More than just a style, French Eclectic is a variety of characteristics influenced by French architecture. Americans returning from WWI, along with trench foot and cool bayonets, brought back an appreciation for French homes, particularly in Normandy and Brittany, and within a few years an “Americanized” version became popular. From 1920-1935 these homes enjoyed their heyday, but we still see the style on new construction today.
Commonly constructed of stone, brick or stucco exteriors, French Eclectic homes varied in formality, with formal designs boasting symmetrical windows, informal homes very asymmetrical. Fittingly, French front doors and stone or rock trim were very typical. Fixtures and windows were also – you guessed it – French. In informal homes, a founded tower with conical roof was a common feature, and both styles utilized steeply-pitched roofs and towering chimneys.
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