Why Do California Homes Have So Many Arches?

California is a big state, so it's hard to generalize about architectural trends there. But there's one architectural feature that has been a trend in California homes and neighborhoods for a long time now, and it's worth digging into where it came from and why it persists. Arches appear in California doorways, windows, hallways, and outdoor structures largely because of the state's long association with Spanish and Mediterranean-influenced architecture, particularly in Southern California.

The term "California style" refers more to a feeling than a specific set of features, but, like other loosely defined design terms, people tend to know it when they see it. In Southern California, the quintessential architectural style is considered by many to be Spanish Colonial Revival, a style also seen in Florida and Southwest states like Arizona and New Mexico. This widespread California home style also shares many features with Mediterranean Revival architecture, which draws inspiration from countries including Spain, Italy, Portugal, and France.

This style is often characterized by red clay tile roofs, arched doorways, pale cream or white stucco exterior walls, tower-shaped chimneys, and decorative iron gates and fences. The warm climate allows for lush exterior landscapes all year round, and the smooth arching shapes create an attractive contrast to the angular shapes of hedges or the organic forms and textures of trees and shrubs.

California-style houses, particularly those inspired by Spanish Colonial Revival elements, might display arches in a number of ways. These arched features might be seen in interior and exterior doorways, windows, patios, walkways, foyers, stairways, gates, and arcades. Although arches have been criticized as a somewhat trendy architectural feature in some contemporary homes, California style incorporates the archway as a shape that defines the aesthetic and lifestyle of the region.

The arched doorways create a feeling of openness, connecting one room to another or indoors to outdoors. This helps create a sense of flow and makes interior spaces feel airy and spacious. Arched windows can lend a soft, romantic feel and add a bit of visual height compared to traditional rectangular windows. Exterior arched doorways might also include another compelling feature of this architectural style: wrought iron fences, gates, or decor. The heaviness of iron can seem lighter and more airy when designed with graceful shapes that enhance curving arches. 

This style also includes arcades: these are rows of arches that are supported by columns, either along walkways or as part of an entryway, porch, or patio. This is another way that the idea of flow, connecting one space to another, can be achieved using arches as design elements. The emphasis on outdoor living in this temperate region really lends itself to the use of arches to enhance the idea of a lifestyle that emphasizes nature and maximizes views of the landscape.