The French Eclectic Style
Essential Style Elements
The French Eclectic style is not just one style, but rather a range of styles inspired by French architecture. These homes feature steep french, mansard, or multiple-pitch gable roofs and conical-roofed round towers and/or dormers. These homes feature modest timber frame with stucco or stone exterior and include either symmetrical window and door compositions in formal houses or asymmetrical compositions in informal houses.
Quintessential Windows
A wide variety of window types are seen within the French Eclectic style. However, casement windows are the leading choice, while double-hung windows are also acceptable. Additionally, arched top windows are common and add a wonderful French countryside charm.
Quintessential Doors
Colors & Finishes
Exterior Color Palette
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White -
Sandtone -
Canvas -
Terratone -
Dove Gray -
Cocoa Bean -
Black
Interior Wood Species
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Oak -
Maple
Interior Stain Colors
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Honey -
Cinnamon -
Birch Bark -
Primed
Hardware Styles
Window hardware features simple, functional forms with just a touch of ornamentation. Common hardware integral to the style includes locks, lifts and handles. The most popular hardware finishes are black wrought iron and antique brass.
Doors typically feature one of two different styles of hardware. The first is a hand-forged style that exhibits medieval cultural roots. The second is more refined, although still simple and traditional in appearance. Black wrought iron and antique brass are the most common door hardware finishes.
Double-Hung Hardware
Lock and Keeper in Oil Rubbed Bronze finish
Casement Window
Traditional Folding Hardware in Distressed Bronze finish
Encino® Door Hardware
Covington™ Door Hardware
Covington hardware is slightly more refined for more formal home designs.
Hardware Finishes
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Antique Brass -
Black -
Bright Brass -
Distressed Bronze -
Distressed Nickel -
Oil Rubbed Bronze
Grille Patterns
The typical grille pattern is made up of vertical rectangles with proportions that are roughly 6:5. Diamond light patterns are also common, but these are used almost exclusively with casement windows and are usually not seen with double-hung windows. Additionally, it’s common to have a mixture of grille patterns on the same house.
Since French Eclectic style houses are a blended style, windowpane proportions from one window to the next can vary as much as 20 percent.
Diamond
Colonial
Andersen® Art Glass
The French Eclectic style uses art glass sparingly.
When it is incorporated into a home’s design, it usually appears only in accent windows and features minimal use of color or no color at all. See more art glass options.
