The Queen Anne style, most commonly though incorrectly known as the Victorian style, is a 19th century reinvention of the medieval Gothic architecture found in Europe. Its defining features can be found in its asymmetry, pointed roofs, towers, heavy use of decorative shingles, iron grillwork and small windows. The windows may be in the shape of a lancet arch, such as those found on Gothic churches, and may have many mullions, which are the pieces that separate panes of glass; in finer examples, the house may have stained glass windows. The entirety of a Queen Anne house should be heavily decorated. Consistency in style was never an issue; rather, Queen Anne incorporated many different styles from past and present. For example, a Queen Anne may display Italianate influences, even though the house is essentially an English cottage.
