Adam Federal House Plans

Crowding the cities of the eastern States and Canada, the Adam Federal style is visible in everything from a typical New York brownstone to the White House. Conceived in the wake of the Revolutionary War, it’s a uniquely American type of architecture featuring a flat brick exterior, two or more storys, lintels above symmetrical windows, and curved steps leading to a front door often flanked by long rectangular windows and capped with an ornate fan-shaped window above. Tall columns and Palladian windows are found in more opulent examples—it was a style enjoyed by the wealthy—while a grand staircase often took pride of place within the central hall.

• Rectangular • Symmetrical • Flat brick exterior • Curved steps on entry, wrought iron railing • Fan-shaped window above front door, long windows either side