Architectural Styles Primer

The architecture of the United States has included a wide variety of styles throughout its history. Home styles in the U.S. are regionally diverse and the shapes they have taken on have been influenced by many other types of architecture.  The result is an eclectic mix of different home styles can often be found within the same neighborhood, even on the same block.  Here are some of the most popular types of houses that can be found in most parts of America.

The Cape Cod style home originated in colonial New England and they were built as early as the 1600s through the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. In colonial days, a Cape Cod house was a simple, one-story structure made of wood with a single chimney in the center and a symmetrical appearance. Cape Cod houses have a steep roof with side gables, dormers for light, shutters, and little exterior ornamentation. 

Georgian Colonial was a popular architectural style during the 1700's through the 1850s and can be mainly found in the east and south. Spacious and comfortable, Georgian Colonial homes are square and symmetrical in shape with a paneled door in the center.  A distinctive, decorative crown usually adorns the entrance before a medium pitched roof.  Columns or flattened columns can be found on either side of the door.  Sound familiar?  The most famous example of late Georgian architecture is the White House.

In the mid-19th century, many prosperous Americans believed that ancient Greece represented the spirit of democracy. It is no wonder then that during this time period, Greek Revival was a popular form of architecture.  Greek Revivals have details reminiscent of the Parthenon, with pillars and a stately appearance.  Greek Revival houses usually have a symmetrical shape, pedimented gables, and bold-but-simple moldings.  Many Greek Revival houses also tend to have a front porch with columns, decorative pilasters, and narrow windows. 

The Queen Anne style became an architectural fashion in the 1880s and 1890s.  The industrial revolution brought new technologies that enabled builders to use pre-cut exterior trim that had been mass produced to create whimsical looking houses. Victorian Queen Anne homes often have round or square towers, turrets, wrap-around porches, and other fanciful details. Queen Anne houses may also have a steep roof, front facing gables, an asymmetrical shape, bay windows, and ornamental spindles and brackets.

With Tudor Revivals, the name almost suggests that these houses were built in the 1500s  during the Tudor Dynasty in England, but really they are early 20th century re-inventions of Medieval cottages and even palaces. In fact, they are also referred to as Medieval Revivals. Tudor Revival houses have decorative half-timbers exposed to give the appearance of a medieval house. They may even include a false thatched roof. Decorative woodwork and some brick-work can be found on the exterior walls.  Tudor style homes may also have steeply pitched roofs, massive chimneys, prominent cross gables, and narrow windows with small panes. 

Victorian Stick houses grew in popularity during the mid-19th century.  Victorian Sticks can often be mistaken for Tudor Revivals, as they also have exposed timbers or "stickwork" and other details borrowed from medieval times.  However, most Tudor Revival houses are sided with stucco, stone, or brick, while Victorian Stick style houses are usually made with wood.  Victorian Stick homes tend to have a rectangular shape, steep gabled roofs, overhanging eves, and decorative braces and brackets.

Colonial Revival became a standard in the 19th and 20th centuries as Americans sought to express their patriotism and return to classic architectural styles. During that time, builders romanticized colonial architecture, designing rectangular brick homes that were 2 to 3 stories tall.  The living areas are on the first floor and bedrooms are on the upper floors.  Colonial Revival houses have a symmetrical façade, brick or wood siding, simple detailing, a gabled roof, and dormers.  Some may even have a temple-like entrance, with pillars or columns and porticos topped by pediments.  The Colonial Revivals were so popular, homes of this style were still being built until the mid-1950's.

California Bungalows, Craftsman Bungalows, and Chicago Bungalows were variations of affordable housing type that swept across the U.S. throughout much of the 20th century.  Bungalow houses come in many styles, but most have simple box-like, horizontal shapes, are one and a half stories tall, have an efficient floor plan with living spaces on the ground floor, rooms connected by hallways, and a living room at the center.  The kitchens also tend to have built-in cabinets, shelves, and seats. 

The Foursquare style home, sometimes called the Prairie Box, was pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 20th century. As the name suggests, they have a simple box shape and a four-room floor plan. Simple Foursquare houses were built in brick, stone, stucco, concrete block, or wood and have large central dormers.  Full-width porches with wide stairs are also popular in Foursquare style architecture.

Uncomplicated Ranch houses evolved from several 20th century styles, including ramblers and bungalows.  Sometimes referred to as a California Rambler, Ranch Style houses are usually one-story tall and rectangular, L-shaped, or U-shaped in design.  They tend to have a low-pitched gable roof, deeply-set eaves, attached garages, large windows and sliding glass doors.