A Guide to Mediterranean House Plans

A Mediterranean house has a timeless, luxurious charm that promotes the feeling of a tropical vacation. This aesthetic includes influences from Italian and Spanish house plans, offering prominent design features that help keep your home cool. If you have property on the coast, you may want to build a Mediterranean home for you and your family to enjoy all year long.

At Family Home Plans, we offer more than 1,600 unique Mediterranean floor plans to help you find your dream house. Use this guide to discover the features and benefits of this style and how you can choose a plan that enhances your lifestyle.

Characteristics of Mediterranean House Plans

Mediterranean house designs contain influences from Spanish and Italian architecture. Since these coastal countries experience warm weather throughout the year, builders of Mediterranean homes strive to keep the property cool while maintaining a unique curb appeal. As a result, you can expect to find the following features with this style:

• Low-pitched tile roof: A Mediterranean house usually has a shallow roof made from red or terracotta tile with an overhang that provides shade from the sun. The bright color of the clay tiles also reflects heat to keep the inside of the house cool. Their barrel-like shape helps rainwater slide off the house.
• Stucco, brick and plaster: Most of the time, the siding on a Mediterranean house is white or pastel stucco or brick to reflect the sun instead of absorbing its heat. Stucco is resistant to the harsh weather conditions, such as hurricanes, that are common in coastal areas. Plaster finishing inside of the homes helps maintain the interior temperature.
• Vaulted ceilings: Mediterranean house plans often feature high, vaulted ceilings that make the rooms appear more spacious. Besides creating a grand entrance for you and your guests, the tall ceilings also help control airflow throughout the house, creating a natural breeze indoors. Some Mediterranean homes have exposed wood beams or eye-catching light fixtures to draw the eye upward.
• Balconies: If the house has a second floor, you’ll probably see a balcony or veranda coming out of a bedroom or loft space. Since warm air rises, the second level can get warm. This design feature comes with spacious windows or a sliding glass door to provide a cool breeze in the home’s upper level. Those who have bedrooms upstairs can enjoy the beautiful views surrounding the property and get some fresh air in the morning.
• Wrought-iron railings: Designers of Mediterranean homes often use wrought-iron decorative features on the exterior and interior. Wrought-iron railings on the stairs, patio or balcony provide a unique appearance without obstructing the view. Metal tends to withstand harsh weather conditions and is easy to maintain.
• Window grilles: Besides wrought-iron railings, Mediterranean homes often include wrought-iron grilles on the windows. These decorative elements can go horizontally or vertically, creating a boxy design that adds an aesthetic appeal to the home’s exterior.
• European-style courtyards: Spanish house plans maximize their outdoor living areas, especially in a coastal climate. You’ll often see swimming pools, prominent fountains, elaborate gardens and cobblestone walkways in a Mediterranean house plan with a courtyard. The courtyard is usually in the middle of the house as an extension of the living room, providing a soft breeze to allow healthy airflow inside.
• Sprawling facades: Mediterranean homes are usually one story, which makes the living space more expansive. The open floor plan will enable you to walk from one room to the other easily. This feature creates clear sightlines throughout the whole house, and it helps keep the airflow consistent. Instead of warm air rising to the rooms on a second floor, the one-story configuration makes it easier to keep the house at a comfortable temperature.
• Arched doorways and windows: The arches in the entryway and windows give the place a regal appearance famous in Italian architecture. Like vaulted ceilings, this design also creates more space to allow air to circulate throughout the home, keeping your indoor living space comfortable all year long.

Benefits of a Mediterranean Home

A Mediterranean house can add value to your lifestyle in the following ways:

1. Keeps You Cooler in the Summer

Due to the warmer weather in the Mediterranean region, this architectural style features natural methods for keeping your home cool in the summer. If you live in a coastal climate, you can benefit from the open floor plan, spacious windows and arched doorways that allow a natural breeze to flow through the whole house. Since the air circulation puts less strain on your HVAC system, you can save money on your energy bills and stay more comfortable in your living space.

2. Enhances Your Curb Appeal

A Mediterranean house has a simple, elegant charm that never goes out of style. Due to its timeless character and long-lasting materials, you won’t ever need to update it. You may live in a community with other Mediterranean houses that all look the same. However, you can design your property with bright, vibrant colors and decorative elements that’ll make it stand out in the neighborhood. Since the Mediterranean aesthetic blends well with the modern style, you can incorporate newer trends into your interior and exterior design.

3. Creates the Feeling of a Relaxing Vacation

The luxurious outdoor living space and decorative elements may remind you of your latest tropical vacation. Mediterranean homes are popular in coastal climates because of their ability to keep cool in the summer. With this style, you can enjoy a relaxing environment all year long. You can build a vacation home near the water for convenient access to a tropical destination. You could also include a pool in your floor plan for a year-long oasis that’s within walking distance from your house.

4. Offers an Adaptable Design

Even though the Mediterranean style has structured design features, you can customize your house’s color, layout and decorative elements to accommodate your lifestyle. You can create an open floor plan that combines your kitchen, dining room and living room to make family gatherings more convenient. You can also change the location of your kitchen or dining area to provide a better flow. With a U-shaped design, you can have the central courtyard open up directly into the backyard while still maintaining your privacy.

5. Uses Outdoor Living Space

The Mediterranean style focuses on providing a seamless flow from the inside to the outside. If you have a large plot of land, your floor plan can include functional outdoor entertainment areas. Consider putting a kitchen or living room in your backyard to make family gatherings and summer cookouts more convenient. You can set up comfortable seating that overlooks the pool. When the weather outside is pleasant, your outdoor living space gives you a place to admire the views and breathe in the fresh air.

