic constraints of the Depression and WWII. With the war’s end and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) financing made available for homes in this style, Ranch homes quickly rose to popularity.

By 1950, Ranch style surpassed Minimal Traditional as the country’s favorite architectural style, with nine out of ten new homes built in Ranch style. Although these homes appeared in every region, they were especially common in warmer, drier climates and less prevalent on the East Coast.

Social trends helped the style along. Adaptable and relatively easy to build, Ranch homes suited the needs of returning soldiers looking for affordable family-living options. Increasing car ownership made suburban living more practical, and larger suburban lots allowed for larger homes. It also inspired the need for the Ranch house’s characteristic attached garage.

Aesthetic tastes of the time played a role, too. The simplicity of Ranch architecture offers the comfort of traditional features while allowing room to experiment with the more eccentric approaches that were developing during this time, such as International Style and Mid-Century Modern. For instance, a Ranch house might include traditional columns by the front entrance along with the large casement windows typical of International Style.

The Ranch architectural style flourished throughout the 1950s and 1960s, but gradually fell out of favor in the 1970s as the rising costs of land and energy made one-story homes less economical to build and heat. While some now look at Ranch homes with nostalgia, others find them dull and dated. The style isn’t as ubiquitous as it once was, but it still ranks in the top ten home styles in many parts of the country.

Low-Cost Modern Features

At first glance, the Ranch architectural style might not seem to share much with its Spanish Colonial predecessors, but look closely, and you’ll see the influence in the Ranch home’s low roof profile, limited detailing, and emphasis on strong horizontal lines. Many of the elements common to both have their roots in California’s culture and climate.

The classic Ranch style home is best known for its expansive, single-story asymmetrical U- or L-shaped floor plan. Split-level ranches had a moment in the 1950s, but didn’t catch on in the long run. At the height of the style’s popularity, homes averaged around 1,300 sq. ft., but grew to around 1,600 sq. ft. in the 1970s.

An attached garage or carport, often with space for two cars, typically sits to one side of the home. Both slab foundations and full basements are common. The sprawling, single-story design is ideal for keeping cool in hot weather, but it isn’t well suited to colder climates because it loses heat faster than a multi-story building and some rooms are too far from the furnace to be heated efficiently.

Ranch home rooflines are long and low-pitched with deep overhanging eaves. Shallow cross-gabled or side-gabled roofs are prevalent, but hipped roofs are also found. Roofs often sport a low, but wide and prominent chimney. Made for the dry California climate, these relatively flat roofs don’t fare as well in rainy regions, where they tend to hold water and leak. In snowy climates, they’re prone to ice dams. They are, however, cheaper to build than traditional steeply pitched roofs.

Windows are placed asymmetrically and vary in style. Horizontal bands of large casement or double-hung windows framed in wood or metal let light into the interior’s open floor plan and reinforce the design’s horizontal lines. Windows often have only horizontal muntins. Clerestory windows, a feature shared with Mid-Century Modern homes, make frequent appearances. In the 1950s and 1960s, a large picture window was a common feature.

Ranch homes are designed around laid-back family living and focus on the privacy of the backyard rather than on the street-facing front porch found in many traditional American architectural styles. The typical Ranch home’s front entrance is positioned off-center and framed only by a small porch and roof overhang. In the back, however, you’ll find a sliding glass door placed to create a seamless transition between the kitchen or dining area and a spacious back patio.

Brick is the traditional exterior for Ranch homes, but many combine several materials, including wood clapboard, stacked stone, and stucco. Brick veneer on the lower half of the facade with wood siding on the upper half is a common combination. A brick exterior with an entryway dressed up with wood or stone is another popular look. Brick veneer was favored for its low construction and maintenance costs.

Ranch home color palettes range from earthy “Eichler colors” through traditional ecru and gray to vibrant yellows and blues. The classic California Ranch aesthetic is based on darker earth tones with trim in a gently contrasting color such as cream or ivory.

With their adaptability, affordability, and family-friendly design, Ranch homes have earned a place of distinction on the American architectural scene. If you’re looking to build one of your own, get to know the Ranch architectural style in its many variations to find the elements that work best for your climate.

