Architectural Styles of Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico
There are three major styles of architecture in traditional Santa Fe home design.
Pueblo Style Pueblo Style
Derived from traditional southwest Indian pueblos, this style is typified by soft, organic lines and rounded parapets, vigas, latillas, nichos and bancos. (See the Glossary of Architectural Terms for definitions of terms.)
Territorial Style Territorial Style
Before statehood, the railroad arrived with heavy sawmill equipment. This style features stucco exteriors with sharp-edged parapet walls which are often decorated with brick coping. Windows and doors are bordered with Victorian-like detail.
High Mountain Pitched-Roof Style
Early settlers resorted to pitched thatch roofs on Pueblo Style adobe homes to shed the snow. Today, pitched-roof homes are covered by modern metal raised-ridge roofing in rust reds to turquoise blues.
Inside, the natural earthtones of saltillo tile or brick floors compliment the 
curving archways and sculpted kiva fireplaces. Rounded logs or vigas are traditional ceiling beams often combined with latillas or planking of aspen, pine or cedar.