How to Identify French Colonial Images

Check if the home has a front porch. This will be your first indication of French Colonial architecture. According to Design Evolutions, most rural French colonial homes "have extensive porches with wood column supports for the roof line, commonly raised and supported by large masonry columns."

Determine the timber weight of the building by eyeballing the density of the wood. The National Park Service says French Colonial houses often used a heavy timber frame filled with brick or other materials. Oak or maple was common throughout the home as this was what was most readily available to colonial builders. If you can't identify the wood type, look for extensive wood shingles throughout the face of the home as this is another clue.

Pay special attention to whether the home has a raised basement. You can tell this by noting if the home has a layer under the main window structures; this is usually an indication of a raised basement that sits directly under the main level of the home.

Check the symmetry on the front windows as French Colonial homes have windows that span the face of the building, usually framed by large wooden wrapped porches. French architecture favors windows on the front face of the home; if there are none, you may be looking at British Colonial architecture. While symmetrical on the outside, the interiors of French Creole houses "tend to be asymmetrical and always lack interior hallways," the National Park Service says.

Note the color of the exterior. Most traditional French Colonial homes such as the ones you find in New Orleans or Georgia are typically white or off-white. Blues, greens or other nontraditional home colors typically appear on the facades of Victorian style or modern homes.

Search for pigeonniers, or roosts for pigeons, decorating the home. A pigeonnier is a classic architectural element of many French Creole plantation homes, notes the National Park Service. It adorns the roof on the back side of the structure or on either side of the main house.