House styles

1. House Styles
By: Brian Vieira

2. By Era
By Style

3. By Era
Colonial 1600 - 1800
Classical 1780 - 1860
Victorian 1840 - 1900
Gilded Age 1880 - 1929
Frank Lloyd Wright 1901 - 1955
Early 20th Century 1905 - 1945
Post-War 1945 - 1980
Modern 1930 - Present
“Neo” 1965 - Present
Spanish and Mediterranean 1600 – Present
French 1700 – Present
Earth Prehistoric – Present
Prefab 1906 – Present
Dome 1954 - Present

4. By Style
 American Foursquare House Style
 Colonial Revival House Style
 Ranch Style
 Raised Ranch Style
 Split-Level Ranch Style
 Cape Cod Revival House Style
 Lustron Houses
 Art Moderne House Style
 Bauhaus Style
 International Style
 Contemporary House Style
 A-Frame Style
 Postmodern House Style
 Neoeclectic House Style
 Neocolonial House Style
 Neo-Mediterranean House Style
 McMansion
 Spanish Colonial House Style
 Spanish Colonial Revival (Spanish Eclectic) House Style
 Pueblo Revival House Style
 Mission House Style
 Neo-Mediterranean House Style
 French Colonial House Style
 Tidewater House Style
 French Creole Cottages
 French Normandy House Style
 French Provincial House Style
 French Eclectic House Style
 Adobe Houses
 Rammed Earth Houses
 Cob Houses
 Compressed Earth Block Houses
 Straw Bale Houses
 Earth Sheltered Houses
 New England Colonial House Style
 Colonial Cape Cod House Style
 Spanish Colonial House Style
 German Colonial House Style
 Dutch Colonial House Style
 Georgian Colonial House Style
 French Colonial House Style
 Federal and Adam House Style
 Greek Revival House Style
 Tidewater House Style
 Antebellum Architecture
 Gothic Revival House Style
 Italianate House Style
 Second Empire or Mansard House Style
 Victorian Stick House Style
 Folk Victorian House Style
 Shingle House Style
 Richardson Romanesque House Style
 Queen Anne House Style
 Eastlake House Style
 Beaux Arts Style
 Renaissance Revival House Style
 Richardson Romanesque House Style
 Queen Anne House Style
 Tudor Revival House Style
 Neo-Classical House Style
 Prairie Style
 Usonian Style
 Hemicycle Design
 Organic Design
 Arts & Crafts (Craftsman)
 Bungalow Styles
 Cotswold Cottage
 Spanish Mission House Style
 Sears Catalog Houses
 Lustron Homes
 Log Homes
 Katrina Cottages
 Manufactured Houses
 Modular Houses
 Geodesic Domes
 Monolithic Domes

5. Colonial 1600 - 1800
New England Colonial House Style
Colonial Cape Cod House Style
Spanish Colonial House Style
German Colonial House Style
Dutch Colonial House Style
Georgian Colonial House Style
French Colonial House Style
When North America was colonized,
settlers brought building traditions
from many different countries.
Architecture from America's colonial
period continues to influence the
houses we build today.

6. New England Colonial 1600 -
1740
The first British settlers in New England built simple timber-frame houses like
the ones they had known in their home country.
In the late 1500s and early 1600s, when the first settlers came to North
America, houses in England had steep roofs, massive chimneys, and details
that had survived from Medieval times. The Colonists continued these building
traditions through the 1600s and well into the 1700s in some areas. Since these
homes were constructed of wood, few original New England Colonials are still
standing

7. House of Rebecca Nurse
The New England Colonial shown
was the home of Rebecca Nurse,
who was executed in the Salem
Witch Trials. Built in about 1678,
the house has two rooms on the
first floor and two rooms above. A
large chimney runs through the
center of the main house. A
kitchen lean-to addition with its
own chimney was built in about
1720. Another addition was
constructed in 1850.
The Rebecca Nurse house has its
original floors, walls, and beams.
However, like most homes from
this period, the house has been
extensively restored.
Built in 1678, this New England Colonial was the home
of Rebecca Nurse, who was executed in the Salem
Witch Trials.

8. Details
Usually located in the northeastern USA,
mostly in Massachusetts, Vermont,
Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New
York.
Steep roof with side gables
1
Lean-to addition with saltbox roof
Narrow eaves
2
Large chimney at the center
3
Two stories
In some cases, the second story slightly
protrudes over the lower floor
Wood framed with clapboard or shingles
4
Small casement windows, some with
diamond-shaped panes
5

Little exterior ornamentation
1
2
3
4
5

9. Colonial Cape Cod 1600 -1950
The Cape Cod house style originated in colonial New England. Today, the
term refers to Cape Cod-shaped houses popular during the 1930s, 1940s, and
1950s.
The first Cape Cod style homes were built by English colonists who came to
America in the late 17th century. They modeled their homes after the half-
timbered houses of England, but adapted the style to the stormy New England
weather. Over the course of a few generations, a modest, one- to one-and-a-
half-story house with wooden shutters emerged. Reverend Timothy Dwight, a
president of Yale University, is credited with recognizing these houses as a
class and coining the term "Cape Cod."

10. Colonial Cape Cod 1600 -1950
Much later, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, a renewed interest in America's
past inspired a variety of Colonial Revival styles. Colonial Revival Cape Cod
houses became especially popular during the 1930s. These small, economical
houses were mass-produced in suburban developments across the United
States.
Twentieth century Cape Cod houses often have dormers. The chimney is
usually placed at one end instead of at the center. The shutters on modern
Cape Cod houses are strictly decorative; they can't be closed during a storm.

11. Details
Most frequently found in the northeastern
parts of the United States
Steep roof with side gables
1
Small roof overhang
2
1 or 1½ stories
Made of wood and covered in wide
clapboard or shingles
Large central chimney linked to fireplace in
each room
Symmetrical appearance with door in
center
Dormers for space, light, and ventilation
3

Multi-paned, double-hung windows
Shutters
Formal, center-hall floor plan
Hardwood floors
Little exterior ornamentation
In colonial days, a Cape Cod house was a simple, one-story
structure with a single chimney in the center.
1
2
3

12. Spanish Colonial 1600 - 1900
Settlers in the Spanish territories of North America built simple, low homes
made using rocks, adobe brick, coquina, or stucco.
Settling in Florida, California, and the American Southwest, settlers from Spain
and Mexico built homes with many of these features.

13. González-Alvarez House in St.
Augustine
The González-Alvarez House shown here
is located in St. Augustine, Florida.
Founded in 1565 by the Spanish
conquistador Pedro Menendez de Aviles,
St. Augustine is the oldest continually
inhabited European settlement in the U.S.
The first houses in St. Augustine were
made of wood with palm thatching. None of
these survived. The González-Alvarez
House we see today has been remodeled.
When it was built in the early 1700s, the
González-Alvarez House probably had one
story and a flat roof.
Like many Spanish Colonial buildings in St.
Augustine, Florida, the González-Alvarez
House is made using coquina, a
sedimentary rock composed of shell
fragments.
The González-Alvarez House in St. Augustine is the oldest
surviving Spanish Colonial home in Florida.

