From Jackie Craven,
Your Guide to Architecture.
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Does your home speak français? After World War I, soldiers returning to the United States and Canada brought a keen interest in French housing styles. Building plan books and home magazines began to feature modest homes inspired by French building traditions. Grand homes like the one shown here were constructed with a fanciful mix of French details.

Details vary, but French-inspired homes are distinguished by their distinctive hipped roofs and flared eaves. To decide whether your home has French accents, look for these features:

• Brick, stone, or stucco siding
• Hipped roof
• Flared eaves
• Dormers
• Multi-paned windows

Some French style homes also have:

• Decorative half-timbering
• Round tower at entryway
• Arched doorway