The effectiveness of a house in the landscape depends not at all on ornament, but on its structural shape and the color produced through the use of building materials. Refined proportions, simple roof lines, and interesting but not violent contrasts between roof, walls, and openings, together with the character and arrangement of windows and doors, are the elements that combine to make of a country house an example of true rural architecture.

It has been previously stated that the mass-proportion of a house in the open country should be low and broad rather than tall and narrow. This feeling of proportion depends not so much on the actual height of the house from ground to gable, as on the position of the eaves or the cornice line. When the eaves line is low, the effect of the house is low; hence the value of long roof lines in obtaining good proportions. If the roof rafters are brought down to the level of the second floor, a sound, practical, and attractive structure usually results. It is desirable to include the porch under such a roof whenever possible, since this simplifies the roofing system of the house and unites house and porch into one contained design. While long roof lines and recessed porches are not always desirable, they have their charm and place.

Low eaves and a long roof line usually fit a farmhouse plan very conveniently because such a treatment brings a smaller second-floor plan than first-floor plan. This is exactly the farmhouse requirement. The rooms under the roof may be lighted and ventilated by means of generous dormers or gables.

It is commonly supposed that bedrooms located under a sloping roof must necessarily be low and hot. This is not true. The fact that some bedrooms so located have been stuffy does not argue that all bedrooms need to be so; it implies rather that there has been no cross-ventilation or that the windows were placed so low as to leave a pocket of hot air confined near the ceiling. An outlet for the hot air should be furnished by windows placed high in the room. If the roof pitch and dormer windows are studied to fit the height of the second-floor rooms, a full second story with high or full-length windows may be commodiously arranged under a long roof, and the low parts may be used for closets.