14. Details
Located in the American South, Southwest,
and California
One story
Flat roof, or roof with a low pitch
1
Earth, thatch, or clay tile roof covering
Thick walls made with rocks, coquina, or
adobe brick coated with stucco
2

Several exterior doors
3
Small windows, originally without glass
Wooden or wrought iron bars across the
windows
Interior shutters
Second story with recessed porches and
balconies
Interior courtyards
Carved wooden brackets and ballustrudes
Double hung sashed windows
Dentil moldings and other Greek Revival
details
1
2
3

15. German Colonial 1600 - 1850
German Settlers in the American colonies used local materials to recreate
buidling styles from their homeland.
Schifferstadt Architectural
Museum in Frederick, Maryland
is a landmark example of
German Colonial Architecture.
Named by Joseph Brunner after
his childhood home near
Mannheim, Germany, the house
was completed in 1756.
Schifferstadt Architectural Museum in Frederick, Maryland is a
German Colonial House completed in 1756

16. Details
Most often found in New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland
Two-feet thick walls made with
sandstone
Reinforced stone arches above the
first floor windows and doors
1

Hand-hewn beams pinned with
wodden pegs
Exposed half-timbering
Flared eaves
2

Massive wishbone-shaped chimney
1
2

17. Dutch Colonial 1625 - 1850
Settling along the Hudson River in the land that became New York State,
Dutch colonists built brick and stone homes like those found in the
Netherlands.
Built in 1740, the Dutch Colonial
Home shown here has a gambrel
roof and a salt-box shaped lean-to
addition.
Modern-day Dutch Colonial
Revival houses borrow the
gambrel roof found on historic
Dutch Colonial houses.
The John Teller House is a Dutch Colonial home in the Stockade
neighborhood of Schenectady, NY. The home was built in about
1740.

18. Details
Located in New York State
Stone or brick construction
1

Dutch doors (upper and lower
halves can be opened
independently)
2

Matching chimneys on each
side
3

Wide, slightly flared eaves,
OR
Gambrel roof, OR
Gambrel roof with flared eaves
12
3

19. Georgian Colonial House Styles
1690 - 1830
Spacious and comfortable, Georgian Colonial architecture reflected the rising
ambition of a young country.
Georgian Colonial became the rave in New England and the Southern colonies
during the 1700's. Stately and symmetrical, these homes imitated the larger,
more elaborate Georgian homes which were being built in England. But the
genesis of the style goes back much farther. During the reign of King George I
in the early 1700's, and King George III later in the century, Britons drew
inspiration from the Italian Renaissance and from ancient Greece and Rome.
Georgian ideals came to New England via pattern books, and Georgian styling
became a favorite of well-to-do colonists. More humble dwellings also took on
characteristics of the Georgian style. America's Georgian homes tend to be
less ornate than those found in Britain.

20. Details
Square, symmetrical shape
Paneled front door at center
Decorative crown over front door
1

Flattened columns on each side of
door
2

Five windows across front
Paired chimneys
3

Medium pitched roof
Minimal roof overhang
Nine or twelve small window
panes in each window sash
Dental molding (square, tooth-like
cuts) along the eaves
1 2
3

21. French Colonial
French colonists in the Mississippi Valley built houses especially suited to the
hot wet climate of their new home.
During the early 1700s, French colonists settled in the Mississippi Valley,
especially in Louisiana. An eclectic "Creole" architecture evolved, combining
building traditions from France, the Caribbean, the West Indies, and other
parts of the world.

22. Details
Located in Louisiana or Mississippi
Timber frame with brick or "bousillage"
(mud combined with moss and animal
hair)
Thin wooden columns
1

Wide porches, called "galleries"
2
Living quarters raised above ground
level
Wide hipped roof that extends over
the porches
3

Porches used as passageway
between rooms
No interior hallways
French doors (doors with many small
panes of glass)
1 2
3

23. Classical House Styles 1780 - 1860
Federal and Adam House Style
Greek Revival House Style
Tidewater House Style
Antebellum Architecture
During the founding of the United
States, many people felt that ancient
Greece expressed the ideals of
democracy. Architecture reflected
classical ideals of order and symmetry.

24. Federal and Adam House Styles
1780 - 1840
Graceful details distinguish Federal homes from the pragmatic Georgian colonial style.
Like much of America's architecture, the Federal (or Federalist) style has its roots in the
British Isles. Two Scottish brothers named Adam adapted the pragmatic Georgian style,
adding swags, garlands, urns, and other delicate details. In the American colonies,
homes and public buildings also took on graceful airs. Inspired by the work of the Adam
brothers and also by the great temples of ancient Greece and Rome, Americans began
to build homes with Palladian windows, circular or elliptical windows, recessed wall
arches, and oval-shaped rooms. This new Federal style became associated with
America's evolving national identity.
It's easy to confuse Federalist architecture with the earlier Georgian Colonial style. The
difference is in the details: While Georgian homes are square and angular, a Federal
style building is more likely to have curved lines and decorative flourishes. Federalist
architecture was the favored style in the United States from about 1780 until the 1830s.
However, Federalist details are often incorporated into modern American homes. Look
past the vinyl siding, and you may see a fanlight or the elegant arch of a Palladian
window.

25. Details
Low-pitched roof, or flat roof with a
balustrade
Windows arranged symmetrically around
a center doorway
Semicircular fanlight over the front door
1

Narrow side windows flanking the front
door
Decorative crown or roof over front door
Tooth-like dentil moldings in the cornice
Palladian window
Circular or elliptical windows
Shutters
2

Decorative swags and garlands
Oval rooms and arches
1
2

26. Greek Revival 1825 - 1860
With details reminiscent of the Parthenon, stately, pillared Greek Revival homes reflect a
passion for antiquity.
In the mid-19th century, many prosperous Americans believed that ancient Greece
represented the spirit of democracy. Interest in British styles had waned during the bitter War
of 1812. Also, many Americans sympathized with Greece's own struggles for independence
in the 1820s.
Greek Revival architecture began with public buildings in Philadelphia. Many European-
trained architects designed in the popular Grecian style, and the fashion spread via
carpenter's guides and pattern books. Colonnaded Greek Revival mansions - sometimes
called Southern Colonial houses - sprang up throughout the American south. With its classic
clapboard exterior and bold, simple lines, Greek Revival architecture became the most
predominant housing style in the United States.
During the second half of the 19th century, Gothic Revival and Italianate styles captured the
American imagination. Grecian ideas faded from popularity. However, front-gable design - a
trademark of the Greek Revival style - continued to influence the shape of American houses
well into the 20th century. You will notice the classic front-gable design in simple "National
Style" farm houses throughout the United States.

27. Details
Pedimented gable
1

Symmetrical shape
Heavy cornice
Wide, plain frieze
Bold, simple moldings
Entry porch with columns
2

Decorative pilasters
Narrow windows around
front door
1
2

28. Tidewater Style 1800s
Built in coastal areas of the American South, these homes were designed for
wet, hot climates.
Tidewater homes have extensive porches (or "galleries") sheltered by a
broad hipped roof. The main roof extends over the porches without
interruption.
This "Tidewater" home
has an extensive porch
sheltered by a broad
hipped roof.

29. Antebellum
Antebellum means "before war" in Latin. The term Antebellum refers to elegant
plantation homes built in the American South in the 30 years or so preceding
the Civil War.
Antebellum is not a particular house style. Rather, it is a time and place in
history. The features we associate with Antebellum architecture were
introduced to the American South by Anglo-Americans who moved into the
area after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
Most Antebellum homes are in the Greek Revival, Classical Revival, or
Federal style: grand, symmetrical, and boxy, with center entrances in the front
and rear, balconies, and columns or pillars.

30. Details
Hipped or gabled roof
Symmetrical façade
Evenly-spaced windows
Greek pillars and columns
Elaborate friezes
Balconies
Covered porch
Central entryway
Grand staircase
Formal ballroom
Oak Alley Plantation is an Antebellum home in
Louisiana

31. Victorian House Styles 1840 - 1900
Gothic Revival House Style
Italianate House Style
Second Empire or Mansard House Style
Victorian Stick House Style
Folk Victorian House Style
Shingle House Style
Richardson Romanesque House Style
Queen Anne House Style
Eastlake House Style
Mass-production and factory-made
building parts made large, elaborate
houses more affordable. A variety of
Victorian styles emerged, each with its
own distinctive features.

