Creole Style 

Most Common Creole Styles are In the South, with full-length windows open to balconies with lace ironwork adorning the upper-story balconies. These two- or three-story residences are symmetrical, with front entrances in the middle. Their hipped or side-gabled roofs have tall, thin, gabled windows. French doorways, two pairs of French doors, and two double-hung windows with shutters make up typical Creole Cottage entrances.

Few styles of architecture and design have succeeded in combining the finest of all the others in such a way that the style is occasionally referred to as “French Creole.” The fact is that while many other civilizations greatly influenced the architecture for which New Orleans is famed, it is also distinctly New Orleans.

For many, Creole architecture brings to mind images of intricately wrought ironwork, long shutters, massive doors and windows, and vibrant colors that are uncommon in most homes. 

Additionally, this architectural and interior design style is noted for its colossal balconies, many of which include wrought iron railings.

The remarkable thing about Creole house decoration is that no distinguishing element defines a design style as unmistakably Creole. Lagniappe is a word frequently used, mainly around New Orleans. It relates to “a little something more” for unaware people. That little bit extra, from an extra doughnut to a complimentary bookmark, has a long history in New Orleans. From the building to the music, there always appears to be more not found elsewhere.

Similarly, the Creole interior design style is relatively similar. While others may find it offensive, the locals believe it adds a special touch, which it does. Home decorating is a kind of art in Creole country that defies logic yet makes perfect sense given the region’s rich history and culture.

Style Guide

Louisiana is unlike any other state. It and its surroundings are home to a distinctive architectural style known as Creole architecture. Though you’re less likely to encounter this kind of home outside of New Orleans, it in no way diminishes the rich history and one-of-a-kind character of this home style. Examine the Creole house in detail, including its complicated origins, two separate subtypes, and some of the style’s defining characteristics. Continue reading to discover what makes this style of building so unique.

History of Creole Style

Creoles are the “locals” or “natives” of Louisiana, a French and Spanish colony. Creoles live more public, metropolitan lifestyles than rural lives. The Creole style is the simplest and tends to be smaller than the Acadian and French Colonial forms. 

For their urban lifestyle, Creoles tend to favor cottages, shotguns, townhouses, or camelbacks. 

Due to the frequent floods, Creole buildings have steeply pitched roofs and large windows or French doors. Urban examples are generally attached or shotgun designs with a thin-hipped roof with a roof overhang for shelter. Some examples feature large front porches with side gables. 

The front roof shed made the building accessible and allowed for a 1/2-story living space above the main level. This roof form also made building a front or back porch straightforward with a pitch break. These homes are more fire-resistant and made from stucco or brick than wood. 

This type of Creole home features thick walls, open courtyards, arcades, and cast-iron balconies. 

They also show Spanish and French influence with their steeply-pitched roofs and dormers. 

Creole Cottages have hipped or side gabled roofs, frequently with tall, narrow gabled dormer windows. A familiar Creole Cottage façade is constructed symmetrically with four outside openings, usually four groups of French doors or two groups of French doors and two double-hung windows, all shuttered. The attractiveness of America is the many hundreds of cultures that have moved to settle here and incorporated their styles, collections of traditions, and customs from countries worldwide. Architecture is no different; each culture has brought its architectural style to America, leaving beautiful impressions on countries all over the globe. 

Those architectural techniques have caused the landscape of America to become genuinely unique from region to region and provide each location of the United States with a picture of the places these early homeowners have left behind.

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