Largely overlooked since their popularity in the 1980s, glass blocks are making a comeback as a way to enjoy light with privacy, improved security, and an upscale ambiance. Reinvented in fresh, modern ways, they’re showing up not just as exterior windows, but also in partition walls, showers, and other interior features.

These blocks, also known as glass bricks, aren’t as easy to work with as glass panes, so incorporating them into your home takes careful planning.

Glass Blocks Through the Years

Mouth-blown glass blocks were used in the 1800s to let light into underground spaces such as storage cellars and below ship decks, but they lacked the durability for serious architectural use. In 1907, Friedrich Keppler, founder of the Deutsche Luxfer Prismen-Gesellschaft, patented a mechanical process for producing reinforced concrete frames embedded with solid glass blocks, which offered greater strength. 

In 1935, Corning GlassWorks further improved on the idea with a process for joining two sections of glass to create a hollow block known as the Corning-Steuben block. These blocks are lighter, insulate better, and diffuse more light, so the same basic process is used today.

The glass in modern blocks is typically 2 to 3 inches thick, much thicker than the 3/32-inch glass used for standard windows. Blocks are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and patterns to let you create the look and level of privacy you want.

To build your glass block feature, you can either buy individual blocks and mortar them together like bricks or use a pre-made glass block panel designed to be installed as a single piece.

Pros and Cons

Aesthetics – The luster and timeless elegance of glass brings a touch of glamour to a home, improving the ambiance and adding curb appeal. Mixing blocks of various sizes, colors, and patterns lets you turn even the dullest wall into a showpiece. Because glass blocks were so widely used in the 1980s, they do have something of a retro vibe, but for many, that’s part of their appeal.

More energy efficiency lighting – Thanks to their thickness and hollow centers, glass blocks provide as much thermal insulation as double-paned windows. The mortar or silicone between the blocks and the insulation between the glass block window and the wall blocks air infiltration even better than traditional window frames. For optimal energy efficiency, look for glass block windows that carry the Energy Star label.

Privacy – The thick glass and multiple joints of glass block windows offer more privacy than standard glass panes. For even greater privacy, look for blocks manufactured with texture patterns designed to obscure the view from outside.

Lighter, more transparent patterns give you a good view outside without letting every passerby see in. A heavily textured pattern that almost completely obscures the view lets you maximize privacy for your bathroom, garage, basement, or front door sidelights.

Keep in mind that color, outlines, and some larger details are still visible even through heavy textures. If privacy is a priority, check the glass’ transparency before you buy.

Safety and security – By obscuring the view, glass block windows prevent opportunistic thieves from spotting your valuables. The thick blocks are more like masonry than like windows, so they can’t be broken through without a lot of noisy work that draws attention. They’re more waterproof than standard windows, helping to keep your valuables safe from storms and floods. Even bullet-proof models are available.

Heat buildup – Despite their overall energy efficiency, glass block windows can create a greenhouse effect that heats up the room. That’s a plus in a cold climate, where glass blocks help you make the most of the winter sun for heating.

In a climate with hot summers, though, this kind of window can make it hard to keep a room cool even with air conditioning. The effect is particularly pronounced in small rooms. Adding a reflective coating helps cut down on heat gain somewhat.  

Reduced ventilation – Because glass block windows don’t open, they don’t provide the airflow standard windows do. That can be a problem in a bathroom or basement where humidity is an issue. Installing a hopper vent allows for ventilation without compromising the window’s energy efficiency, but this still gives you less airflow than you’d get from a fully operable window.

Installation issues – Glass blocks are heavy, and they sit directly on the wall. Before you build, you’ll need to be sure the wall and floor can support this weight. For this reason, it’s much easier to install glass blocks when the wall is being built.

Replacing an old window with glass blocks requires removing the window frame and possibly reinforcing the wall and floor. If you decide to go back to standard windows, you’ll need to replace the window frame.

When to DIY and When to Call a Pro

As a rule, experienced DIYers can handle smaller interior jobs such as adding a glass block window to a partition wall or building a glass block shower wall, wet bar, or kitchen backsplash. Installing an exterior window is a more complex job that should be left up to a professional experienced in working with glass block.