Types of Mediterranean Home Designs

There are three primary types of Mediterranean houses that are popular today:

• Italian Mediterranean: Italian Mediterranean homes emphasize ornamental elements and symmetrical design throughout the house. This aesthetic draws inspiration from Italian Renaissance architecture, which includes rounded arches and decorative columns. Instead of stucco siding, Italian homes typically have brick facades and prominent columns to create an eye-catching focal point for a grand entrance.
• Spanish Mediterranean: The Spanish Mediterranean style includes influences from Spanish Colonial architecture. Spanish house plans revolve around simple decor instead of prominent, ornate features. Unlike the symmetrical design of an Italian-style house, a Spanish Mediterranean home may have an asymmetrical exterior. You’ll also notice simple, clean lines and a low-pitched tile roof.
• Modern Mediterranean: This style features a blend of the traditional features of Italian and Spanish architecture and modern design elements. A Modern Mediterranean house focuses on indoor-outdoor living space, sprawling facades and an open floor plan. This aesthetic would make an excellent vacation home because of its focus on comfort and use of the outside.

3 Examples of Mediterranean House Plans

If you’re looking for some Mediterranean house design ideas, check out these floor plans on our site:

1. One-Story Narrow Lot Mediterranean House Plan

Even though most Mediterranean houses are broad, we also offer small Mediterranean-style house plans. This home features 1,550 square feet of interior living space, including a two-car garage, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. You can enter the house through the main entry door or the two-car garage. When you walk through the front of the house, you’ll see a bedroom on your right and the open living area directly in front of you.

The opening living area features a great room, formal dining room, kitchen and breakfast nook with a volume ceiling. The utility closet with a washer and dryer is in the kitchen. The great room opens up to a covered patio with plenty of space for eating and relaxing outside. The master suite has a sliding glass door that leads to the backyard, along with a walk-in closet and a full bathroom. On the other side of the house, the two bedrooms share a bathroom.

2. Two-Story Contemporary Mediterranean House Plan

This coastal home features 4,350 square feet of interior living space, including four bedrooms, four full bathrooms, one half-bathroom and a three-car garage. The garage is behind the house, and it has an entrance that gives you access inside. When you walk through the front door, you’ll see the master suite on the left and the open living area in front of you. The outdoor living area features a great room, kitchen, pantry and dining room.

Each room in the open living area has a sliding glass door that leads to the outdoor living and dining room. The dining area outside includes a summer kitchen for easy outdoor entertainment. The pool concept features a spa. There’s a pool bath relatively close to the outside for guests to use outside and inside the house.

The master suite includes a sitting room overlooking the pool, his and her closets and a master bathroom with two toilets, two sinks and a large shower. The other side of the house includes a study, a bedroom with a walk-in closet, a full bathroom and a laundry room. You can take the elevator or the stairs up to the second floor, and the loft overlooks the first floor. Two bedrooms each have private bathrooms and walk-in closets. There’s also an outdoor balcony with storage that overlooks the outside.

3. Spacious Modern Style House Plan

This large home features 7,621 square feet of interior living space, including five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, two half-bathrooms, a two-car garage and a one-car garage. This property encompasses two spacious floors. You can enter the house through the front door or either of the two garages. When you walk through the front door, the grand foyer opens up into the open living area.

The living room, dining room and family room all have sliding glass doors that open up to the outdoor living and dining area. Just outside of these outdoor areas is a pool big enough to be considered a beach. The guest suite on the right side of the house also includes a covered lanai, two walk-in closets and a guest bathroom with two sinks and a shower. Then, there’s the second bedroom with a private bathroom, powder room and laundry room on the house’s left side.

You can take the elevator or stairs to access the second floor. The master suite includes a spacious walk-in closet and a master bathroom. The two remaining bedrooms each have a private bathroom. There’s also a powder room, wet bar, media room, bonus room and home office, all overlooking the downstairs level.

Mediterranean Home Plan FAQ

For more information about Mediterranean floor plans, here are some frequently asked questions about this style:

• Where can you find Mediterranean homes? Most Mediterranean-style homes are in coastal areas, especially in California, Florida and the Southwest. Since the design focuses on keeping cool, it’s popular in places that experience warm temperatures. If you build it in a cold climate, you’ll have to coat your roof tiles to avoid moisture and ice damage.
• How do you decorate a Mediterranean-style home? When you decorate a Mediterranean-style home, try to use subtle decor for an understated look. You can use contrast in your colors to create visual appeal in a room. Since the Mediterranean style is already ornate, you can let the charm speak for itself instead of adding more decorative elements.
• Can Mediterranean homes be renovated? It’s possible to remodel a Mediterranean home, but you might not prefer to do so. The old-world charm of this style highlights the aged appearance of the long-lasting materials and traditional decor. If you need to renovate your home, work with a contractor who specializes in Mediterranean architecture.

Search Our Mediterranean Home Plans

If you’re interested in building a Mediterranean home, use our website to find a beautiful Mediterranean dream home plan. We offer thousands of house plans with unique features that’ll accommodate your lifestyle and help you show off your design personality. When you work with us instead of waiting for blueprints from an architect, you can save time and money on your overall project.

If you find a plan similar to what you want, you can also work with us to modify it by adding a room or changing the number of garage bays. Browse through our Mediterranean home plans and let our customer service team know if we can help.