Farmhouse Style Everything You Need To Know Architectural Digest

French Country Decor: Everything You Need to Know About This Rustic and Refined Style

What is the difference between farmhouse and French country?

While there are notable similarities between farmhouse style and French country decor, there are also many distinguishable differences. Perhaps the most obvious connection is their shared emphasis on rustic, homespun features. All of the rustic elements are very similar, says Joyce. Both have old-world roots, but while a French country home isobviouslyinspired by the French countryside, farmhouse style is often inspired by American farms.

While not exclusively trueand there are certainly overlapslocales outside of large metropolitan areas in France often inspire images of rolling hills, cottages covered in climbing vines, and fields of colorful wildflowers. Farmsthough again, not always trueare often allied with barns, fields of crops, and the stereotypical style of a farmer, things like denim, plaid, or even cowboy boots.

While both of these foundations influence the more rustic nature of these two design stylesthink beamed ceilings and the use of natural materialsmodern farmhouse style is often more utilitarian, with sharper lines and a more casual look. Youll often find heavier materials like brass or steel and elements like shiplap, reminiscent of barns, in this style of home. Country French style, on the other hand, uses this same baseline, but adds in daintier elements. I think you could take a farmhouse room and throw in some French furniture and some antiques and then you would have French countryside, Joyce says. But youve got to add in the refined elements and flourishments to the casual foundation. As Verma explains, understanding the history of French country decor can provide further context to what the style actually is, and how it compares farmhouse style. It really boils down to the decade, she says.

History of French country decor

Back in the 1700s, France was ruled by King Louis XV, whose monarchy, intentionally or not, greatly influenced the French country style we know today. Through the Napoleonic and even after, all of the interior design is influenced by the monarchy, Verma explains. During his rule, he enjoyed taking his court to the countryside and enjoying many of the leisurely pursuits of life, she says. Of course, this helps contextualize whyand howFrench country style honors both a rustic aesthetic and an elegant one. From this time, this is where everything we know and love about the French country is born, Verma adds.

At the same time, the United States was a considerably younger country and didnt gain its independence from England until the late 1700s. As such, the more leisurely pursuits of life werent the top priority. So farmhouses were much more utilitarian, with simple, straighter lines and more vernacular design, meaning you just use whatever you have around you to create your structures and your furniture.

Modular Homes: Everything You Need to Know About Going Prefab

Theres one part of modular homes thats definitely a plus over stick-built homes, though.

[Y]our bathrooms and kitchens are usually 100% done, Casazza says. Thats probably the most time-consuming part of a [traditionally built] house, the bathrooms and kitchens.

How are modular homes built in the factory?

Modular homes are built in smaller, connectable piecesthe modules that give modular construction its name, of coursein factories that are often far from their eventual sites. Each segment is built to the relevant standards and ready to integrate into their slots once they arrive on-site.

Clayton off-site built homes, including modular homes, are constructed inside a climate-controlled home building facility, allowing for a more efficient building process, says Ron Powell, president of Clayton Manufacturing, largest builder of off-site built housing. A modular home can be anywhere from 70% to 90% complete when it leaves the building facility. The level of completion depends on the features chosen by the homebuyer and design of the floorplan. That final 10% to 30% of the construction is typically the fit and finish-type amenities that buyers associate with quality.

These factories are huge, and the work is done indoors, unlike houses built on-site, meaning that theyre not subject to the kinds of environment stresses that stick-built homes usually endure for months as theyre slowly put together.

The lumber doesnt get wet and dry out, Casazza says. Its a very simple system. If you look at the way bridges or ships or skyscrapers are built, theyre built with a series of parts from a factory that has shipped them out and put them together on-site. Thats what the modular industry is doing.

Theres also one important similarity to stick-built homes that people arent aware of, Powell says.

Modular homes are constructed using the same standard materials found in traditional site-built construction, including lumber, windows, doors and appliances, he says.

Where can you build a modular home?

Local zoning restrictions dictate where modular homes can go, and passing this hurdle is often the hardest part of the whole process for many people.

Off-site construction is often zoned out or relegated to the outskirts of cities and towns, Powell says. Our industry is working closely with municipalities across the country to help ensure that off-site built homes are permissible as a homeownership solution.

Still, its easier than it used to be to put in a modular home.When I started in the industry, youd go into towns and they would say, We dont let modular homes into this town, Casazza says.

How big can modular homes be?

Size is arguably the most critical limiting factor of any modular homeand not for the reason you may think.

Theyve got to be driven down the highway, Casazza says That means that, depending on where the sections of your modular home have to travel, each section cant exceed the dimensions that are safe on the road. In most of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, for example, Casazza says, the maximum width is 15 feet and 6 inches, and the maximum height is 65 feet, though you can go wider in rural areas like southern New Jersey. Tennessee-based Clayton, on the other hand, manufactures modular home sections up to 16 feet wide and 76 feet long.This can be a challenge if your home site is heavily wooded, Powell says. Branches will need be trimmed and trees removed.

Victorian Houses: Everything You Need to Know

Though the United States declared independence from the British crown in 1776, British influence, especially in architecture, has continued for hundreds of years. Victorian houses, for example, originated in the United Kingdom in the 19th century and are named after Queen Victoria, but are also found all over the United States. This ornate English architectural style goes so far as to even define certain American neighborhoods.

