The French Normandy house plans came into popularity following the first world war. With a growing middle class population in America, French chateaus became a model of inspiration in building their homes on a smaller scale, thereby creating a more affordable french styled home that came to be known as French Normandy.

French Normandy house plans are distinguished by a round stone tower topped by a conical (cone-shaped) roof. The tower is usually placed near the center, serving as the entrance to the home. However, the tower can be offset to either side of the main entrance, as a secondary design feature within the architectural theme. From the French chateaus, borrowed elements of steep roof pitches, high ridgelines, and dormers suggest the notion of a grand scaled estate. Half-timbering is another feature in french normandy house plans which suggest the tudor style but actually reflects the farmhouses across the Normandy countryside.

French Normandy house plans and French Provincial house plan details are often combined to create a style that is simply called "French Country".