When you picture a Mediterranean-style home, your mind likely drifts to a sun-drenched coastline—a terracotta-roofed villa overlooking the sparkling waters of California or the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida. With its emphasis on indoor-outdoor living, stucco walls, and tile roofs, the style seems perfectly suited for a seaside setting.
However, this romantic and practical architectural form has found a surprisingly popular home far from any ocean, in the sun-baked inland cities of the American West and Southwest.
From the valleys of California to the deserts of Arizona, Mediterranean architecture has been adapted to create beautiful, climate-appropriate homes. Here’s a look at a few inland U.S. cities where this timeless style is not just surviving, but thriving.
What Defines Mediterranean Architecture?
Before exploring where to find them, it helps to know what to look for. Key features include:
- Low-Pitched Tile Roofs: Typically made of red or terracotta clay, these roofs are a hallmark of the style.
- Stucco Exteriors: Walls are often finished in white, cream, or warm earth tones.
- Arched Windows and Doorways: Graceful arches add a classic, elegant touch.
- Wrought-Iron Details: Balconies, window grilles, and gates often feature ornate ironwork.
- Courtyards and Patios: Central courtyards or private patios are common, creating secluded outdoor living spaces.
Sacramento, California
While coastal California is famous for its Mediterranean and Spanish Colonial Revival homes, the state capital has a rich tradition of this style as well. The warm, dry summers of the Central Valley make it an ideal climate for stucco walls and tile roofs, which help keep interiors cool.
- Why it Works Here: Sacramento’s climate mirrors that of many Mediterranean regions. The architectural style provides natural cooling and a sense of established luxury. The city’s history is also deeply tied to Spanish influence, making the style feel authentic to the area.
- Where to Find Them: The most stunning examples are in older, upscale neighborhoods like the Fab Forties in East Sacramento, where grand, historic Mediterranean estates from the 1920s and 30s sit alongside Tudors and Colonial homes. Newer suburban developments in areas like El Dorado Hills and Granite Bay also frequently feature modern interpretations of the Mediterranean home.
Las Vegas, Nevada
In a city known for its flair and fantasy, the romantic allure of Mediterranean architecture fits right in. Beyond the themed casinos, the residential communities of Las Vegas have embraced the style for its luxurious aesthetic and practical benefits in the Mojave Desert climate.
- Why it Works Here: The thick stucco walls provide excellent insulation against the extreme desert heat, and the tile roofs are durable under the intense sun. Courtyards offer shaded, private oases from the desert environment.
- Where to Find Them: Luxury master-planned communities are filled with Mediterranean-inspired homes. Summerlin, on the western edge of the valley, features numerous villages with beautiful examples. In Henderson, communities like Lake Las Vegas are built around a Mediterranean village theme, with sprawling waterfront estates and condos that transport you to an Italian lakeside town.
Phoenix, Arizona
The Sonoran Desert landscape provides a stunning backdrop for the clean lines and earthy tones of Mediterranean homes. This style has long been a staple in the Phoenix metro area, blending seamlessly with the native desert environment.
- Why it Works Here: Similar to Las Vegas, the style is a practical response to the climate. Stucco and tile hold up well in the intense sun, and the focus on shaded outdoor spaces like patios and loggias makes the desert heat more manageable.
- Where to Find Them: You can find Mediterranean homes throughout the Valley of the Sun. The upscale suburb of Paradise Valley is famous for its sprawling, custom-built Mediterranean estates. In Scottsdale, neighborhoods like DC Ranch and Silverleaf showcase exquisite, high-end versions of the style, often blended with a more rustic, Spanish Colonial feel.
Austin, Texas
Austin’s eclectic and hilly landscape is dotted with beautiful Mediterranean villas that offer a touch of European elegance in the heart of Texas. The style is particularly popular in the rolling hills west of the city, where it complements the rugged terrain.
- Why it Works Here: The hot Texas summers make the cooling properties of stucco and tile highly desirable. The style also projects an air of sophistication and permanence that appeals to buyers in the city’s booming luxury market.
- Where to Find Them: The Westlake Hills area is a prime location for stunning Mediterranean-style homes, often perched on hillsides with panoramic views of the Texas Hill Country. Newer developments in areas like Barton Creek and around Lake Travis also feature a high concentration of large, modern homes with distinct Mediterranean influences.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
While more famous for its Pueblo Revival architecture, Albuquerque also has a significant number of Mediterranean and Spanish-style homes. The city’s deep Spanish heritage and sunny, arid climate make it a natural fit for this architectural tradition.
- Why it Works Here: The style is a close cousin to the Spanish Colonial architecture already prevalent in New Mexico. Stucco walls and tile roofs are perfectly adapted to the high desert climate. The use of courtyards aligns with the traditional New Mexican focus on private, enclosed outdoor spaces.
- Where to Find Them: You will find beautiful examples mixed into established neighborhoods like the Country Club area and in the upscale communities in the North Valley and Foothills, where they offer a slightly different but equally appropriate take on Southwestern living.
