Common American Home Styles
Ranch Style Homes.
Ranch style houses are among the most popular and usually feature one level living. They are long and low houses which developed from the early West and Southwest homes and are usually one story having a low pitched room. Another common version is the raised ranch that has two levels, each level being accessible from the entry foyer of the home. A full or partial basement may be there and a garage is usually built to the side of the ranch style house. Although building a ranch style home involves more expense than split level and colonial homes they are easier to maintain than the multi level houses. These homes come in various types of floor plans but the side to side straight ranch is the most popular.
Georgian Style Homes.
The Georgian style homes are popular in the New England area and are very formal in appearance with classic lines and having 2 or 3 stories. They are typically rectangular in shape with thin columns alongside their entries. You will find multi-paned windows above doors as well as all around the house. At each end you will find two tall chimneys rising high above their roofs.
Tudor Style Homes.
This style of houses were mostly built during late 1800s and early 1900s. The trademark styling features of the Tudor style homes are the dark wood timbering, which have been set against the light colored stucco so that the top half of the house is highlighted by it and also it frames the numerous windows. They are modeled in the style of the English country cottages. The material used in the bottom half of the house is usually brick. The Tudor style homes get their uniqueness from the combination of the typical wood trim and stucco exterior. In typical English style they have large angular chimneys, gables and slate roofs. They are suitable for big families with large space needs.
Cape Cod Style Homes.
The standard Cape Cod style homes are very practical and usually have a living room, kitchen, dining room, a bedroom and bathroom on the first floor. There are one or two bed rooms on the second floor. They are the practical and compact one and a half story homes and have been very popular mostly in the northern regions. They are small and symmetrical and have a central entrance with a step, gable roof. The materials used in these types of homes are usually brick, wood or aluminum siding. Although they were small to start with many of them have been expanded over time to provide more living space.
Victorian and Queen Anne Style Homes.
Victorian style homes were built around the turn of the last century in various models. They were developed from styles that originated from Great Britain. They are the ones with large porches and interesting bay windows. They usually have the two story frame with porches in the front and sometimes the sides, with large rooms and high ceilings. You will find ornamental wood trim and peaked roofs decorating these elaborate houses.
The Queen Anne style is the high Victorian style. Such homes are irregular in shape and mass with bays, towers, complex porches, overhangs and at times with fanciful chimneys. They also have fancy shingles, stained and leaded glass, spindle work and intricate frieze decorations. Most have front bay windows and steep pitched roofs.
Colonial Style Homes.
The colonial style homes are usually spacious, elegant and are well built, many of them custom built. Being usually two to three stories for many years they have been the mainstay of residential architecture. There are many variations of colonial style homes the main styles being the Dutch colonial style, the New England colonial style and Southern colonial style. The Dutch colonial style usually has two or two and half stories traditionally made from brick and shingles. They are typically covered by a gambrel roof and eaves flaring outward.
The New England colonials are typically two and a half story early American style box-like homes with a gable roof. Most have double hung small pane windows with working wood shutters. The materials traditionally used are narrow clapboard siding and a shingle roof. The Southern colonial style houses are typically large two or three story frame homes with the world famous wide porches and front columns.
The colonial homes that have been built in the past 30-40 years the usually have a partially finished basement with a living room, family room, eat-in kitchen, dining room, powder room and porch on the first floor. The second floor usually consists of bathrooms and bedrooms.
Santa Fe/Pueblo Style Homes.
This style is popular in the Southwest and the homes are mostly either adobe brick or frame with a stucco exterior. They have a flat roof that has rounded protruding beams known as “vigas”. They use an abundance of tiles, are one or two stories that feature enclosed or covered porches.
Townhouse Style Homes.
Townhouse style homes have developed from the row houses that had dominated the early residential development of our cities. The townhouse usually consists of an independent structure, usually sold in condominium developments, attached to another similar house on one or both sides. They are usually two or three stories. They are popular because they are economically priced and have lower maintenance and utility costs when compared to homes of other styles.
Contemporary Style Homes.
These are the casual houses commonly sheathed in stained hardwood or redwood and are built in many shapes and sizes to suit individual needs. The most popular and familiar of the contemporary styles are the A frame houses. They are usually found in resorts and typical suburban areas. Many of these houses have large expanse of glass, cathedral ceilings and decks around one or more of their sides.
These are only some of the home styles commonly found around the country. Some of them are predominant in certain areas depending on the historical development of that area. You must choose the style of home that suits your tastes and fulfils your needs.