32. Gothic Revival
Across the Atlantic, American builders
began to borrow elements of British Gothic
Revival architecture. New York architect
Alexander Jackson Davis was evangelical
about the ecclesiastical Gothic Revival
style. He published floor plans and three-
dimensional views in his 1837 book, Rural
Residences. His design for Lyndhurst, an
imposing country estate in Tarrytown, New
York, became a showplace for Victorian
Gothic architecture in the United States.
Of course, most people could not afford a
massive stone estate like Lyndhurst. In the
United States, more humble versions of
Gothic Revival architecture evolved
Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, New York

33. Carpenter Gothic
Steeply pitched roof
1

Lacy bargeboards
Windows with pointed
arches
One story porch
2

Asymmetrical floor plan
Steep cross gables
Bay and oriel windows
Vertical board and
batten trim
The fanciful Gothic Revival style spread across North
America via pattern books such as Andrew Jackson
Downing's popular Victorian Cottage Residences (1842)
and The Architecture of Country Houses (1850). Some
builders lavished the fashionable Gothic details on
otherwise modest wooden cottages. Characterized by
scrolled ornaments and lacy "gingerbread" trim, these
small cottages are often called Carpenter Gothic.
1
2

34. Italianate 1840 - 1885
Italiante became the most popular housing style in Victorian America. Italianate is also known as the Tuscan,
the Lombard, or simply, the bracketed style.
The Italianate style began in England with the picturesque movement of the 1840s. For the previous 200
years, English homes tended to be formal and classical in style. With the picturesque, movement, however,
builders began to design fanciful recreations of Italian Renaissance villas. When the Italianate style moved to
the United States, it was reinterpreted again to create a uniquely American style.
By the late 1860s, Italianate was the most popular house style in the United States. Historians say that
Italianate became the favored style for two reasons:
•Italianate homes could be constructed with many different building materials, and the style could be adapted
to modest budgets.
•New technologies of the Victorian era made it possible to quickly and affordably produce cast-iron and
press-metal decorations.
Italianate remained the most popular house style in the USA until the 1870s. Italianate was also a common
style for barns, town halls, and libraries. You will find Italianate buildings in nearly every part of the United
States except for the deep South. There are fewer Italianate buildings in the southern states because the
style reached its peak during the Civil War, a time when the south was economically devastated.

35. Details
Low-pitched or flat roof
Balanced, symmetrical rectangular
shape
Tall appearance, with 2, 3, or 4 stories
Wide, overhanging eaves with
brackets and cornices
1

Square cupola
Porch topped with balustraded
balconies
2

Tall, narrow, double-paned windows
with hood moldings
Side bay window
3

Heavily molded double doors
Roman or segmented arches above
windows and doors
1
2 3

36. Second Empire (Mansard) Style
1855 - 1885
With tall mansard roofs and wrought iron cresting, Second Empire homes
create a sense of height.
Second Empire buildings with tall mansard roofs were modeled after the the
opulent architecture of Paris during the reign of Napoleon III. French architects
used the term horror vacui - the fear of unadorned surfaces - to describe the
highly ornamented Second Empire style. Second Empire buildings were also
practical: their height allowed for additional living space on narrow city lots.
In the United States, government buildings in the Second Empire style
resemble the elaborate French designs. Private homes, however, often have
an Italianate flavor. Both Italianate and Second Empire houses tend to be
square in shape, and both can have U-shaped window crowns, decorative
brackets, and single story porches. But, Italianate houses have much wider
eaves... and they do not have the distinctive mansard roof characteristic of the
Second Empire style.

37. Details
Mansard roof
1

Dormer windows project like eyebrows
from roof
Rounded cornices at top and base of
roof
Brackets beneath the eaves,
balconies, and bay windows
Cupola
Patterned slate on roof
Wrought iron cresting above upper
cornice
Classical pediments
Paired columns
2

Tall windows on first story
3

Small entry porch
4

1
2 34

38. Stick Style 1860 - 1890
Stick Style Victorian houses have exposed trusses, "stickwork," and other
details borrowed from medieval times.
The most important features of Stick Style houses are on the exterior wall
surfaces. Instead of three-dimensional ornamentation, the emphasis is on
patterns and lines. Because the decorative details are flat, they are often lost
when homeowners remodel. If the decorative stickwork is covered up with vinyl
siding or painted a single solid color, a Stick Style Victorian may appear plain
and rather ordinary.
The Palliser Company, which published many plan books during the Victorian
era, called stick architecture plain yet neat, modern, and comfortable.
However, Stick was a short-lived fashion. The angular and austere style
couldn't compete with the fancy Queen Annes that took America by storm.
Some Stick architecture did dress up in fancy Eastlake spindles and Queen
Anne flourishes. But very few authentic Stick Style homes remain intact.

39. Stick Style 1860 - 1890
The house shown above is an early
and especially fine example of
Victorian Stick architecture. The
exterior walls are ornamented with
"stickwork," or decorative half-
timbering. The house also has
brackets, rafters, and braces. These
details are not necessary structurally.
They are decorations that imitated
architecture from the medieval past.
On first glance, you might confuse
Stick houses with the later Tudor
Revival Style. However, most Tudor
Revival houses are sided with stucco,
stone, or brick. Stick Style houses are
almost always made with wood.
The Physick House in Cape May, New Jersey is a hallmark
example of the Stick Style. Brackets and stickwork suggest
medieval building techniques.

40. Details
Rectangular shape
Wood siding
Steep, gabled roof
Overhanging eaves
Ornamental trusses (gable
braces)
Decorative braces and brackets
Decorative half-timbering

41. Folk Victorian 1870 - 1910
Just plain folk could afford these simple North American homes, built between 1870 and 1910.
Life was simple before the age of railroads. In the vast, remote stretches of North America, families
built no-fuss, square or L-shaped houses in the National or Folk style. But the rise of
industrialization made it easier and more affordable to add decorative details to otherwise simple
homes. Decorative architectural trim could be mass produced. As the railroads expanded, factory-
made building parts could be sent to far corners of the continent.
Also, small towns could now obtain sophisticated woodworking machinery. A crate of scrolled
brackets might find its way to Kansas or Wyoming, where carpenters could mix and match the
pieces according to personal whim... Or, according to what happened to be in the latest shipment.
Many Folk Victorian houses were adorned with flat, jigsaw cut trim in a variety of patterns. Others
had spindles, gingerbread and details borrowed from the Carpenter Gothic style. With their
spindles and porches, some Folk Victorian homes may suggest Queen Anne architecture. But
unlike Queen Annes, Folk Victorian houses are orderly and symmetrical houses. They do not have
towers, bay windows, or elaborate moldings.

42. Details
Square, symmetrical shape
Brackets under the eaves
1

Porches with spindlework or flat,
jigsaw cut trim
2

Carpenter Gothic details
Low-pitched, pyramid shaped roof
Front gable and side wings
3

1
2
3

43. Shingle Style 1874 - 1910
Rustic Shingle Style houses shunned Victorian fussiness. Read below for
features of the style.
Shingle Style houses can take on many forms. Some have tall turrets,
suggestive of Queen Anne architecture. Some have gambrel roofs, Palladian
windows, and other Colonial Revival details. Some Shingle houses have
features borrowed from Tudor, Gothic and Stick styles. But, unlike those
styles, Shingle architecture is relaxed and informal. Shingle houses do not
have the lavish decorations that were popular during the Victorian era.
The architectural historian Vincent Scully coined the term "Shingle Style"
because these homes are usually sided in rustic cedar shingles. However, not
all Shingle Style houses are shingle-sided. You will recognize them by their
complicated shapes and rambling, informal floor plans.

