Identifying Key Elements of the Most Popular Architectural Styles
Colonial Style (17th to 18th Century)
Siding
Wood clapboard or shingle siding painted in muted earth tones.
Windows
Double-hung sash windows with small panes (typically 6-over-6 or 9-over-9 configurations).
Moldings
Simple, unadorned trim around windows and doors.
Cornices
Minimalist cornices with little to no overhang.
Georgian Style (18th Century)
Siding
Brick or wood siding, often painted in light colors.
Windows
Symmetrically arranged double-hung sash windows with 9-over-9 or 12-over-12 panes.
Moldings
Decorative crown moldings and pediments above doors and windows.
Cornices
Embellished with dentil moldings and pronounced overhangs.
Federal Style (Late 18th to Early 19th Century)
Siding
Smooth wood siding or brick, commonly in subdued colors.
Windows
Tall, narrow double-hung sash windows with 6-over-6 panes; often accompanied by elliptical or fan-shaped transoms.
Moldings
Refined and delicate moldings with classical motifs.
Cornices
Simple cornices with minimal projection.
Greek Revival Style (Early to Mid-19th Century)
Siding
Wood clapboard painted white to mimic marble.
Windows
Large, evenly spaced double-hung sash windows with 6-over-6 panes; often featuring heavy lintels.
Moldings
Bold, wide trim resembling classical entablatures.
Cornices
Prominent cornices with wide friezes and simple moldings.
Gothic Revival Style (Mid-19th Century)
Siding
Board-and-batten vertical wood siding.
Windows
Pointed arch (lancet) windows, sometimes with decorative tracery.
Moldings
Ornate bargeboards (vergeboards) along gable edges.
Cornices
Steeply pitched gables with decorative trim.
Italianate Style (Mid to Late 19th Century)
Siding
Wood clapboard or brick with decorative quoins.
Windows
Tall, narrow windows with arched or curved tops; often crowned with elaborate hood moldings.
Moldings
Heavy, decorative window and door surrounds.
Cornices
Deeply overhanging eaves supported by ornate brackets.
Second Empire Style (Late 19th Century)
Siding
Wood or brick, sometimes with patterned slate shingles on the mansard roof.
Windows
Dormer windows protruding from the mansard roof; tall, narrow windows on lower stories.
Moldings
Richly detailed moldings with classical motifs.
Cornices
Mansard roofs with decorative cornices and brackets.
Queen Anne Style (Late 19th to Early 20th Century)
Siding
Varied textures, including patterned shingles, clapboards, and half-timbering.
Windows
Bay windows, stained or leaded glass, and multi-pane upper sashes over single-pane lower sashes.
Moldings
Decorative spindlework, brackets, and ornate trim.
Cornices
Overhanging eaves with decorative brackets and patterned shingles.
Colonial Revival Style (Late 19th to Mid-20th Century)
Siding
Wood clapboard or brick, often painted white or light colors.
Windows
Double-hung sash windows with multi-pane configurations; frequently paired with shutters.
Moldings
Classical details such as pilasters and pediments.
Cornices
Simple cornices with minimal projection, sometimes featuring dentil moldings.