31. French Eclectic

31a. French Eclectic (Cowansville, Quebec)

This appealing house has as it's ancestry different places in Europe, hence the three different names; FRENCH ECLECTIC, NORMAN COTTAGE and SCOTTISH MANOR. See if you can match up the examples with one of these cultures!

31b. French Eclectic (Waterloo)

What to look for (clues)

- The entryway is in a prominent, round, central tower. This is frequently topped by a fairly high conical roof.

- There are house sections on either side of the tower. Most of these are set off at an angle, but not all of them.

- Outside finishes are commonly stone, brick or stucco (often with Tudor-style wooden cladding).

- Multiple, narrow, vertical-style English windows are common. They frequently are composed of small diamond-shaped or rectangular glass units.

- Small decorative touches often lean towards a certain culture. (One of the Waterloo homes has fleur-de-lys carved into the shutters.)

31c. French Eclectic (Galt / Cambridge)

31d. French Eclectic (Kitchener)

Where to find it

- While not common, the style appears in unexpected places in different cities. I know of 3 examples in Kitchener-Waterloo, and others in Guelph and Ottawa.

- Each of the building is distinctive and each is well-kept and attractive.

31e. French Eclectic (Waterloo)

Other Info

While photographing # 31a in Cowansville, Quebec, the owners came out of the house and started towards their car. When the couple spotted me, they naturally came over to ask what I was doing. We chatted and they were delighted when I was able to give them information about the style of their house. They apologized that they didn't have time to show my wife and I through their home. This is the typical friendly reaction that I receive from the vast majority of the home owners. (I've only ever had 2 who took exception to what I was doing, and I've certainly shot well over a thousand homes!)