Popular Home Styles in Florida: Mediterranean, Key West, Modern Coastal and More in Palm Beach County

The home styles in Florida that you will see most often in Palm Beach County are Mediterranean Revival, Spanish and Mission looks, Key West and Old Florida cottages, mid-century ranch homes and newer modern coastal builds. Each one tells you something about when a house was built, how it was made and what it may cost to insure. This guide shows you how to spot each style from the curb, where you tend to find it and what buyers should check before making an offer.

Key takeaways

• Mediterranean Revival came to Palm Beach with architect Addison Mizner from 1918 and still shapes much of the county, from historic estates to newer gated communities.
• Key West and Old Florida style homes use porches, raised floors and metal roofs. Many new builds borrow the look.
• Single-story concrete block homes from the 1950s to the 1980s make up a large share of older neighborhoods.
• Roof shape, roof covering and window protection affect your insurance cost more than the style name does.
• Always ask for a wind mitigation report and the roof age before you fall in love with a facade.

Why home styles in Florida look different from the rest of the country

Climate drives design here. Heat, humidity, salt air and hurricanes all push builders toward certain materials. As a result, you will see far more stucco over concrete block than wood siding. You will also see tile and metal roofs, deep overhangs, covered patios and screened pool cages.

History matters too. Early settlers built raised wood houses with porches to catch the breeze. Later, the 1920s land boom brought Spanish and Italian looks. After World War II, builders put up thousands of simple one-story block homes for new residents. Today, new communities often mix those ideas with modern open floor plans and impact glass.

So when you tour homes, the style name is only a starting point. The age, the roof and the way the house was built tell you much more.

Mediterranean Revival and Spanish style homes in Florida

This is the style most people link with Palm Beach. According to the Florida Department of State, architect Addison Mizner moved to Palm Beach in 1918, and his Everglades Club soon made his name. His style, with stucco, arcades, iron balconies and clay tile roofs, set the tone for the island. He also designed the Boca Raton resort that is now the Boca Raton Resort and Club, which the state dates to 1925.

How to spot it

• Stucco walls in cream, sand, peach or soft pink.
• Red or terracotta barrel tile roofs.
• Arched doorways, windows and loggias.
• Wrought iron railings, decorative tile and courtyards.

Spanish and Mission versions are usually simpler, with flat or low roofs hidden behind curved parapets. You will find older examples in historic neighborhoods of Delray Beach, West Palm Beach and Palm Beach. Meanwhile, many gated communities built from the 1980s onward use a "Mediterranean" look with tile roofs and arched entries on a modern floor plan.

For a deeper look, see our guide to Mediterranean and Spanish Revival homes in Boca Raton, Palm Beach and Delray Beach.

Key West and Old Florida style homes

These homes grew out of the way people lived before air conditioning. They sit up off the ground, have wide porches and use tall windows to move air. Metal roofs shed heavy rain and reflect sun.

How to spot Key West and Old Florida homes in Florida neighborhoods

• Lap siding or board-and-batten walls, often in white or soft pastels.
• Standing-seam metal roofs.
• Front porches with simple columns and railings.
• Shutters, often working Bahama or colonial types.

True historic wood cottages are rare in Palm Beach County and tend to sit in older town centers. However, builders love the look. In Jupiter and other north county towns, you will see newer homes with metal roofs, porches and Key West or British West Indies details built over concrete block with impact windows. That combination gives you the cottage feel with modern construction.

Mid-century ranch and concrete block homes

Drive through many neighborhoods built from the 1950s through the 1980s and you will see long, low, one-story homes. These are usually built from concrete block covered in stucco. Locals often call this CBS construction, short for concrete block and stucco.

Typical features include a low-pitched hip or gable roof, a carport or attached garage, terrazzo floors under old carpet and jalousie or awning windows in untouched examples. Some have mid-century modern touches like breeze block walls, clerestory windows and flat roofs.

These homes are popular with buyers who want a single-story layout and a yard. They also tend to be a good canvas for renovation. Still, check the electrical panel, plumbing and roof age, since many still have original systems or older updates.

Modern coastal and contemporary home styles

Much of the new construction in Palm Beach County now leans clean and bright. Builders call it modern coastal, transitional or contemporary. In general, it means simple shapes, white or light gray exteriors, large impact windows and sliding glass walls to the patio.

