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.