Half-timbering was often used in the construction of French colonial homes. Stucco or, in later instances, weatherboarding was used to cover both post-in-ground and framed kinds to maintain the strength of the timbers and fillings. The stuccoed brick foundations of most rural homes provide as a sturdy base for the main floor's half-timbered construction.

 

By continuing the hipped roof out over the porch at a softer pitch, creating a unique, dual-pitched shape, broad porches were added to the exteriors of the homes. As the practice spread, it was eventually applied to certain city dwellings that otherwise lacked porches. Simple hipped roofs, which are typically lower and have consistent slopes on all sides, became the norm not long after. Sometimes, attic light was provided by tall, thin gabled dormers that could be integrated into any roof style.

 

French doors, with their tiny panes of glass placed atop timber panels, were a standard feature of early 20th-century French Colonial architecture. On occasion, a row of transom lights would be installed over the doors; in subsequent constructions, a Federal fanlight would take its place. The doors' original surround was much more minimal. The door frames of later instances often have a Federal or Greek Revival style.

 

Wooden double casements that opened inward were common in early French architecture. Vertical board shutters with horizontal battens on the inside opened outward on iron strap hinges, concealing tiny panes of glass. The frame around the window was slim and unadorned. English double-hung sashes replaced the French-style casements seen in earlier versions.

 

Characteristics:

 

• One story buildings

• Many narrow doors 

• Windows with paired shutters

• Steeply pitched roof, either hipped or side-gabled

• Stucco walls

• Half-timbered frame

 

Subtypes:

 

Urban French Colonial—Many French urban cottages, distinguished by their absence of porches and their proximity to the surrounding pavement, survive in New Orleans. They often feature overhanging eaves that are flared outward from the front façade and a roof that is side-gabled (or hipped).

 

Rural French Colonial—More recognizable than the urban cottages of New Orleans are French rural homes with expansive porches supported by thin wooden columns beneath the main roof line. They are distinguished by their hipped steeply-pitched roofs and large masonry foundations; the porches above are often held up by enormous masonry columns. They might be built up an extra story, protecting the main floor of the home from seasonal flooding.