Roofs vary. Some use flat concrete tile, some use standing-seam metal and some use flat roofs with parapets. Inside, expect open kitchens, large islands, light floors and outdoor kitchens.

You will see this look in new communities around Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Westlake and western Boca Raton, as well as in teardown rebuilds near the coast. Builders change their elevation options often, so ask the sales office which exteriors are offered in each phase.

Which home styles in Florida are in demand now

We do not have a reliable count of sales by style, so we will not guess at percentages. Instead, here is what buyers tend to ask for when they search.

• One-story homes, especially among downsizers and buyers who plan to age in place.
• Newer construction with impact windows and a newer roof, because of insurance.
• Light, open interiors, no matter what the outside looks like.
• Outdoor living space, including a covered patio, a pool or room for one.

In practice, many buyers care more about the age and condition than the style label. A renovated 1970s ranch with a new roof and impact glass can draw more interest than a dated 1990s Mediterranean with original windows.

For market context, the Palm Beach County single-family median sale price was $650,000 in August 2026, with a median of 40 days to contract and 3.5 months of supply, according to Miami Realtors.

What about the modern farmhouse?

The modern farmhouse look, with white board-and-batten siding, black windows and metal roof accents, is popular in national builder catalogs. Here, you will see it less often, and usually in a local form. For example, builders may pair a farmhouse-style front with stucco walls, impact glass and a concrete tile or metal roof. In larger-lot areas such as Loxahatchee and The Acreage, a few custom homes lean closer to the classic version. If you love the style, ask your agent to set up a search by features, such as a metal roof or a wide front porch, rather than by the style name alone.

How home styles in Florida affect insurance

Insurers do not price a house by style name. However, the parts that come with a style can change your premium a lot.

Roof shape and covering

Florida uses a standard wind mitigation form, OIR-B1-1802, to record features that reduce hurricane damage. One section looks at roof geometry. In general, a hip roof, which slopes down on all four sides, is treated as more wind resistant than a gable roof. Many ranch and Mediterranean homes have hip roofs. Some Key West and modern designs use gables or flat roofs, which can change the result.

Under section 627.0629 of the Florida Statutes, insurers must offer discounts or credits for features shown to reduce windstorm loss, such as roof strength, roof-to-wall connections and opening protection. So two homes of the same style can carry very different premiums.

Roof age and older homes

Roof age is a big factor. Under section 627.7011, an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a policy solely because a roof is less than 15 years old. For older roofs, the owner can get an inspection, and the insurer may not refuse coverage solely because of age if the roof has at least five years of useful life left. Historic and mid-century homes are more likely to have older roofs or systems. Read our guide to insurance for older Florida homes before you make an offer.

Windows and doors

Impact windows or rated shutters count as opening protection on the wind form. Older homes may have none. New builds almost always have it. That difference alone can shape your monthly cost.

A buyer checklist for any style

1. Ask for the roof age and permit history.
2. Request the most recent wind mitigation report. The form can stay valid for up to five years if nothing major changed.
3. Get an insurance quote during your inspection period, not after.
4. Check whether the home sits in a historic district, which can limit exterior changes.
5. Look at HOA architectural rules if you plan to change colors, roofs or windows.
6. Compare utility bills, since metal roofs, light colors and shade can lower cooling costs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common home style in Palm Beach County?

No official count exists by style. That said, single-story concrete block homes and Mediterranean-inspired homes with tile roofs are very common across the county, especially in neighborhoods built from the 1950s on.

What is a Key West style home?

It is a raised cottage look with lap siding, a metal roof, porches and shutters. Many local versions are new homes built from concrete block with Key West style details.

Are Mediterranean homes in Florida more expensive to insure?

Not by style alone. Insurers look at roof shape, roof age, roof covering and window protection. A Mediterranean home with a hip roof and impact windows may rate well.

Which home styles in Florida hold up best in hurricanes?

Construction details matter more than looks. Look for concrete block walls, a hip roof, strong roof-to-wall connections and impact-rated openings, all of which show up on a wind mitigation report.

Sources

• Florida Department of State, Florida Artists Hall of Fame: Addison Mizner
• Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, wind mitigation resources (form OIR-B1-1802)
• Florida Statutes, section 627.0629
• Florida Statutes, section 627.7011
• Miami Realtors, Palm Beach County August 2026 market report

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