44. Details
Continuous wood shingles on siding
and roof
Irregular roof line
Cross gables
Eaves on several levels
Porches
Asymmetrical floor plan
Wavy wall surface
Patterned shingles
Squat half-towers
Palladian windows
Rough hewn stone on lower stories
Stone arches over windows and
porches

45. Richardsonian Romanesque
1880 - 1900
Richardsonian Romanesque, or Romanesque Revival, houses have broad
Roman arches and massive stone walls.
During the 1870s, Boston architect Henry Hobson Richardson captured the
American imagination with rugged, forceful buildings like Allegheny
Courthouse in Pittsburgh and Trinity Church in Boston. These buildings were
called "Romanesque" because they had wide, rounded arches like buildings in
ancient Rome. Henry Hobson Richardson became so famous for his
Romanesque designs that the style is often called Richardsonian
Romanesque.
The heavy Romanesque style was especially suited for grand public buildings.
However, Romanesque buildings, with massive stone walls, were expensive to
construct. Only the wealthy adopted the Richardsonian Romanesque style for
private homes.

46. Details
Constructed of rough-faced,
square stones
1

Round towers with cone-shaped
roofs
Columns and pilasters with spirals
and leaf designs
2

Low, broad "Roman" arches over
arcades and doorways
Patterned masonry arches over
windows
3

1
2
3

47. Queen Anne 1880 - 1910
Fanciful Queen Anne architecture takes on many shapes. Read below for
features of the style.
Queen Anne became an architectural fashion in the 1880s and 1890s, when
the industrial revolution brought new technologies. Builders began to use
mass-produced pre-cut architectural trim to create fanciful and sometimes
flamboyant houses.
Not all Queen Anne houses are lavishly decorated, however. Some builders
showed restraint in their use of embellishments. Still, the flashy "painted
ladies" of San Francisco and the refined brownstones of Brooklyn share many
of the same features.

48. Details
Steep roof
1

Complicated, asymmetrical shape
Front-facing gable
2

One-story porch that extends
across one or two sides of the
house
3

Round or square towers
4

Wall surfaces textured with
decorative shingles, patterned
masonry, or half-timbering
Ornamental spindles and brackets
Bay windows
1 2
3
4

49. Eastlake Victorian 1860 - 1880
These fanciful Victorian houses are
lavished with Eastlake style
spindlework.
This colorful Victorian home is a
Queen Anne, but the lacy, ornamental
details are called Eastlake. The
ornamental style is named after the
famous English designer, Charles
Eastlake, who was famous for making
furniture decorated with fancy
spindles.
Eastlake details can be found on a
variety of Victorian house styles.
Some of the more fanciful Stick Style
Victorians have Eastlake buttons and
knobs combined with the angular
stickwork.

50. Gilded Age House Styles 1880 - 1929
Beaux Arts Style
Renaissance Revival House Style
Richardson Romanesque House Style
Queen Anne House Style
Tudor Revival House Style
Neo-Classical House Style
The rise of Industrialism brought the
period we know as the Gilded Age.
Business leaders amassed
enormous wealth and built palatial,
elaborate homes.

51. Beaux Arts 1885 - 1925
Combining classical Greek and Roman architecture with Renaissance ideas, Beaux Arts was a
favored style for grand public buildings and opulent mansions.
The Beaux Arts (French for "fine art") style originated in the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. Many
American architects studied at this legendary architectural school, where they learned about the
aesthetic principles of classical design and brought them to the United States.
Also known as Beaux Arts Classicism, Academic Classicism, or Classical Revival, Beaux Arts is a
late and eclectic form of Neoclassicism. It combines classical architecture from ancient Greece and
Rome with Renaissance ideas. Beaux Arts is characterized by order, symmetry, formal design,
grandiosity, and elaborate ornamentation. In the United States, the Beaux Arts style led to planned
neighborhoods with large, showy houses, wide boulevards, and vast parks. Due to the size and
grandiosity of the buildings, the Beaux Arts style is most commonly used for public buildings like
museums, railway stations, libraries, banks, courthouses, and government buildings.
The popularity of the Beaux Arts style waned in the 1920's, and within 25 years the buildings were
considered ostentatious. Later in the 20th century, postmodernists rediscovered an appreciation of
the Beaux Arts ideals.

52. Details
Massive and grandiose
Constructed with stone
Balustrades
Balconies
1
Columns
2
Cornices
Pilasters
Triangular pediments
Lavish decorations: swags,
medallions, flowers, and shields
Grand stairway
Large arches
Symmetrical façade
1
2

53. Renaissance Revival Style 1840 - 1915
A fascination for the architecture of Renaissance Europe and the villas of Andrea Palladio
inspired elegant Renaissance Revival homes.
Renaissance (French for "rebirth") refers to the artistic, architectural, and literary
movement in Europe between the 14th and 16th centuries. The Renaissance Revival style
is based on the architecture of 16th-century Renaissance Italy and France, with additional
elements borrowed from Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Renaissance Revival is
a general term which encompasses the various Italian Renaissance Revival and French
Renaissance Revival styles, including Second Empire.
The Renaissance Revival style was popular during two separate phases. The first phase,
or the First Renaissance Revival, was from about 1840 to 1885, and the Second
Renaissance Revival, which was characterized by larger and more elaborately decorated
buildings, was from 1890 to 1915. Due to the expensive materials required and the
elaborate style, Renaissance Revival was best suited for public and commercial buildings,
and very grand homes for the wealthy.

54. Details
Cube-shaped
Balanced, symmetrical façade
Smooth stone walls, made from finely-cut
ashlar, or smooth stucco finish
Low-pitched hip or Mansard roof
1

Roof topped with balustrade
Wide eaves with large brackets
2

Horizontal stone banding between floors
Segmental pediments
Ornately-carved stone window trim varying
in design at each story
Smaller square windows on top floor
Quoins (large stone blocks at the corners)
Arched, recessed openings
3

Full entablatures between floors
Columns
4

Ground floor made of rusticated stone with
beveled edges and deeply-recessed joints
1
2
3 4

55. Tudor Revival 1890 - Present
Heavy chimneys and decorative half-timbering give Tudor style houses a Medieval flavor. The Tudor style is
sometimes called Medieval Revival.
The name Tudor suggests that these houses were built in the 1500s, during the Tudor Dynasty in England. But of
course, Tudor houses in the United States are modern-day re-inventions and are more accurately called Tudor
Revival or Medieval Revival. Some Tudor Revival houses mimic humble Medieval cottages - They may even include
a false thatched roof. Other Tudor Revival homes suggest Medieval palaces. They may have overlapping gables,
parapets, and beautifully patterned brick or stonework. These historic details combine with Victorian or Craftsman
flourishes.
As in many Queen Anne and Stick style homes, Tudor style houses often feature striking decorative timbers. These
timbers hint at - but do not reproduce - Medieval construction techniques. In Medieval houses, the timber framing was
integral with the structure. Tudor Revival houses, however, merely suggest the structural framework with false half-
timbering. This decorative woodwork comes in many different designs, with stucco or patterned brick between the
timbers.
Handsome examples of Tudor Revival architecture may be found throughout Great Britain, northern Europe, and the
United States. The main square in Chester, England is surrounded by lavish Victorian Tudors that stand
unapologetically alongside authentic medieval buildings.
In the United States, Tudor styling takes on a variety of forms ranging from elaborate mansions to modest suburban
homes with mock masonry veneers. The style became enormously popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and modified
versions became fashionable in the 1970s and 1980s.
One popular housing type inspired by inspired by Tudor ideas is the Cotswold Cottage. These quaint homes have an
imitation thatched roof, massive chimneys, an uneven sloping roof, small window panes, and low doors.

