Colorful, Exotic and Bold Lines Define the Mediterranean House Plan

A Warm Climate Architectural Style Thrives along the American Coasts

From the moment you step into the courtyard of a Mediterranean style home, imagine being transported to the hillside of the Greek Isles, the seaside villas in Spain and southern France, and the elegant rustic homes on the rolling countryside of Tuscany. The Mediterranean house plan - one of the most colorful architectural designs in the world – is a mix of the romantic, elegant, and exotic.  Its courtyards, stucco walls, low-pitched roofs, arches, and columns create a bold – and yet inviting – presence.

A style that originated in the sunny countries of the Mediterranean, the “Spanish modern” or Mediterranean house plan first gained popularity in the warmer states like California, Florida, Texas, and parts of the southwest in the 1900s to the 1920s.  Today, this versatile design can be found all over the U.S. and the world. 

Architectural Details of the Mediterranean House Style

Perhaps, the most distinctive feature of the Mediterranean home plan is the sloping roofline with the terra cotta red tiles, which help keep the house cool during the hot summer months.  Designed as a one or two-story structure, the Mediterranean/Spanish style home has these characteristics:   

-- Exterior walls of stucco – in white or pastel hues

-- Lots of large windows to let the breeze in

-- Covered entryways for maximum shade

-- Courtyards, balconies and verandas

-- Sundecks and patios

-- Archways and tall columns

-- Wrought iron gates

-- Landscaping

-- High ceilings

-- Open floor plans to enhance the airy atmosphere

-- Interior colors of warm hues of yellows, oranges, pale brown, and light blue

How to Enhance the Mediterranean House Design’s Curb Appeal

With its attractive exteriors, tall entryways and landscapes, the Mediterranean style is a look that people love and want to have for their homes. If you have a Mediterranean or Spanish modern house plan, here are some helpful tips to increase its curb appeal.

Highlight Arches and Columns

Since most Mediterranean style homes have arch motifs, columns, or both as part of their architectural design, why not highlight them?

Too often, we see homeowners have chosen a color matching the home’s stucco for these architectural elements. That is playing it safe but at the price of being boring and dull. Not to mention, these design elements were a meaningful part of the house plan’s original construction budget and can be all but invisible without a proper color scheme.

Show Off Your Courtyard

Among architectural home designs, the Mediterranean style is one of the few to frequently include a courtyard. And a lot of times, homeowners treat this as a forgotten outdoor floor plan space leading to the front door.

Why not go beyond just adding a few potted plants or flowers? Turn it into an extension of your home as an outdoor living room. With some simple outdoor furniture, it can become a wonderful space for entertaining guests or just relaxing and reading a book. Chances are that your home will be one of the only in the neighborhood with such a luxury. Please take advantage of it.

Landscaping – It’s a Jungle Out There!

Many Mediterranean style homes in the United States are often found in warmer climates. The style is an attractive fit for these surroundings. It also means that trees and shrubs around your Mediterranean-style home likely grow much more quickly and fully than around homes in other parts of the country.

As a result, frequent landscaping and gardening maintenance is essential for enhancing the curb appeal of your Mediterranean style home.

It’s time to step outside and view your house.  You can stop dreaming about Greece, Spain, Tuscany and the French seaside. With a vibrant color scheme in the courtyard, a landscaped garden leading to all those archways and columns, verandas and patios, you’ve created an ideal Mediterranean style home.     

Let the breeze in and have fun – wherever it may be!