mountain-real-estate-hendersonville.htm

French Country or Normandy style also became popular in America following the end of World War I. Journals and magazines of the day gave Americans a glimpse of the European buildings that our troops had seen on the sunny hillsides of rural France, where each province has its own colloquial style. These pictures inspired architects to create replicas combining period details with modern features; a wealth of diversity that mixed old and new, and formal and informal into homes ranging from humble cottages and farmhouses to grand chateaus resulting in some of the most picturesque buildings to grace the American landscape. This rural style is not to be confused with the earlier French building types which were introduced to this country by French settlers who built raised cottages along the gulf coast during the 17th and 18th centuries. French Country architecture featured very prominent, steeply pitched hipped rooflines, combined with irregularly coursed stone exterior walls. Tall, thin casement windows, often with slatboard shutters, dormers, wrought iron railings, and assorted arches are also common elements. Secondary materials included stucco and lap siding. The style varied greatly between grand, formal Chateauesque directions, such as Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and simpler rural farmhouse derivations. These less formal varieties employed coursed stone and half-timbered accentsto produce a soft , honed look and feel. Chimneys and rounded turret forms which often housed stairways were prominently displayed, reaching upward from the roof. The masonry quality of construction results in thickened walls, both inside and out. Level terraces stretch the rambling floorplans into the outdoors, lending a casual air of relaxed living. Examples of French Country architecture can be found today across the country. This is particularly true because it adapts so well to a variety of settings, from suburban to rural to mountain. When emulating rural versions of the style, colors should begin with the masonry color and typically stay with complimentary earth tone ranges.