56. Details
Decorative half-
timbering
Steeply pitched roof
1
Prominent cross gables
Tall, narrow windows
2
Small window panes
Massive chimneys, often
topped with decorative
chimney pots
1
2

57. Neoclassical 1885 - 1925
Neoclassical, or "new" classical,
architecture describes buildings that
are inspired by the classical
architecture of ancient Greece and
Rome.
The word Neoclassical is often used
to describe an architectural style, but
Neoclassicism is not actually any one
distinct style. Neoclassicism is a
trend, or approach to design, that
can describe several very different
styles.
Neoclassical homes romanticize the architecture of ancient
Greece and Rome.

58. Frank Lloyd Wright House Styles 1901 - 1955
Prairie Style
Usonian Style
Hemicycle Design
Organic Design
Frank Lloyd Wright revolutionized the
American home when he began to design
houses with low horizontal lines and open
interior spaces.

59. Prairie Style 1893-1920
Frank Lloyd Wright revolutionized the American home when he began to design "Prairie" style
houses with low horizontal lines and open interior spaces.
Frank Lloyd Wright believed that rooms in Victorian era homes were boxed-in and confining. He
began to design houses with low horizontal lines and open interior spaces. Rooms were often
divided by leaded glass panels. Furniture was either built-in or specially designed. These homes
were called prairie style after Wright's 1901 Ladies Home Journal plan titled, "A Home in a Prairie
Town." Prairie houses were designed to blend in with the flat, prairie landscape. The first Prairie
houses were usually plaster with wood trim or sided with horizontal board and batten. Later Prairie
homes used concrete block. Prairie homes can have many shapes: Square, L-shaped, T-shaped, Y-
shaped, and even pinwheel-shaped.
Many other architects designed Prairie homes and the style was popularized by pattern books. The
popular American Foursquare style, sometimes called the Prairie Box, shared many features with
the Prairie style.
In 1936, during the USA depression, Frank Lloyd Wright developed a simplified version of Prairie
architecture called Usonian. Wright believed these stripped-down houses represented the
democratic ideals of the United States.

60. Details
Low-pitched roof
1

Overhanging eaves
2

Horizontal lines
Central chimney
3

Open floor plan
Clerestory windows
1
2
3

61. Usonian
In 1936, when the United States was in the depths of an economic depression, Frank Lloyd Wright developed a series of homes
he called Usonian. Designed to control costs, Wright's Usonian houses had no attics, no basements, and little ornamentation.
The word Usonia is an abbreviation for United States of North America. Frank Lloyd Wright aspired to create a democratic,
distinctly American style that was affordable for the "common people."
Usonian architecture grew out of Frank Lloyd Wright's earlier Prairie style homes. Both styles featured low roofs and open living
areas. Both styles made abundant use of brick, wood, and other natural material. However, Wright's Usonian homes were small,
one-story structures set on concrete slabs with piping for radiant heat beneath. The kitchens were incorporated into the living
areas. Open car ports took the place of garages.
In the 1950s, when he was in his '80s, Frank
Lloyd Wright first used the term Usonian
Automatic to describe a Usonian style house
made of inexpensive concrete blocks. The
three-inch-thick modular blocks could be
assembled in a variety of ways and secured
with steel rods and grout. Frank Lloyd Wright
hoped that home buyers would save money
by building their own Usonian Automatic
houses. But assembling the modular parts
proved complicated - most buyers hired pros
to construct their Usonian houses.
Despite Frank Lloyd Wright's aspirations
toward simplicity and economy, Usonian
houses often exceeded budgeted costs.

62. Hemicycle Design at the Curtis Meyer House
by Frank Lloyd Wright
You may notice many similarities
between Frank Lloyd Wright's Curtis
Meyer House in Galesburg, Michigan
and his earlier Jacobs II House in
Wisconsin. Both are hemicycles with
an arched glass front and a flat,
protected back side. Along the eastern
side of the Curtis Meyer house, a
crescent-shaped glass wall seems to
follow the line of the grassy knoll. At
the center of the house, a two-story
tower encloses a stairway that leads
from a carport and bedroom down to
the lower level living area.

63. Organic
Organic Architecture is a term Frank Lloyd
Wright used to describe his approach to
architectural design. The philosophy grew
from the ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright's
mentor, Louis Sullivan, who believed that
"form follows function." Wright argued that
"form and function are one."
Organic architecture strives to integrate
space into a unified whole. Frank Lloyd
Wright was not concerned with
architectural style, because he believed
that every building should grow naturally
from its environment.
Taliesin West in Arizona expresses Frank Lloyd
Wright's theories of Organic Architecture

64. Early 20th Century House Styles 1905-1945
Arts & Crafts (Craftsman)
Bungalow Styles
Cotswold Cottage
Spanish Mission House Style
American Foursquare House Style
Colonial Revival House Style
In the early 1900s, builders sloffed off
the elaborate Victorian styles. Homes
for the new century were compact,
economical, and informal.

65. Arts and Crafts (Craftsman) 1905 - 1930
From cozy bungalows to sprawling Prairie houses, many American homes were shaped
by Craftsman ideas.
During the 1880s, John Ruskin, William Morris, Philip Webb, and other English
designers and thinkers launched the Arts and Crafts Movement, which celebrated
handicrafts and encouraged the use of simple forms and natural materials. In the United
States, two California brothers, Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Green,
began to design houses that combined Arts and Crafts ideas with a fascination for the
simple wooden architecture of China and Japan.
The name "Craftsman" comes from the title of a popular magazine published by the
famous furniture designer, Gustav Stickley, between 1901 and 1916. A true Craftsman
house is one that is built according to plans published in Stickley's magazine. But other
magazines, pattern books, and mail order house catalogs began to publish plans for
houses with Craftsman-like details. Soon the word "Craftsman" came to mean any
house that expressed Arts and Crafts ideals, most especially the simple, economical,
and extremely popular Bungalow.

66. Details
Wood, stone, or stucco siding
1

Low-pitched roof
Wide eaves with triangular brackets
Exposed roof rafters
Porch with thick square or round
columns
Stone porch supports
2

Exterior chimney made with stone
Open floor plans; few hallways
Numerous windows
Some windows with stained or leaded
glass
Beamed ceilings
Dark wood wainscoting and moldings
Built-in cabinets, shelves, and seating
1 2

67. Bungalow Styles 1905 - 1930
California Bungalows, Craftsman Bungalows, and Chicago Bugalows were variations of an
affordable housing type that swept across America. Find facts below.
The Bungalow is an all American housing type, but it has its roots in India. In the province of Bengal,
single-family homes were called bangla or bangala. British colonists adapted these one-story thatch-
roofed huts to use as summer homes. The space-efficient floor plan of bungalow houses may have
also been inspired by army tents and rural English cottages. The idea was to cluster the kitchen,
dining area, bedrooms, and bathroom around a central living area. The first American house to be
called a bungalow was designed in 1879 by William Gibbons Preston. Built at Monument Beach on
Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the two-story house had the informal air of resort architecture. However,
this house was much larger and more elaborate than the homes we think of when we use the term
Bungalow.
Two California architects, Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene, are often credited
with inspiring America to build Bungalows. Their most famous project was the huge Craftsman style
Gamble house (1909) in Pasadena, California. However, the Green brothers also published more
modest Bungalow plans in many magazines and pattern books.

