Mediterranean
Mediterranean homes as we know them today are based off an architectural style known as Mediterranean Revival. This style aims to emulate the feeling of being in a luxurious Mediterranean villa. It became popularized during the 1920s when a cultural obsession with wealth and leisure led to a boom in seaside resorts.
Modern Mediterranean
Modern Mediterranean architecture can follow either Spanish or Italian design. It brings back a concentration on resort-style living. These homes borrow aesthetic details from the traditional Mediterranean home style with many of the comforts of modern living.
Spanish Colonial
Spanish Colonial homes share several distinct characteristics. The structures are built with very thick walls, typically white stucco over adobe brick or stone (which helped keep the houses cool), and have a limited number of small window openings; in early homes these tiny windows didn’t have glass, just holes with wood shutters.
Hacienda
The hacienda style, which began as a Spanish colonial style in Mexico, has much in common with the twentieth-century Santa Barbara architecture popularized by George Washington Smith and Lutah Maria Riggs. Both aesthetics are marked by arcaded silhouettes, spindled window grills, and heavy wooden colonial doors. Both celebrate the natural materials of the Southwest, showing off adobe and exposed beams. Finally, both rely on an earthy color palate and decorative tiling.