Don't be shocked if Snow White answers the door at one of these residences, which range from a Beverly Hills house to a 500-year-old thatched roof cottage.

It comes down to which came first: the chicken or the egg? Was it quirky, off-kilter dwellings that inspired storybook homes, or were the books responsible? Both may have some bearing on the solution. Many of the architectural features seen in fairytale buildings, such as thatched roofs, stone facades, and asymmetrical dormers and windows, aren't brand-new. They have a long history, with several from the 18th or 19th century. It's hardly unexpected that Snow White's home resembles a quaint English hamlet from the Regency period as animators and artists are known for drawing inspiration from historical buildings and frequently adding fanciful features to give the portrayals a bit more enchantment.

However, in the early 1920s, something strange occurred. Architects began creating houses modeled after those in fairy tales, especially in California and England. Homes with cobblestone pathways, purposefully crooked roofs, and oddly shaped doors and windows began to appear without any distinguishing features, seemingly taking the exaggerated architectural aspects added to pictures into the actual world. Homes in this design were gradually given the incredibly fitting label of "storybook houses." Homes of this type may still be found throughout the world, although not very widespread. The most endearing instances of fairytale architecture and other residences that resemble settings from your favorite fairytale are compiled below.

California's Beverly Hills

Even though this Beverly Hills house is officially known as the Spadena House, the more apt nickname is the Witch House. Harry Oliver, an art director in Hollywood, created the house.

California's Culver City

If the home's slanted roof, stone exterior, and oddly shaped window weren't enough to give the impression that it had been plucked from a children's book, then the little pond does. Designed by an ex-Disney artist, the residence is in Culver City's Hobbit Houses of Los Angeles project. The village, which took over 20 years to develop, is home to a variety of fantastical fairytale houses.

England's Warwickshire

Anne Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare, grew up in this 12-bedroom farmhouse. The cottage, which dates back more than 500 years, still has the original family furnishings.

New Zealand's Matamata

It won't take much looking to uncover instances of picture-book architecture in Matamata, New Zealand. Visitors may take guided walks of the imagined Shire here, at the site of the Hobbiton movie set, to get close-up views of Hobbit housing.

Turkey's Cappadocia

In Cappadocia, Turkey, the so-called "fairy chimneys" are a well-known feature of the scenery. Conic rocks were formed from volcanic ash, and early civilizations fashioned dwellings, churches, and other buildings out of them by hand.

Turkey's Sivas

The Lord of the Rings Hobbit dwellings served as a role model for this group of residences in Sivas, Turkey. The houses are constructed into hills, like those in the movie series, and are well-liked tourist destinations.

Netherlands , Vilsteren

A thatched roof and tastefully overgrown vines are necessary to transform any house into a residence fit for a fantasy. Consider this gorgeous Dutch home as an example.

The Netherlands' Almere

It's hardly a surprise that when kids are asked to create their ideal home, the outcome resembles the huts, mansions, and castles from their favorite stories and television shows. Kids were challenged to create a real-life replica of their ideal house for the 20th anniversary of the Dutch children's television show Het Klokhuis. The pink cake-shaped home with a connected slide, which is located in the Netherlands, accommodates a variety of kid-focused activities and events.

Germany's Halberstadt

These houses referred known as The Cave Dwellings of Langenstein, were manually carved out of sandstone walls between 1855 and 1858. Of the ten single-family homes, five are still standing.

Canada's Toronto

Even though it's not a house, this 20-foot mushroom-shaped building resembles a home from a fairy tale. The building serves as artist Katie Bethune-workspace. Leaman's

England's Cambridgeshire

The lopsided structure of this house, the thatched roof, and the yellow door and window frames give the Cambridgeshire residence a certain whimsical quality. The house, also known as the Canary Cottage, is estimated to have been constructed in 1750.

Michigan's Charlevoix

Earl Young, a native of Michigan who was never licensed as an architect, created roughly 30 residences in the town of Charlevoix on the shores of Lake Michigan. The majority of his creations have curving lines and stone façades and may be considered fantasy homes.

Maine's Boothbay

The majority of David Lee's professional career was devoted to creating houses fit for fairytales, including this one in Boothbay, Maine, where he was born and raised. According to a friend who wrote about David's work in Lee's obituary, "David took the eternal and transformed it into wood and stone."

Washington, Delaware

One of the biggest collections of American art is housed in the historic estate in Delaware known as Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library. Visitors will find a variety of fairytale-like cottages and buildings throughout the garden's Enchanted Woods, including this one with a stone front and thatched roof.

California's Hillsborough

This vibrant, amoeba-like home, which is situated in an upscale San Francisco suburb, was motivated by The Flintstones. Dinosaurs and other show-inspired décor are used to welcome visitors outside. The house seems like it belongs in a storybook while being inspired by a prehistoric family.

This story was first published in its original form in Architectural Digest.