68. Details
One and a half stories
Most of the living spaces on the
ground floor
Low-pitched roof and horizontal
shape
Living room at the center
Connecting rooms without
hallways
Efficient floor plan
Built-in cabinets, shelves, and
seats

69. Cotswold Cottage 1890 - 1940
With roots in the pastoral Cotswold region of England, the picturesque
Cotswold Cottage style may remind you of a cozy storybook house.
The small, fanciful Cotswold Cottage is a popular subtype of the Tudor Revival
house style. This quaint English country style is based on the cottages built
since medieval times in the Cotswold region of southwestern England. A
fascination for medieval styles inspired American architects create modern
versions of the rustic homes. The Cotswold Cottage style became especially
popular in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. The picturesque
Cotswold Cottage is usually asymmetrical with a steep, complex roof line. The
floor plan tends to include small, irregularly-shaped rooms, and the upper
rooms have sloping walls with dormers. The home may have a sloping slate or
cedar roof that mimics the look of thatch. A massive chimney often dominates
either the front or one side of the house.

70. Details
Sloping, uneven roof, sometimes
made of pseudo-thatch
1

Brick, stone, or stucco siding
Very steep cross gables
Prominent brick or stone chimney,
often at the front near the door
2

Casement windows with small panes
Small dormer windows
3

Asymmetrical design
Low doors and arched doors
Small, irregularly-shaped rooms
Sloping walls in rooms on upper floor
1
2
3

71. Mission Revival House Style 1890 - 1920
Historic mission churches built by Spanish colonists inspired the turn-of-the-
century house style known as Mission, Spanish Mission, or California Mission.
Celebrating the architecture of Hispanic settlers, Mission Revival style houses
usually have arched dormers and roof parapets. Some resemble old Spanish
mission churches with bell towers and elaborate arches.
The earliest Mission style homes were built in California, USA. The style
spread eastward, but most Spanish Mission homes are located in the
southwestern states. Deeply shaded porches and dark interiors make these
homes particularly suited for warmer climates.

72. Mission Revival House Style 1890 - 1920
Shown here is the Owls Club
Mansion, an especially elaborate
example of Mission Revival
architecture in Tucson, Arizona.
Architect Henry Trost modeled the
home after a design by Louis Sullivan.
Completed in 1902, the house is
decorated with geometric patterns,
parapets with ornamental drainpipes,
and other details inspired by historic
Spanish mission churches.
Owls Club Mansion is an especially elaborate example of
Mission Revival architecture in Tucson, Arizona

73. Details
Smooth stucco siding
Roof parapets
Large square pillars
Twisted columns
Arcaded entry porch
Round or quatrefoil window
Red tile roof

74. American Foursquare 1895 - 1930
The Foursquare style, sometimes called the Prairie Box, can be found in
nearly every part of the United States.
The American Foursquare, or the Prairie Box, was a post-Victorian style that
shared many features with the Prairie architecture pioneered by Frank Lloyd
Wright. The boxy foursquare shape provided roomy interiors for homes on
small city lots. The simple, square shape also made the Foursquare style
especially practical for mail order house kits from Sears and other catalog
companies.

75. Details
Simple box shape
Two-and-a-half stories high
Four-room floor plan
Low-hipped roof with deep
overhang
1

Large central dormer
2

Full-width porch with wide stairs
Brick, stone, stucco, concrete
block, or wood siding
12

76. Colonial Revival 1876 - 1955
Expressing American patriotism and a return to classical architectural styles,
Colonial Revival became a standard style in the 20th century.
Colonial Revival became a popular American house style after it appeared at the
1876 the US Centennial Exposition. Reflecting American patriotism and a desire
for simplicity, the Colonial Revival house style remained popular until the
mid-1950's. Between World War I and II, Colonial Revival was the most popular
historic revival house style in the United States.
Some architectural historians say that Colonial Revival is a Victorian style;
others believe that the Colonial Revival style marked the end of the Victorian
period in architecture. The Colonial Revival style is based loosely on Federal
and Georgian house styles, and a clear reaction against excessively elaborate
Victorian Queen Anne architecture. Eventually, the simple, symmetrical Colonial
Revival style became incorporated into the Foursquare and Bungalow house
styles of the early 20th century.

77. Details
Symmetrical façade
Rectangular
2 to 3 stories
Brick or wood siding
Simple, classical detailing
Gable roof
1

Pillars and columns
Multi-pane, double-hung windows with
shutters
Dormers
2

Temple-like entrance: porticos topped by
pediment
Paneled doors with sidelights and topped
with rectangular transoms or fanlights
Center entry-hall floor plan
Living areas on the first floor and bedrooms
on the upper floors
Fireplaces
12

78. Post-War House Styles 1945-1980
Ranch Style
Raised Ranch Style
Split-Level Ranch Style
Cape Cod Revival House Style
Lustron Houses
Soldiers returning from World War II
brought an enormous need for housing.
Real estate developers purchased large
tracts of land and constructed homes with
an eye on simplicity and affordability.

79. Ranch Style 1945 - 1980
One-story Ranch Style homes are so simple, some critics say they have no style. But
there's more than meets the eye to the classic suburban Ranch Style house.
Known as American Ranch, Western Ranch, or California Rambler, Ranch Style houses
can be found in nearly every part of the United States.
The earth-hugging Prairie Style houses pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright and the
informal Bungalow styles of the early 20th century paved the way for the popular Ranch
Style. Architect Cliff May is credited with building the first Ranch Style house in San
Diego, California in 1932.
The California real estate developer Joseph Eichler popularized his own version of the
Ranch Style, and Eichler Ranches were imitated across the USA. After World War II,
simple, economical Ranch houses were mass-produced to meet the housing needs of
returning soldiers and their families. Because so many Ranch Style homes were quickly
built according to a cookie-cutter formula, the Ranch Style is often dismissed as ordinary
or slipshod. Nevertheless, many homes built today have characteristics of the elegantly
informal Ranch houses that Cliff May originated.

80. Details
Single story
Low pitched gable roof
Deep-set eaves
1

Horizontal, rambling layout: Long, narrow,
and low to the ground
Rectangular, L-shaped, or U-shaped design
Large windows: double-hung, sliding, and
picture
2

Sliding glass doors leading out to patio
Attached garage
Simple floor plans
Emphasis on openness (few interior walls)
and efficient use of space
Built from natural materials: Oak floors,
wood or brick exterior
3

Lack decorative detailing, aside from
decorative shutters
1 2 3

81. Raised Ranch Style 1945 - 1980
A traditional Ranch Style house is only one story, but a Raised Ranch raises the roof to
provide extra living space.
The Raised Ranch style has been adapted to take on a variety of forms. Neo-
Mediterranean, Neo-Colonial, and other contemporary styles are often applied to the
simple, practical Raised Ranch shape. Split-level homes may also be described as a
variation on the Raised Ranch style. However, a true Raised Ranch has only two levels,
while a split-level home has three stories or more.
In this variation of the Ranch Style, the
home has two stories. The lower story is at
ground level or partially submerged below
grade. From the main entrance, a full flight
of stairs leads to the main living areas on
the upper level. Some critics say that
Raised Ranch houses are unattractive or
ordinary. However, there's no question that
this practical style fills a need for space and
flexibility.
Raised Ranch Style House in Northern Virginia

82. Details
Two stories
Attached garage
1

Partially submerged basement
with finished rooms and
windows
2

Low-pitched gable roof
3

Asymmetrical
Large windows: double-hung,
sliding, and picture
Sliding glass doors leading to
a back yard patio
Little decorative detailing,
aside from decorative shutters
and porch-roof supports 12
3

83. Split-Level Ranch Style 1945 - 1980
In this popular variation of the Ranch house style, a Split-Level Ranch has
three or more levels.
A Split-Level Ranch is a Ranch Style house that is divided into several parts.
One section is lowered and one section is raised.
Regardless of the floor plan, split-level houses always have three or more
levels. The main entrance is usually (although not always) on the center level.
Split-level design reflects an approach popularized by American architect
Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright believed that houses with "half floors" would blend
naturally with the landscape. Living areas could be separated from private
areas by just a few steps, rather than a single long staircase.

