The spread of different artistic styles was not confined to official residences but proliferated in smaller châteaus in the countryside as well, the so-called maison de plaisance. Famous court architects and architects were commissioned to build and decorate these residences, employing a diversity of styles. Sometimes the term “correspondence architecture” is used, which means that the project was created by well-known designers in another country, whose designs were then sent to the clients, and realised by local artists. The maison de plaisance were not only venues for pleasure and self-representation, however, but played an important diplomatic and administrative role in addition.