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House
styles
Morris Digital Works Wire Service
There are many styles of houses, below is a list of the most common
styles in the U.S.
A-Frame: A contemporary, triangular-shaped house with a roof
line that extends to the ground on two sides. A-frames have many
large windows and are usually small. This design is often used for
vacation cottages.
Bungalow: A compact 1 1/2-story house that usually contains
small rooms and a front porch (often enclosed). Bay windows are
a common accent.
Cape Cod: This simple 1 1/2-story design, with its distinctive
peaked roof, shutters and central front door, is an American classic.
Usually a frame structure, the basic design comes in many variations
featuring dormers, bay windows, decorative trim, etc.
Colonial: The colonial home features a rectangular design
often distinguished by sash windows with small panes and shutters
and an overhanging upper story and fireplaces. Accents vary widely,
and include pillars, fanlight windows, dormers and paneled doors.
Cotswold Cottage: A quaint English country-style house that
incorporates a pseudo-thatched roof (usually made of shingles);
prominent chimneys; a rolling, uneven roof line and low doors. The
windows usually have small panes.
Dutch Colonial: A popular style of two-story house featuring
a sloping gambrel roof line with flared eaves and a simple, compact
layout. Shutters are a common accent.
Federal: Usually made of brick, these elegant two-story houses
stress symmetry. Distinctive features include an elaborate central
doorway with fanlight transom and sidelights, matching windows across
the front and sides, and tall, matching chimneys extending from
the side walls at either end of the house.
Four-Square: This solid, two-story design -- essentially
a large, no-frills square box of frame construction -- became extremely
popular in the early decades of the 20th century, especially in
urban areas. A porch (enclosed or open) often spans the front.
Georgian: A classical, formal design. Usually large, Georgian
houses are rectangular with a hipped roof. Common accents include
dormers, decorative brick quoins at the corners (in a contrasting
color of brick), elaborate entrances and crown moldings.
Gothic Revival: This fanciful design features a steeply peaked
roof line, often with many pointed gables, highly detailed gingerbread
trim and distinctive vertical siding. Elaborate examples feature
parapets that make them resemble tiny castles. They are typically
frame constructions, and size varies widely.
Greek Revival: In simplified form, these houses imitate the
design of a Greek temple. Usually of frame construction, they generally
have a front roof line and recessed entrance. They may feature pillars
across the front, or, more frequently, only pilasters to give a
hint of columns. This style is most common in the Midwest.
Italianate: Usually two-story, this square, flat-roofed house
has wide eaves with elaborate decorative brackets underneath. Windows
and doors are arched. An elaborately decorated cupola on the roof
is a popular accent.
Mansard: This home style is named for its mansard roof, which
appears to extend down over the entire second story of the house,
broken up by small windows. Mansard houses are usually square.
Normandy: These elegant brick houses resemble small French
castles, with the entry through a two-story tower complete with
a tiny balcony. A steeply pitched roof is common, often accented
with flared eaves.
Prairie Style: Especially popular in the Midwest, this Frank
Lloyd Wright design stresses horizontal lines. It features a flat
or shallow-pitched roof with broad overhangs, bands of casement
windows and decorative banding along the exterior walls. Stained
glass is a popular accent, often with a simple, geometric pattern.
Pueblo: Most popular in the Southwest desert, these distinctive
adobe and stucco houses resemble Indian pueblos. Common accents
include rounded edges on exterior walls, a flat roof and rustic
support beams that extend through the walls. The homes are typically
earth-colored.
Queen Anne: The Queen Anne house is less elaborate than a
Victorian, but still has many architectural accents. Common features
include a round turret, wrap-around porch with gazebo, bay window
and gables. The exterior emphasis is on horizontal bands of varying
textures and materials.
Ranch: All rooms are on a single level in a ranch house,
which usually has a rectangular or L-shaped design. Room layout
is usually simple, with an emphasis on openness and efficient use
of space.
Romanesque: Usually imposing in stature, Romanesque houses
are filled with rippling curves, rounded turrets and arched entryways.
they are usually built of solid brick or stone.
Salt Box: This simple but distinctive design, seen most often
in New England where it originated, features a flat front and steeply
sloped rear roof line. Usually of frame construction, saltbox houses
come in many colors and sizes, and commonly feature a fireplace.
Shingle Style: Especially prevalent on the East Coast, these
houses are completely sheathed with wooden shingles, usually of
a single, dark color. Home designs vary widely but commonly feature
steeply pitched roofs and porches.
Split Level: A suburban favorite, these houses are designed
to make efficient use of space. Typically, the living area leads
up a few steps to the bedrooms and down a few steps to utility and
rec rooms slightly below ground level.
Tidewater: These houses feature a wide porch on three or
four sides, supported by narrow posts or pillars and railings, sometimes
elaborately carved. A hipped roof is common. Most often seen in
Southern states, Tidewater houses have many doors and windows for
cross ventilation.
Tudor: Gables and half-timbered exterior walls are typical
of this picturesque "Olde English" design. They often incorporate
brick and stucco. Tall, diamond-paned windows, arched windows and
doorways are popular features. Size and room layout vary widely.
Victorian: These lavishly ornamented houses combine an eclectic
mix of style elements, from elaborate gingerbread trim to towers,
many-tiered roof lines, stained glass windows, even an occasional
widow's walk on the roof. High ceilings, hardwood floors, porches
and dramatic stairways are common. Several colors of paint may be
used on exterior walls and trim.
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