84. Details
The front door opens to a landing. Facing
the door, one short flight of stairs leads
down. A parallel flight of stairs leads up.
The front door opens into an entry wing or
foyer apart from the main house. To one
side, a short flight of stairs leads down. To
the other side, a short flight of stairs leads
up.
The front door opens directly into the main
living area. Elsewhere in the room, a short
flight of stairs leads down and a parallel
short flight of stairs leads up.
The front door opens on the lowest level,
entering a garage or mudroom. A short
flight of stairs leads up to the main living
area. From there, another short flight of
stairs leads up to the bedrooms.

85. Cape Cod House With Dormers
Twentieth century Cape Cod
houses were often given large
dormers and decorative shutters.

86. Lustron Homes 1948 - 1950
Made of steel coated with porcelain enamel, Lustron Homes were manufactured like cars and
transported across the USA.
At the end of World War II, the United States did not have enough housing for the 12-million soldiers
returning home. President Harry Truman pressured builders and suppliers to construct affordable
housing. Many architects and designers, including Frank Lloyd Wright and Buckminster Fuller, tried
to design inexpensive prefab housing that could be built quickly. But one of the most promising
ventures was the Lustron Home by businessman and inventor Carl Strandlund. Vowing to mass-
produce steel houses at the rate of 100 a day, Strandlund landed $37 million in government loans.
The first Lustron house was produced in March 1948. A total of 2,498 Lustron Homes were
manufactured over the next two years. The steel houses were made like cars on conveyor belts in a
former aircraft plant in Columbus, Ohio. Flatbed trucks transported the Lustron panels to 36 states,
where they were assembled on concrete slabs using nuts and bolts. Assembly took about two
weeks. The completed house cost between $7,000 and $10,000, not including the foundation and
the lot.
Orders for some 20,000 Lustron Homes poured in, but by 1950 the Lustron Corporation was
bankrupt. Today, well-preserved Lustron homes are scarce. Many have been demolished. Others
have been altered as homeowners added sheetrock walls and new exterior siding.

87. Details
One story with a rectangular Ranch Style
shape
Constructed with prefabricated panels
made of steel coated with colored porcelain
enamel (the same finish found on bathtubs
and appliances)
Roof, ceiling, and interior and exterior walls
made entirely of porcelain-enameled steel
1

Magnets or glued-on hooks used to hang
pictures on walls
Four factory-colored finishes: Desert Tan,
Dove Gray, Maize Yellow, or Surf Blue
2

Concrete slab foundation
Two or three bedrooms
Radiant heating in the ceiling
Built-in bookcase, china cabinet, and
overhead cabinets
Combination washing machine /
dishwasher
1
2

88. Modern House Styles 1930-present
Art Moderne
House Style
Bauhaus Style
International Style
Contemporary House Style
A-Frame Style
Postmodern House Style
Modernist houses broke away from
conventional forms, while postmodernist
houses combined traditional forms in
unexpected ways.

89. Art Moderne 1930 - 1945
With the sleek, streamlined appearance of a modern machine, Art Moderne architecture expressed
the spirit of a new, technological age.
It's easy to confuse Art Moderne with Art Deco, but they are two distinctly different styles. While both
have stripped-down forms and geometric designs, the Art Moderne style will appear sleek and plain,
while the slightly earlier Art Deco style can be quite showy. Art Moderne buildings are usually white,
while Art Deco buildings may be brightly colored. The Art Deco style is most often used for public
buildings like theaters, while the Art Moderne style is most often found in private homes.
The sleek, rounded Art Moderne style originated in the Bauhaus movement, which began in
Germany. Bauhaus architects wanted to use the principles of classical architecture in their purest
form, designing simple, useful structures without ornamentation or excess. Building shapes were
based on curves, triangles, and cones. Bauhaus ideas spread worldwide and led to the Moderne or
International Style in the United States. Art Moderne art, architecture, and fashion became popular
just as Art Deco was losing appeal. Many products produced during the 1930s, from architecture to
jewelry to kitchen appliances, expressed the new Art Moderne ideals. Art Moderne truly reflected the
spirit of the early twentieth century. Expressing excitement over technological advancements, high
speed transportation, and innovative new construction techniques, Art Modern design was
highlighted at the 1933 World Fair Chicago. For homeowners, Art Moderne also proved to be a
pragmatic style because these simple dwellings were so easy and economical to build.

90. Details
Asymmetrical
Horizontal orientation
Flat roof
1

No cornices or eaves
Cube-like shape
Smooth, white walls
Sleek, streamlined appearance
Rounded corners highlighted by
wraparound windows
2

Glass block windows
Aluminum and stainless steel window and
door trim
Mirrored panels
Steel balustrades
Suggestion of speed and movement:
Horizontal rows of windows or stripes
Little or no ornamentation
Open floor plans
1
2

91. The Walter Gropius House
1937: Bauhaus home of
Walter Gropius in
Lincoln, Massachusetts.
Walter Gropius,
architect.
New England details
combine with Bauhaus
ideas in the
Massacusetts home of
Bauhaus architect
Walter Gropius.
The Walter Gropius House in Lincoln,
Massachusetts

92. The Farnsworth House
1946 to 1950: Glass-walled International Style home in Plano, Illinois, USA. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, architect.
Hovering in a green landscape, the transparent glass Farnsworth House by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is often
celebrated as his most perfect expression of the International Style. The house is rectangular with eight steel columns
set in two parallel rows. Suspended between columns are two steel-framed slabs (the ceiling and the roof) and a
simple, glass-enclosed living space and porch. All the exterior walls are glass, and the interior is entirely open except
for a wood paneled area containing two bathrooms, a kitchen and service facilities. The floors and exterior decks are
Italian travertine limestone. The steel is sanded smooth and painted a gleaming white.
The Farnsworth House took six years to design and build. During this period, Philip Johnson built his famous Glass
House in New Canaan, Connecticut. However, Johnson's home is symmetrical, ground-hugging structure with a very
different atmosphere.
Edith Farnsworth was not happy with the house Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed for her. She sued Mies van der
Rohe, claiming that the house was not livable. Critics, however, said that Edith Farnsworth was lovesick and spiteful.
The Farnsworth House
by Mies van der Rohe

93. Contemporary 1965 - Present
Contemporary homes are designed for today's lifestyles with huge windows
and large, open spaces.
"Contemporary" describes a catch-all style that can take on many different
shapes. A Contemporary home can have the quirkiness of Postmodernism, but
it will not express the same kind of irony or humor you find in a Postmodern
house. Some Neoeclectic homes are called "Contemporaries," but a true
Contemporary does not use odd mixtures of historic deals the way a
Neoeclectic house does. Confused? Your most important clue is the windows:
A Contemporary home will always have expansive, very tall panes of glass.

