American Italianate houses tend to follow two broad trends: the picturesque and informal buildings inspired by rural Italian villas and farmhouses, and the formal symmetrical buildings modeled on the principles of urban Italian Renaissance design. Around Indiana, you’ll find Italianate houses constructed in brick and clapboard, and even vernacular forms such as gable-fronts and I-Houses that incorporate Italianate details.

To spot an Italianate building, look for brackets along the cornice, a defining hallmark of the style. While they may look like they support the roof, they are merely decorative. The roof is typically low-pitched and hipped, although gable-front forms also appear. Decorative window hoods cap tall, narrow windows that often stretch from floor to ceiling on the first floor. Lunettes, also known as eyebrow windows, sometimes show up near the roofline, shedding light into an attic. The half-moon shape ties the design to its Italian roots (think of the Roman arch).

Now that you know what to look for, don’t be surprised if you see Italianate houses popping up everywhere! Learn more about historic house styles in Indiana in our online style guide.