Rooted in the rural French countryside, the French County style includes both modest farmhouse and estate chateaus. French Country architecture is all about mixing the formal with the informal, the old with the new. This style started shortly after World War I when soldiers returning to the US brought a little bit of France with them. French Country is a style with rustic warmth and comfortable designs. Details may vary, but these French inspired homes are distinguished by their curved arches, soft lines, stonework, hipped roofs and flared eaves. Inside is an elegant charm with wood beams, plastered walls and stone floors.