French House Plans With Mansard Roof

French country house plans.

French house plans with mansard roof.

Formal examples of this type are normally large luxury homes that include balconies intricate masonry and details like corner quoins but there are also smaller plans in this collection that embody french country design principles in more compact. The term second empire refers to the empire that louis napoleon napoleon iii established in france during the mid 1800s. More formal french country house plans may include corner quoins second floor balconies and intricate masonry and roofline detailing. These second empire french house plans from 1878 were designed for a cottage with a mansard or french roof.

Mansard roof at the louvre museum in paris france. The chateauesque home is formal and classic defined by heavy ornamentation. French country house plans are characterized by the extensive use brick stone or stucco exteriors and large hip or mansard roof lines. The emblem of the style is the distinctive mansard roof a device attributed to the 17th century french architect francois mansart 1598 1666.

Single or continuous balconies are common. However the tall mansard roof that we associate with the style dates back to renaissance times. Although there are a few small simple french country house plans in this collection the majority are larger expansive 1 or two story floor plans. Photo by kristy sparow getty images news getty images.

Decorative elements include towers and turrets with conical roofs topped by finials. The steeply pitched mansard roof often with a railing or crest is a signature feature. A cut stone exterior gives the chateauesque home an air of elegance. The sketches also outline the grounds immediately surrounding.

Mansart is remembered by architectural historians as the father of french classical architecture but he clearly had a practical nature as well.