Mediterranean Architecture — Prompt Starters & Materials

Mediterranean villa with sun-baked stucco, terracotta roof tiles, and an arched loggia around a courtyard
Sun-baked stucco, terracotta roof tiles, and arched loggias framing a planted courtyard.

Mediterranean typologies emphasize climate-responsive envelopes—high thermal mass, shaded outdoor rooms, and breathable finishes. Use the prompt atoms below to get believable, consistent results across exteriors and courtyards.

  • Prompt starters: arched loggias, sun-baked stucco, terracotta roof tiles.
  • Materials: limestone, clay tile, olive wood, textured plaster.
  • Landscape: olive trees, gravel courts, bougainvillea, ceramic pots.

Prompt Starters (Copy-Paste)

Exterior

mediterranean villa courtyard, sun-baked stucco walls, arched loggia, terracotta roof tiles,
limestone thresholds, olive tree, gravel court, ceramic pots with bougainvillea, warm daylight,
soft shadows, 28–35mm lens, balanced composition, high detail, 16:9

Courtyard Evening

courtyard at blue hour, lantern sconces under arches, warm interior glow, textured plaster,
clay roof silhouette, limestone paving, potted citrus, calm ambience, high detail, 16:9

Optional negatives: no glossy paint, no ultra-modern curtain walls, no heavy glare, no watermark, no logos.

Material Palettes That Read Well

Stucco & Stone

  • Textured plaster (lime-based), matte, warm white.
  • Limestone blocks or thresholds, honed finish.
  • Terracotta roof tiles, hand-fired variation.

Wood & Metal

  • Olive wood doors/shutters, natural oil finish.
  • Bronze/brass hardware with patina.
  • Wrought iron railings (minimal scrollwork).

Landscape

  • Olive tree, rosemary, lavender, bougainvillea.
  • Gravel courts with limestone edging.
  • Ceramic amphorae and clay pots.

Lighting & Color Notes

  • Midday/overcast: flat light; add micro-variation to plaster/stone for realism.
  • Golden hour: warm light enhances stucco and terracotta—avoid heavy contrast under arcades.
  • Blue hour: use warm lanterns in loggias; keep sky cool for color contrast.

Troubleshooting (Common Defects → Fixes)

  • Stucco too shiny: specify “matte, lime plaster, soft texture, low reflectance”.
  • Roof tiles uniform: add “hand-fired variation, subtle color shifts, non-repeating pattern”.
  • Arches distorted: lock the lens (28–35mm) and ask for “true semi-circular arches, consistent span”.
  • Courtyard feels empty: place “olive tree, clay pots, gravel, shadow pattern under arches”.

Do / Don’t (Quick Guardrails)

Do

  • Use matte, breathable finishes for authenticity.
  • Keep façade openings shaded by arcades or pergolas.
  • Lean on courtyard planting & clay pots for scale.

Don’t

  • Mix glossy paints or mirror metals into the main façade.
  • Overcomplicate arches; keep spans consistent and readable.
  • Use bright synthetic turf—prefer gravel and drought-tolerant plants.

Changelog

  • 2025-09-25 — Added prompt starters, materials, lighting notes, troubleshooting.
  • 2025-09-12 — Initial Mediterranean style primer and hero image.