House styles: a guide to architectural styles and eras
Table Of Content

Shotgun-style architecture is often found in warmer climates as this style is designed to allow for maximum air circulation. With this layout, the front and back door can be opened to allow air to flow from one end of the house to the other. Ranch homes also come in a variety of iterations like split-level, storybook, California and raised ranch. For example, California ranch homes are shaped in an “L” or “U,” with a backyard to encourage outdoor living. The Craftsman style focuses on the value of handmade, well-constructed architecture.
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The style incorporates natural building materials and a family-centered home layout. Tuscan style is popular in specific regions of the United States, including California, Florida, and Texas. The interior features bright-colored tiles, arched doorways, exposed wood beams, and asymmetrical interior designs. While a regular cottage is a small home, English cottages have a distinct architectural style.
Greek revival style house
Prairie-style homes were made famous by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright. These homes celebrate and complement the natural beauty of the Midwestern landscape with low and long shapes in the floor plan and building elements. Many of these homes assumed characteristics of the Craftsman movement, with a low roof, widely overhanging eaves, and ribbons of windows at different living levels. The one-story homes often have a simple low-pitched gable or hipped roof. Their low-to-the-ground, horizontal appearance was a reference to homes of the Southwest, but their prevalence stemmed from the crushing demand for affordable housing at the close of World War II.
Most Popular Types of House Styles and Homes

The average cost to build a European house style is around $400,000 to over $600,000. We recommend the Spectrum for its elegant exterior outlook and multiple garages. On average, the craftsman bungalow house plan costs around $700-$3,500. Check out our collection of Craftsman house plans to find more suitable house plans for you. Cabin house styles are usually one or two-story-high with a simple design and open floor plan. One Cabin house plan to look out for is the Achird for its size and unique features.
Farmhouse House- Simple Farmhouse with Porches
Many modern interiors also feature minimal molding and trim, neutral color palettes, and metal accents. These houses were typically made from brick or wood and included features like divided Dutch doors, designed to keep livestock out of the house. Colonial-style houses usually have two or three stories, fireplaces, and brick or wood facades. The classic Colonial-style house floor plan has the kitchen and family room on the first floor and the bedrooms on the second floor. The main exterior of the house typically has an entrance at the center with symmetrical windows on each side of it.
Colonial-style houses
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There are many variations of colonial style houses, all reflecting the influences of regions that the settlers coming over to the US at the time originated from. In some cases, a stroll down just one street can take you on something of an interactive history lesson, as you pass by house styles all created at various points in time. Mid-century modern homes peaked in the United States from the 1940s to the 1960s. Instead, mid-century modern homes can have wood, brick, aluminum, or vinyl siding. There are many variations of the ranch style, including Suburban, California, storybook, raised, and split level. Each features a slightly different aesthetic but shares many of the same identifying characteristics.
Modern Farmhouse Style
Split-level homes have multiple floors that are connected with short flights of stairs (unlike regular two or three-story homes with long flights of stairs). Some love the unique separation of space while others find the numerous short flights of stairs to be cumbersome. From New York, NY to Portland, OR, you don’t have to be an architect to appreciate the range of stunning house styles available on the housing market.
The interior of Chateaus features high-quality materials, arched doorways, and ornate moldings. European settlers introduced them to the United States in the mid-1600s. The traditional cabin was constructed of logs and featured one small room with a dirt floor. Today’s cabins are more elaborate, containing multiple stories and modern amenities.
The Greek Revival
First designed as a commentary on the loss of America’s desire to build individual houses rather than tracts, a small school of cutting-edge architects lead this movement. Originally built of stone, brick and mortar, these days, Greek Revival decorating touches are usually wood covered by plaster that’s painted white to heighten the illusion. Look deep into the history of Spanish architecture and you’ll find a mix of Roman, Iberian and Mediterranean influences dominating homes of all sizes.
Here, we look at the many different types of houses available and what defines them. A rambler is a ranch-style home, typically built as a single-family residence. Most rambler homes are one-story buildings with a long or wide design that resembles an L-shape or U-shape. Many of these homes are built on a concrete slab, while others may have a crawl space or basement. Low-pitched roofs and large picture windows in the main living space are two calling cards of the split-level. With a split-level, the bedrooms and living spaces are typically separated by a short flight of stairs.
Because there is a strong emphasis on indoor-outdoor living, they are most popular in temperate climates like California and Florida. Tiled roofs, white stucco walls, warm stone and wood, and metal work on balconies and windows are all included. For a long time, the farmhouse-style house has been a popular favorite in home design because of its warmth, inviting draw, and traditionalistic design. The modern interpretation of this classic home design deviates significantly from tradition, with clean, contemporary lines and also simple elements. As ranch style houses grew in popularity, they began to appear in various guises in response to the needs of the owners, the sites they were being built on, budget and area.
The modern house style also referred to as Art Deco started in the late 1920s and is quite different from the popular contemporary house style. This plan makes use of clean functional lines, geometrical elements, and modern materials in their construction. Modern house plans can easily blend with ranch house style or multi-story houses and range from small-sized to massive living spaces. Popularly mistaken for the modern house style, contemporary home plans are a reflection of the architecture of today.

Characterized by natural and sustainable building materials, Contemporary house plans also feature open floor plans which are usually designed in a U, L, T, or H shape to blend with its outdoor space. Traditional ranch-style homes usually have simple floor plans, attached garages, and efficient living spaces. They are single-story homes and usually have large windows along the front of the house. It was one of the most popular styles in the postwar suburban home-building boom of the 1950s and 1960s.
The inside of Tudor homes features the same mix of materials, like stucco and brick walls. The floor plan is asymmetrical, with rooms of various sizes and ceilings of mixed heights. Ranch-style homes are one-story structures featuring an open floor plan and casual ambiance.
At Archimple, we have rounded up some popular options and what you should consider when choosing house styles. Craftsman house style reflects the uniqueness and simplicity of a truly American house and can be linked to the British arts and crafts movement of the 1800s to early 1900s. The Craftsman house style was a deviation from the eclectic appeal of the popular Victorian architectural style. Just over 40% of the houses in Seattle are detached single-family homes, while around 30% are apartments in large apartment buildings with more than 20 units. Tiny homes are very cleverly set out, maximizing space with inventive pieces of furniture and innovative floor plans. They work well for people who are downsizing or want to take on a more minimalist lifestyle, ridding themselves of unnecessary belongings.
Along with the branches of the tree, struts and stilts may be used to provide additional support. Look for large bay windows and unique embellishments that include black metal hardware on doors and windows, board and batten doors and custom-cut stone pieces set into brick walls. Elements that showcase this home design are roomy dormers, shingled siding, exposed wood, roomy front porches, rustic columns, exposed rafters and low roof lines with wide, overhanging eaves. The result of their efforts is celebrated in today’s French Provincial-style home, known for steep slate roofs, brick construction, balustrade-embellished porches and symmetrical lines.
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