But what is a Victorian house exactly? According to London-based interior designer Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors, the Victorian period of architecture refers to the reign of Queen Victoria, between 1837 and 1901. However, Victorian-style homes were still being constructed in the US for a couple decades after the death of the monarch. Its the iconic architecturethe gable roofs, gingerbread trim, and bay windowsthat makes a Victorian house Victorian. In the US, at least.

For more about this distinctive style, heres everything you need to know about Victorian houses.

What is a Victorian house?

Strictly speaking, a Victorian house is a home built during the Victorian era, when Queen Victoria ruled, between 1837 and 1901. But, while Brits tend to refer to those dates rigidly to determine what is and is not a Victorian house, Americans are a bit more fluid. A lot of the homes we deal with [in the US] that are considered Victorian in terms of the exterior architecture would be late 1800s to early 1900s, especially in California, explains San Franciscobased interior designer Clara Jung of Banner Day Interiors.

More than anything, a Victorian home is defined by its distinguishable aesthetic. And though there are a handful of types of Victorian houses, there are typical features that they all tend to share. Recognizable characteristics are steep, tiled roofs, painted brick, bay windows, and asymmetrical design, Dadswell says. Wooden floorboards, plaster cornicing, sweeping staircases, wooden sash windows, and tiled entrance hallways would have been incorporated into most Victorian homes.

Jung agrees that asymmetry is integral to Victorian homes. I actually really appreciate the fact that its often not symmetrical in architecture, she says. Its definitely stately, but there are wings and turrets that are just off. It feels all balanced as a whole, but its not die-hard symmetry, which I think is really fun. It gives it that whimsical nature. And crazy detail went into Victorian homes, like radius trim detail and arches. I really appreciate that because I just know how much that would cost to replicate in todays labor market with a carpenter.

What are the defining elements and characteristics of Victorian houses?

External features

• Asymmetrical design
• Wood cladding in the US
• Brick or stone faades in the UK
• Two to three stories
• Steep gable roofs
• Bay windows
• Wraparound porches
• Turrets
• Towers
• Dormers
• Corbels
• Chimneys
• Decorative gingerbread trim
• Iron railings
• Stained glass
• Colorful paint

Internal features

• Hardwood floors
• High ceilings
• Wood sash windows
• Sweeping staircases
• Grand wood railings with turned spindles
• Tiled entryways
• Arches
• Ornate fireplace mantels
• Plaster molding
• Wainscoting
• Floral or gothic wallpaper
• Closed-off floor plans with lots of small rooms
• Butlers pantries and servants quarters

What is the history of Victorian houses?

The prominence of Victorian houses in the US and UK is largely thanks to the industrial revolution. For the first time, construction materials were being manufactured at a massive scale, while newly built railways allowed for a boom of development throughout cities and suburbs. The arrival of the railways gave building firms such as Thomas Cubitt a national reach and meant that, for example, Welsh slates largely replaced tiles in many parts of Britain, Dadswell shares. Other technical developments included iron-framed construction, plate glass, terra-cotta, and polished granite commercially available for the first time thanks to steam power.

What are the different types of Victorian houses?

Folk Victorian

The most common type of Victorian home found in the US, Folk Victorians have relatively plain architecture compared to other Victorian-style houses but do include the quintessential Victorian embellishments like gingerbread trim. Folk Victorians are less elaborate because they were often built on a tight budget.

Gothic Revival

Though it wasnt extremely popular, Gothic Revival style is a notable type of Victorian home, with its medieval features like pointed arches and vertical proportions. Gothic Revival was chosen for the design of the Houses of Parliament in London, Dadswell says. Partly because it had such unshakeable religious overtones, Gothic Revival failed to become a universal style.

Italianate

Italianate is one of the earliest styles of Victorian house, first appearing in the early 1800s and taking its inspiration from 16th-century Italian renaissance architecture. Its known for being rectangular or L-shaped and having low-pitched or flat roofs, round-arched windows, overhanging eaves, corbels, and columned porticoes. Italianate homes are much more symmetrical than other Victorians.

Queen Anne

In the late 1800s, the Queen Anne Victorian home emerged in the US. The style is unrelated to the Queen Anne architecture in the UK from the early 1700s, which is English Baroque. Instead, this festive type of Victorian house is characterized by asymmetrical faades, wraparound porches, corner towers, pitched roofs with cross gables, colorful shingles, and gingerbread trim. Queen Annestyle homes often resemble dollhouses and are what many people think of when they hear Victorian house.

Second Empire

Second Empire is another late 1800s type of Victorian house. The style was developed in Paris during Napoleon IIIs Second Empire of France, then brought to the United States. Its most recognizable element is the mansard roof, a four-sided, gambrel-style hip roof that is named for the 17th-century French architect Franois Mansart, who popularized it. This type of roof allows for an extra level inside the home, like a functional attic.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a Victorian house?

Advantages

One of the biggest perks of living in a Victorian house is the history. A historic home like a Victorian often has beautiful original features that cannot be found in new construction. Some of my favorite projects are Victorian homes, Jung shares. I actually love them. We try to maintain the integrity of the old foundational pieces, so the millwork and all of those details. And the fireplaces are really key features.