What Is French Country Architecture?

French Country Style: Elegant Simplicity and Old World Charm

 

Amid the horrors of the First World War, American soldiers – who trudged through the villages of France – etched in their memories the visions of the beautiful scenery and landscapes, the quaint villages, and rustic homes in southern France. The picturesque homes that dotted Provence and the rest of the French countryside inspired these soldiers to build their own homes in the French Country style when they came home after the war. With the soldiers settling – and building their homes – across the U.S., theres no particular region where there is a concentration of French Country style homes.

Lets explore the origins and key elements of the French Country style, and how it is interpreted in the U.S. – in the Acadian style, and in combination with other architectural designs such as Craftsman, rustic, farmhouse, and ranch.

 

French Country Style Defined

With its origins from the rural valleys of southern France, French Country style is inspired by the enchanting homes in Provence, an idyllic region with rolling hills and picturesque fields. French Country is a mix of the simple, rustic, and classic refined French style – basically Old World charm – that ultimately creates an elegant and comfortable atmosphere.

It began in the 1600s during the reign of Louis XIV who established France as a country known for elegance and style. While the elaborate and exquisite styling of the Palace of Versailles, the rural manors, and the chateaux of the aristocrats were luxuries that people in the French countryside could not afford – they were able to emulate the design and adapt it according to the ideals of their quiet and relaxed country lifestyle.

In the U.S., French Country caught on after World War I – as soldiers who served in the European trenches brought its elements to American soil. And with the help of design books and home magazines, French Country became fairly common in the 1920s.

 

Key Elements of French Country Style

French Country style – with its soft colors and deliberate lines – exudes a relaxed, comfortable, and warm feel. The style is about the beauty and serenity of nature and its surroundings, natural elements, and a blend of rustic chic with simple but elegant décor touches.

Here are some distinguishing features of French Country architecture:

A tall, sloping roof in hip or hip-and-gable style is one of the most distinctive elements of French Country homes. In a hip roof, all sides slope downward toward the ground. Like the Spanish Mission homes in California, the hip-style French Country roof uses barrel-shaped clay tiles that come in beige, red, or brown. The style also features slate tiles or copper-accented roofs.

 

Tall rectangular windows add to the elegance and symmetry of the French Country home, as windows on the first and second levels are designed to align perfectly. The upper windows are usually arched and often adorned with wooden shutters.

 

Natural stone facades of brick and stone are usually flat and accentuate the simple elegance of the French Country style. And, just like the tall windows, the exterior facades emphasize the importance of symmetry in the French Country style.

 

Stone Chimneys give the French Country home a true provincial vibe and make it quaint and charming. The original French Country homes traditionally featured one chimney; but it is not uncommon to also find homes with two chimneys – one on each side of the house.

 

Wood-Planked or Exposed Wood Ceiling Beams - While exposed dark wooden beams are typical in the French Country home and provide a contrast to the pale plaster walls, there are also many homes that have wood-planked ceilings painted in white painted. The wood was intentionally painted white to match the smooth plaster walls of the home’s interior. 

 

Wood or natural stone floors – Clay, stone, brick, and wood are the usual materials for flooring in the French Country style. A design trend that was quite popular in the original French Country homes that continues to be relevant today is a natural wood flooring design in a parquet or herringbone pattern.

 

Shutters are fascinating staples of the French Country style. They can come in vibrant colors like blue and green or have a worn and weathered look. While they serve a decorative purpose, in the typical French Country home, shutters - like the hipped roof - are functional. They can open and close - to allow breezes and sunlight in, and to ward off cold air, rain, and high winds.

 

French Country homes emphasize a calming neutral color palette. Soft and subtle hues - white, cream, gray, pale yellow, baby blue, warm pink - are often used. And accent colors are vibrant shades of dark green, red, deep blue, and even black. To provide warmth and depth to the color palette, think natural materials like wood and stone.

 

Can you imagine a French Country home without outdoor space? Whether it is a courtyard, a garden with large pots of plants and colorful flowers, or a charming porch, the beauty of the French countryside is often captured in this style. 

 

French Country homes often have gabled extensions or dormers that project vertically from the roof. A gabled roof dormer is formed by two sloping sections that meet at the top of a ridge. Simple gable dormers serve both an aesthetic and practical function. They add to the beauty and style of the home and add light, air, space, and symmetry to the home.

 

French Country Style in the U.S.

In the U.S., the French Country style may be combined with another style such as Craftsman, Rustic, or Farmhouse. It is immensely popular throughout the South and the Gulf Coast Region because of French and Cajun influences in the culture and architecture. In Louisiana particularly, the design is expressed mainly in the Acadian style – a branch of French Country and French Provincial architecture.

 

Like the French Country version, Acadian design features mostly one or 1.5-story structures with tall sloping rooflines, brick exteriors, and front porches. The hipped roofs not only enhance the charm and appeal of these homes; they are also functional since they make it easy to shed rain, snow, leaves and small branches.  

 

Ranch Style with French Country Vibes

If you love the Ranch style but want a little Old World flair with the traditional design, then think of a French Country Ranch plan. The hip and gable roofs, natural stone facades, arched windows, doors and entryways, decorative shutters, dormers create unparalleled curb appeal for the typical Ranch style.

The one-story layout, with its simple footprint, convenience, and accessibility, is also practical across all age demographics, particularly for empty nesters and young families.

 

Craftsman with a Touch of French Country

With similar elements such as simplicity of form, use of natural materials, gabled rooflines, and exposed wood beams, it is not surprising that the French Style is also seen in combination with the Craftsman style.

 

There is much to love about the French Country style. Think about the simple elegance, Old World charm, comfort, and warmth it brings to the home. And far from being ornate and overly elaborate, the French Country style blends well with other architectural styles to create an aesthetic adaptable to modern times.

 

Footnote: The lead image in this article is a magnificent 1.5-story, 2979-square-foot European style home with French characteristics. For more details on the 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath residence with all its spectacular amenities, go to Plan #193-1007