If you’ll be doing the job yourself, start by assessing the floor and wall’s ability to bear weight and adding structural supports if needed. Skipping this step could leave you with a sunken floor or collapsed wall. Next, carefully measure the space where you want to install the glass blocks. Leave around 2 inches free around the edges to account for the mortar, and remember to account for additional inserts, such as block vents and hopper windows.

If you can find a pre-made glass block panel that fits the space you have, this will be the easiest way to go. A panel is installed as a single piece, but it’s still a job for two people.

For spaces pre-made panels won’t fit, you can build block by block. You’ll need not only the glass blocks and suitable mortar or silicone, but also panel reinforcers, panel anchors, and spacers. This method requires careful measuring and laying. First dry fit the blocks in place using spacers to ensure everything fits as planned.

Once you’re confident in your layout, start laying the blocks with mortar, plumbing each one as you go to make sure it’s level. Lay two rows of blocks, wait around half an hour, then tool the joints with a jointer. Let the mortar harden for another half hour before you add another two rows. The weight of more than two rows can press unhardened mortar out of the lower sections.

After a week, the mortar should be set. If your new feature will be exposed to water, apply a silicone grout sealer to protect the joints.

More than just a decorative accent, glass blocks bring real value by improving your lighting, privacy, and security. While exterior windows are best handled by a professional, interior features are something you can do yourself either with pre-made panels or individual blocks.

Imagine a little log cabin in the woods, and chances are the Adirondack architectural style will be what comes to mind. Born of the wealthy elite’s longing for nature, it’s an approach that blends luxury with rustic simplicity into a style anyone who loves the wilderness can appreciate.

Rediscovering the Wilderness

Until the late 1800s, northeast New York’s Adirondack Mountains were seen as little more than a treacherous wilderness only the brave ventured into. That changed with the 1869 publication of W.H.H. Murray’s book Adventures in the Wilderness, which inspired numerous city-dwellers to strike out for their own Adirondack adventures.

As railroad routes gradually expanded into the area, New York’s prosperous industrialists discovered the Adirondack’s clean air, dense fir forests, and sparkling lakes could provide a much-needed summertime escape from the crowded, polluted cities. Hotels sprang up to accommodate them, but those who longed for a closer connection to nature set up their own primitive tent camps. These camps soon developed into groups of simple cabins, and the Adirondack architectural style was born.

William West Durant is often thought of as the father of the style, although much of his work developed on architectural elements already popular in the area. Durant was asked by his father, railroad baron Thomas Durant, to design a retreat for hosting wealthy investors on the family’s tract of Adirondack land. In 1877, he started construction on a camp on Long Point in Raquette Lake, New York, now known as Great Camp Pine Knot or Huntington Memorial Camp. It was to be the first of many.  

By 1880, regular trains packed with visitors prompted other developers to build accommodations and more camps appeared, resulting in sites that have been known since 1916 as Great Camps. These small campuses are centered around a primary grand lodge that’s surrounded by multiple outbuildings such as guest and servants cabins, boat houses, and entertainment venues.

The Adirondack architecture style reflected both the taste for luxury and the interest in nature held by the camp owners, as well as the realities of building in the wilderness. Wealthy guests wanted comfort and elegance, but the remoteness of the Adirondacks limited builders to the use of local materials and craftspeople.

Timber and stone were easily available. European-style log construction was gaining popularity, thanks in large part to Andrew J. Downing’s 1850 book The Architecture of Country Houses. Both these points factored heavily into the Adirondack style’s development. Following the lead of Durant and other early investors, other architects designed camps based heavily on the Swiss chalet style, but with an intentionally rustic flair. The middle class soon took interest and began building their own similar camps.

From the 1880s until well into the 1920s, construction flourished and the Adirondack Great Camps became a symbol of status and opulence, and the place to be in summer. Development died down after 1950, but many Great Camps are still in service today. Some, including Durant’s Great Camps Pine Knot, Uncas, and Sagamore, have achieved National Historic Landmark status.

The style of the original camps caught on around the country, with adaptations found in many National Park lodges such as Glacier Park Lodge in Montana and Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. Countless vacation homeowners have also fallen in love with the Adirondack architectural style, so much so that it’s become a ubiquitous look for American log cabins.

