Architectural spotlight: Italianate

Much of my work as a public historian focuses on historic houses and their architectural significance. The Architectural Spotlight series briefly highlights some of the most recognizable and important architectural styles in American history, helping readers better understand the primary characteristics of each.

If you’re interested in my professional historic research and National Register nomination services, you can learn more here.

---

When driving around the rural Midwest, the landscape is dominated by the Italianate. With its tall, narrow windows, low-hipped roofs, and decorative eaves and porches, the Italianate is one of the most recognizable architectural styles in the United States.

The style began in England in the early 19th century as part of the Picturesque movement, which arose as a reaction against the rigid symmetry and formality of classicism. Advocating for irregularity, variety, and the integration of buildings with their natural surroundings, the Picturesque movement sought to create a more organic and romantic connection between architecture and nature. At its core, the Italianate style draws inspiration from the informal, rustic charm of rural Italian villas. During its zenith in the United States between 1850 and 1880, the form underwent modifications and embellishments, evolving from its Italian origins into a distinctly American architectural expression.

The Italianate style became popular in both urban and rural settings and was adapted for everything from modest homes to grand country estates. There are two main hallmarks of the style that make it easy to identify. First, tall and narrow windows topped with crowns, pediments, or arches are typically present. Second, the eaves—the projecting edges of a roof beyond the walls—in Italianate structures have wide overhangs and are embellished with decorative cornices and brackets.

Other key features of the style include low-pitched roofs and wooden or iron porches with elaborate details. Italianate structures are almost always two or three stories tall, with rare single-story examples found in some areas. In more ornate cases, Italianate homes can include towers and cupolas.

The style was also commonly used for commercial buildings. In fact, it is one of the most recognizable forms in the thousands of late 19th-century downtown business districts throughout the United States. If you visit a historic Main Street in any Midwestern town, you are almost guaranteed to see an Italianate.

Examples

Below are a few examples of the Italianate style applied to both residences and commercial buildings.

Downard House, built 1878. Marion Township, Hendricks County, Indiana. An example of the Italianate style applied to a simple farmhouse in a rural setting. Author's photograph.

Beechwood (Isaac Kinsey House), built 1871. Washington Township, Wayne County, Indiana. Beechwood is a notable example of the Italianate style applied to a larger estate house. The cupola with arched windows and iron porch are key features of the style. Author's photograph.

Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate, built 1857. Lexington, Kentucky. Ashland is an example of the Italianate style mixed with other styles, mainly Greek Revival and Federal. Author's photograph.

Buildings on US 40, built c. 1885. Plainfield, Indiana. These buildings are quintessential examples of the Italianate style applied to commercial buildings. Author's photograph.