Folk Victorian architecture (fl. 1870-1920) is a vernacular interpretation of the elaborate Victorian homes being built across the United States. Buildings in this style are characterized by their simpler appearance versus the elaborate forms and ornamentation of grander Italianate or Queen Anne homes.
Folk Victorian is generally a residential style, as many settlers moving to the Midwest or West wanted a simple, easy house to build that was in touch with the fashions of the era. Earlier examples date to the 1870s and are informed by the Italianate or Gothic Revival styles, but later houses are closely related to the Queen Anne style instead. Since these houses were usually located in more remote areas, they stayed in fashion longer than most Victorian styles did.
Folk Victorian houses feature the characteristics of Victorian architecture in a simpler form. A cross gable or bay window may be the only interruption in an otherwise rectangular plan, and L-shaped plans are also common. Ornamentation is either absent, very simple, or mass-produced (e.g. Eastlake). It was also common for existing homes to receive a new porch with Victorian spindlework.