In Harmony with Nature by Design and Necessity

Adirondack architecture draws from Swiss chalets, the local pioneer-influenced Shingle style, and the individualistic Arts and Crafts movement. Typically built from logs or roughly finished wood, most are one- to three-story structures under moderately peaked gabled roofs with wide, overhanging eaves. Jerkinhead (clipped) gables are particularly popular. Spacious balconies and large, square pane windows are also common elements. All these are features Adirondack buildings share with traditional Swiss and German Alpine cabins.

The style’s most identifiable aspect, however, is the rustic elegance it displays thanks to creative use of minimally processed local building materials in traditional styles. The buildings were originally designed to merge with the landscape in a way that prioritized a connection to nature and a simpler, more relaxed way of life without depriving affluent vacationers of their luxuries.

While partly influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, the desire for harmony with the natural world was as much a matter of practicality as it was idealism. The early Great Camps were built without the benefit of excavators and backhoes, so buildings were often irregularly shaped to fit into uneven, heavily forested terrain.

Because bringing in exotic building material was all but impossible, builders relied on local material, particularly stone and wood. Local granite made effective damp-resistant foundations and worked well for the massive chimneys, built high for fire protection, that added to the buildings’ primitive character. The grand stone fireplace and chimney are one of the signature features of the Adirondack style.

Granite, fieldstone, and quartzite were used in columns, facades, and paving. Stone was built up around the ground floor to protect it from the area’s heavy snowfalls and driving rain. Balsam fir was serviceable for walls, and the large timbers used to support roofs under heavy snow, while light yet strong red spruce made excellent roof boards. For flooring, doors, and other details, yellow birch and red maple were often preferred.

Without sawmills nearby to process the logs, builders settled for whole or half logs in manageable sizes, but working with these took skill. Few metal fasteners were available, so construction depended on local builders’ expertise in traditional joinery using corner notching techniques. Flawless joinery was essential for weatherproofing. While it might look primitive, an Adirondack-style building should still demonstrate serious attention to craftsmanship.

Beyond this, you’ll notice many conspicuously rustic features, such as unpeeled cedar logs, intricate twig work decorating railings and gables, and gable trim that ranges from simple to elaborate. Following the Arts and Crafts philosophy, the Adirondack style rejects the mass produced in favor of elements with an individual craftsman’s touch, so handcrafted details are prevalent. Because the exterior is meant to blend in, the colors of these buildings come from the natural earth tones of the materials used.

Examples of the Adirondack architectural style abound in forested areas around the country. These lodges and cabins offer a rich source of inspiration if you’re planning your own Adirondack-style project, but the very nature of the style leaves it open for interpretation. Incorporating a few classic elements and following the guiding principle of harmonizing the rustic with the luxurious can give you the quintessential Adirondack look.

French architecture has influenced American building design since Colonial times, but the French Eclectic architectural style breaks from tradition by offering options accessible to the average homeowner. The movement emerged in the early 20th century from the public’s growing familiarity with French countryside homes and developed into a style that blends rustic simplicity with Classical elegance.

French Charm for the Common People

Before WWI, most French-influenced buildings in America were designed in the Chateauesque or Beaux-Arts Renaissance traditions, which drew from Renaissance-era design principles best suited to stately mansions and large public buildings.

During the war, American soldiers serving in France became acquainted with the French countryside’s cottages, farmhouses, and small manor houses, particularly in Normandy and Brittany, and developed an appreciation for this vernacular architecture. They brought these favorable impressions home to Americans who already associated French culture with elegance and refinement, but saw no need to adhere to one particular style.

The French Eclectic style grew from this love of French homes in general, embracing an assortment of features borrowed from all styles of homes in all regions of France. While certain vernacular features were simply copied, some of the more Chateauesque features were adapted for use on smaller buildings.

At the same time, improved photography and printing technology helped further a deeper understanding of French architecture among American architects and builders. Photographic studies of ordinary French homes that circulated through print media opened professionals’ eyes to possibilities beyond Renaissance formality.

