Gingerbread architecture comes from the Victorian era but is not an architectural style in itself. It was popularized in North America in the 1830s and is characterized by peaked roofs, front porches with flat-sawn balusters (or paper doll balusters) and scroll-like details that look like you could break them off and eat them. Think Swedish farmhouse. Think Hansel and Gretel's witch.

Gingerbread houses are the cute and cottage-y interpretation of the Victorian flair for detail, as opposed to the tall and imposing Gothic-style Victorian. They look like storybook houses, as if Little Red Riding Hood might come skipping up at any moment.

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