STEP TWO
These interior style concepts are adaptable to a wide range of exterior styles. By highlighting material, contextual and décor elements these styles don’t rely as much as other styles do on the structural layout and interior architectural elements to convey their story.
Rustic/Organic
Best Suited For These Exterior Styles: Folk, Mid-Century, Ranch, New-Traditional, Bungalow/Craftsman
Imagine: Rough-sawn wood lines the walls, dark stone floors worn smooth underfoot, exposed beams overhead, collected furnishings soften the palette, modest carpentry, moments of exposed stone or brick add to the rich texture, patinas are paramount, lighting is sparse and the palette of hues is deep and earthy.
Rustic design brings the outdoors in, embracing natural and rugged aesthetics. It includes:
Exposed wooden beams, stone walls, and reclaimed wood.
Neutral and earthy tones.
Worn and distressed painted and wood finishes.
Cozy textiles such as wool and linen.
A mix of vintage and handmade decor.
Rustic style works best in country and cottage settings. It can be adapted to homes of any vintage if the setting is correct; the setting should reflect the ruggedness of rustic style. In order to carry this style, authentic materials, finishes and décor are critical. Careful consideration of overall interior finishing is important to create a believable result.
Cottage
Best Suited For These Exterior styles: Folk, Gothic, Victorian, Colonial Revival, Mid-Century, New-Traditional
Imagine: A crackling fire, stacked logs, collected furnishings that tell old stories, friendly patterns layer rooms, whimsical colour and wallpaper is welcome, wood hutches and dressers add charm, old books line shelves, open windows welcome the breeze.
Cottage style is warm, inviting, and effortlessly charming. This style balances casual comfort with refined details. Hallmarks of this style include:
A mix of painted and natural wood finishes.
Wallpapers, textiles, and décor featuring delicate florals, vines, and nature-inspired patterns.
Linen, cotton, wool, and embroidery for a cozy, collected feel.
A blend of antique and vintage-inspired furniture and decor pieces.
A palette of neutral and warm earth tones.
Collected artwork, heirloom ceramics, and artisanal accents that add charm and personality.
Cottage style works beautifully in both rural and suburban settings, bringing a sense of history and comfort to any home. Achieving an authentic cottage aesthetic relies on layering textures, patterns, and materials in a way that feels curated over time rather than designed all at once.
Eclectic
Best Suited For These Exterior Styles: Suburban, Mid-Century, Eclectic and Victorian
Imagine: Collected artifacts from worldly travels, unexpected shapes, colours and patterns play, plants and texture is plentiful, handwoven textiles adorn the furniture, a whimsical chair grabs attention, art is layered and storied on the walls.
Eclectic style showcases a carefree and artistic vibe. It features:
Layered patterns and bold, saturated colours.
A mix of influences.
Natural materials like jute, rattan.
Decor items like rugs, tapestries, and houseplants.
Eclectic style works well with quirky architecture. Very well suited to travel focused lifestyles where collected objects are incorporated into decor. Curated styling is critical to achieving a cohesive, attractive result.
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-This guide provides a brief, highly graphical overview of Canada's architectural heritage, highlighting the defining characteristics of various building styles and types across different historical periods. We love older Parks Canada publications.
Parks Canada. Buildings of Canada: A Guide to Styles and Types. 1980, https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/7173/buildingsofcanada.pdf.
-This guide, commissioned by an East coast municipality, is quite comprehensive. It provides more detailed information on the architectural styles that are common in Canada.
Town of Sackville. Heritage Architecture Style Guide. 10 Mar. 2014, https://sackville.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Heritage_Architecture_Style_Guide_Final_10March2014.pdf.
-This book provides a comprehensive overview of major architectural styles and building terminology in Ontario from the late 18th century to relatively modern times.
Blumenson, John J.-G. Ontario Architecture: A Guide to Styles and Building Terms, 1784 to the Present. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1990.
-A concise introduction to considering the architectural character of your home is provided in the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Cultural Resources - Preservation Guides. The National Park Service preservation guides are a great resource in general and well worth exploring.
-This book outlines what to look for, what to do and what not to do when working on important building details.
Cusato, Marianne, and Ben Pentreath. Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use & Avoid. Sterling, 2007.
-This book provides an excellent detailed guide to American residential architecture (basically the same as Canadian architecture).
McAlester, Virginia Savage. A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised): The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America's Domestic Architecture. Knopf, 2015.
-This book provides detailed information on building elements.
Benjamin, Asher. The American Builder's Companion. Illustrated ed., Feb. 26, 2009, Dover Publications.
-This book provides detailed information on building elements indicating scale and proportion.
Radford, William A., Bernard L. Johnson, and Charles P. Rawson. Radford's Portfolio of Details of Building Construction: A Remarkable and Unique Collection of Full-Page Plates, Accurately Drawn and Reproduced to Exact Scale. Complete Details for Every Style of Interior Trim, Including Special Built-In Features. Illustrated ed., Dover Publications, Aug. 31, 2012.
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