Inspired by the seaside villas of the Renaissance era, Mediterranean house plans take their primary design cues from romantic Italian and Spanish architecture. A perennial favorite in Florida and California, Mediterranean home plans are also well-suited for the open rolling landscapes of the Texas Hill Country and the Midwest prairie states.

Low-pitched tile or terra cotta roofs, stucco walls, and arch motifs are common denominators among Mediterranean style house plans. Lovely balconies and decorative wrought iron or wooden window grilles give these homes an exotic feel, while large windows (sometimes entire window walls) provide a connection to the outdoors. Open Mediterranean floor plans offer easy circulation between gracious rooms that often open onto lush gardens, patios, and pools. Ideal for grand family residences as well as vacation getaways, Mediterranean house plans are filled with a warm sense of hospitality that never goes out of style.