French Eclectic architecture enjoyed a strong following from 1915 through 1945, but its heyday came between 1920 and 1935. In the 1920s, it surpassed Tudor Revival as the country’s second most popular architectural style, although it never managed to overtake Colonial Revival for the number one spot. After WWII, interest waned and apart from the mansard roof trend of the 1960s and 1970s, French architecture held little influence in America. In the 1990s, as public interest in Rival styles reemerged, the French Eclectic style once again attracted admirers, and it remains in style today.  

While relatively uncommon and not nearly as widespread as other Revival-style homes, French Eclectic homes are found throughout the country, ranging in form from modest cottages to luxurious mansions. Because most are custom built, they’re influenced by each owner’s imagination, which adds to the variety.

Recognizing a French Eclectic Home

As the name implies, the French Eclectic architectural style combines features from a variety of French building traditions. It does have one consistently recognizable feature, however: the prominent, often steeply pitched, hipped roof with no front-facing gable. This separates it from the Tudor Revival roof, which always includes a front-facing gable.

The houses are one to two-and-a-half stories, sometimes expanded with side wings that are lower and smaller than the main building. The second floor is often enclosed entirely by the roof, with dormers added for lighting. These are typically wall dormers, also called through-the-cornice dormers, which run through the cornice line flush with the facade, a style reminiscent of Chateauesque architecture.

Dormers are most often topped with segmental, hip or gable roofs, but you’ll also see arched and circular dormers, as well as the occasional shed dormer. On many roofs, the eaves are flared upward and extend slightly beyond the walls.

In terms of overall appearance, French Eclectic buildings fall into one of three categories.

Symmetrical – These are rectangular buildings that are heavily influenced by Chateauesque and Beaux-Arts traditions that developed from Renaissance manor houses and royal palaces. They feature centered entrances and even numbers of symmetrically placed windows, dormers, and chimneys, lending them a sense of formality and grandeur. Even so, some Medieval influence still flows in this style, as it does through all types of French Eclectic homes.

Asymmetrical – On these homes, you’ll find an off-center entrance, asymmetrical dormer placement, and sometimes windows in groups of three. The roofs may feature cross gables. Their somewhat irregular massing is inspired by Medieval manors and provincial farmhouses. Detailing may be done with an ornate Medieval flare or in a more formal Renaissance style.

Towered or Norman Cottage –  A subset of the asymmetrical category, this style was inspired by the architecture of Normandy and Brittany. Its most distinctive feature is the rounded tower with a conical roof placed in the center of the building to enclose the entryway. In some medieval Norman homes, barns were incorporated into the main building and the tower was used to store grain or animal fodder. Corner towers, in place of or in addition to the central tower, are also found on modern versions.  

Outside these features, French Eclectic homes share many commonalities. Casement or multi-light double-hung windows are favored. French casement windows, with two panes that open vertically from the center, are particularly popular, as are the French doors these windows inspired. Windows are often highlighted with segmented arches or decorative shutters, although wood trim is kept to a minimum.

Front entrances are usually enclosed. Homes that lean toward the Tudor Revival style, which was also popular in the 1920s, may have half-round arched entry porches. On some more formal, Renaissance-inspired homes, the entrances may be recessed or plain stoops with doors framed by pilasters and pediments. Although French Eclectic homes lack spacious porches, some make up for it with balustraded balconies.

Roof material is typically tile, slate, or shingle. Chimneys are often massive but simple in form and topped with French-curved copper chimney caps of the type seen on French country cottages. For the exterior walls, brick, stone or stucco is preferred, sometimes with decorative masonry quoins dressing up the corners of the building. Tudor-style half-timbering and clapboard siding also make occasional appearances, particularly on towered homes.

Light Earth tones, such as beige and gray, are the most common colors used. While facade walls are typically monochrome, variegated stone facades and variegated roofs are sometimes found.
 
By borrowing elements from cottages and castles alike, the French Eclectic architectural style made the charm and romance of French homes accessible to the average American. Buildings in this style aren’t always easy to find, but if you’re looking for examples, keep an eye out for the distinctive roofs. If you’re considering building a French Eclectic home, get to know the many features that can go into this style before you settle on the combination you want.