Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty | Know Your Architecture: Mediterranean

Mediterranean Revival is a style introduced in the United States in the late 19th century, variously incorporating references from Spanish Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Beaux-Arts, Italian Renaissance and Venetian Gothic architecture.

The movement drew on the style of palaces and seaside villas and applied them to the rapidly expanding coastal resorts of California and Florida. In the 1920s and ’30s, Hollywood movies featured romantic Mediterranean sets, and celebrity magazines showed stars living in glamorous Mediterranean manors, creating the peak period for construction of this elegant style.

What to look for: Symmetrical façades, stucco walls, red tile roofs, arched windows with grilles and balconies made of wood or wrought iron. Lush gardens often appear, as do courtyards. Other flourishes range from large, heavy wooden doors with ornate carvings and articulated surrounds to multicolored tiles for the risers of staircases.

Famous examples: In Miami, Vizcaya, built in the early 1900s by businessman James Deering, and Casa Casuarina, once the home of fashion designer Gianni Versace. In Beverly Hills, Greenacres, the 1920s estate of actor Harold Lloyd. In Sarasota, Florida, Càd’Zan, the 1920s residence of circus tycoon John Ringling.

The Mediterranean-style home at 2225 Winton Terrace West, in Fort Worth’s Park Hill area, has been sensitively renovated for today’s living. The nearly 5,200-square-foot home offers a gracious foyer, with original stained-glass windows lining the staircase and spacious formal rooms, all with original hardwood floors. The fully updated kitchen has a large island, commercial-grade stainless-steel appliances and quartzite countertops. There are four well-appointed bedrooms, including a master suite with private balcony, private bath and large custom closet. Two private outdoor courtyards are perfect for al fresco entertaining.

The home is represented by Gwen Harper and priced $1,550,000.

To see all the exceptional homes, ranches and land offered by Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, in North Texas and around the world, visit briggsfreeman.com.