94. Details
odd, irregular shape
lack of ornamentation
tall, over-sized windows, some
with trapezoid shapes
1

open floor plan
natural materials such as cedar or
stone
2

harmony with the surrounding
landscape
1
2

95. A-frame Style 1957 – Present
With a dramatic, sloping roof and cozy living quarters, an A-frame style house is ideal for
wintery regions with lots of snow.
Triangular and tee-pee shaped homes date back to the dawn of time, but architect
Andrew Geller turned an old idea into a revolutionary concept in 1957 when he built an
"A-frame" house in Long Island, New York. Named for the distinctive shape of its
roofline, Geller's design won international attention when it was featured in the New York
Times. Soon, thousands of A-frame homes were built around the world.
The steep slope of the A-frame roof is designed to help heavy snow to slide to the
ground, instead of remaining on top of the house and weighing it down. At the same
time, the sloped roof provides two other benefits. It creates a half floor at the top of the
house which can be used for lofts or storage space, and, since the roof extends down to
the ground and doesn't need to painted, it minimizes the amount of exterior maintenance
required on the house. On the other hand, the sloped roof creates a triangular "dead
space" at the base of the walls on each floor. A-frame houses have limited living space
and are usually built as vacation cottages for the mountains or beach.

96. Details
Triangular shape
Steeply sloping roof that extends
to the ground on two sides
1

Front and rear gables
Deep-set eaves
2

1½ or 2½ stories
Many large windows on front and
rear façades
3

Small living space
Few vertical wall surfaces
1
2
3

97. Postmodern (Pomo) 1965 - Present
Unique, whimsical, and surprising, Postmodern houses give the impression that anything
goes. The impossible is not only possible, but exaggerated.
Postmodern (or post-modern) architecture evolved from Modernism, yet it rebells against
that style. Modernism is viewed as excessively minimalist, anonymous, monotonous,
and boring. Postmodernism has a sense of humor. The style often combines two or
more very different elements. A Postmodern house may combine traditional with
invented forms or use familiar shapes in surprising, unexpected ways. In other words,
postmodern houses often don't have anything in common with one another, other than
their lack of commonality. Postmodern houses may be bizarre, humorous, or shocking,
but they are always unique.
Sometimes the term Postmodern is loosely used to describe Neoeclectic homes that
combine a variety of historic styles. However, unless there is a sense of surprise, irony,
or originality, a neoeclectic home is not truly postmodern. Postmodern houses are also
sometimes called "Contemporaries," but a true Contemporary Style house does not
incorporate traditional or historical architectural details.

98. Details
Sense of "anything goes": Forms filled
with humor, irony, ambiguity,
contradiction
Juxtaposition of styles: Blend of
traditional, contemporary, and newly-
invented forms
Exaggerated or abstract traditional
detailing
Materials or decorations drawn from
far away sources

99. "Neo" House Styles 1965-present
Neoeclectic House Style
Neocolonial House Style
Neo-Mediterranean House Style
McMansion
Neo means new. Many new homes
borrow details from historic styles and
combine them with modern features.

100. Neoeclectic 1965 - Present
If your home was built recently, chances are it incorporates many styles. Architects and
designers call this new stylistic mix Neoeclectic, or Neo-eclectic.
A Neoeclectic home can be difficult to describe because it combines many styles. The shape
of the roof, the design of the windows, and decorative details may be inspired by several
different periods and cultures.
During the late 1960s, a rebellion against modernism and a longing for more traditional styles
influenced the design of modest tract housing in North America. Builders began to borrow
freely from a variety of historic traditions, offering Neoeclectic (or, Neo-eclectic) houses that
were "customized" using a mixture of features selected from construction catalogs. These
homes are sometimes called Postmodern because they borrow from a variety of styles
without consideration for continuity or context. However, Neoeclectic homes are not usually
experimental and do not reflect the artistic vision you would find in a truly original, architect-
designed postmodern home.
Critics use the term McMansion to describe a Neoeclectic home that is over-sized and
pretentious. Coined from the McDonald's fast food restaurant, the name McMansion implies
that these homes are hastily assembled using cheaply-made materials and a menu of mix-
and-match decorative details.

101. Details
Constructed in the 1960s or later
Historic styles imitated using modern
materials like vinyl or imitation stone
Details from several historic styles
combined
Details from several cultures
combined
Brick, stone, vinyl, and composite
materials combined

102. Neocolonial 1965 - present
Modern-day Neocolonial, or Neo-Colonial, houses are romantic versions of the
historic Colonial and Federal style buildings.
Neocolonial is a Neoeclectic style, borrowing details from many different styles
and historic periods.
Modern-day houses are often a mixture of historic styles adapted for
contemporary lifestyles. New England Colonial, Southern Colonial, Georgian,
and Federal details are imitated using low maintenance modern materials. The
idea is to convey the traditional, refined atmosphere of a Colonial home, but
not to recreate a Colonial style.
Unlike the earlier Colonial Revival homes, the interiors of Neocolonial homes
are thoroughly modern with great rooms, high-tech kitchens, and other
conveniences.

103. Details
Constructed in the late 20th century
through the present time
Rectangular shape
2 to 3 stories
Center entry-hall floor plan
Living areas on the first floor and bedrooms
on the upper floors
Great room and other large living areas
Siding made with vinyl, faux stone, faux
brick, or other composite materials
1

Complicated roofline with cross gables and
dormers
2

Palladian windows and semicircular
fanlights
3

Double-hung windows with shutters
4

Temple-like entrance: portico topped by a
pediment
Dentil moldings
5

1
2
3 4
5

104. Neo-mediterranean 1965 - Present
Details from Spain, Italy, and other Mediterranean countries combine with
North American ideas to create contemporary Mediterranean or Neo-
mediterranean homes.
Neo-mediterranean is a Neoeclectic house style that incoporates a fanciful mix
of details suggested by the architecture of Spain, Italy, and Greece, Morocco,
and the Spanish Colonies. Realtors often call Neo-mediterrean houses
Mediterranean or Spanish.
A Neo-mediterranean home may resemble the much earlier Spanish Revival
style. However, Neo-mediterranean homes are not careful recreations of
Spanish Colonial architecture. If you remove the romantic decorative details, a
Neo-mediterranean home is more likely to resemble a no-nonsense, all-
American Ranch or Raised Ranch.

105. Details
Low-pitched roof
Red roof tiles
Stucco siding
Arches above doors, windows, or
porches
Heavy carved wooden doors

106. McMansion
Over-sized in proportion to the
building lot
Poorly proportioned placement of
windows, doors, and porches
Excessive use of gabled roofs
Poorly planned mixture of details
borrowed from a variety of historic
periods
Abundant use of vinyl and artificial
stone
Unpleasing combination of many
different siding materials
Atriums, great rooms, and other grand
open spaces
Quickly constructed using mix-and-
match details from a builder's catalog
McMansion is a derogatory term for a
large, showy Neoeclectic home, usually
built without the guidance of an architect.
The word McMansion was coined in the
1980s by architects and architecture critics
in response to the many over-sized, poorly
designed homes being built in American
suburbs.
McMansion is derived from the name
McDonald's, the fast food restaurant
known for mass producing huge quantities
of Big Mac hamburgers. So, a McMansion
is a Big Mac version of architecture: mass
produced, quickly built, generic, bland, and
unnecessarily large.

107. Spanish and Mediterranean
House Styles 1600s - present
Spanish Colonial House Style
Spanish Colonial Revival (Spanish Eclectic) House Style
Pueblo Revival House Style
Mission House Style
Neo-Mediterranean House Style
Spanish settlers in Florida and the American Southwest
brought a rich heritage of architectural traditions and
combined them with ideas borrowed from Hopi and Pueblo
Indians. Modern day "Spanish" style homes tend to be
Mediterranean in flavor, incorporating details Italy, Portugal,
Africa, Greece, and other countries.

108. Spanish Colonial Revival (Spanish
Eclectic) House Style
Step through the stucco archway, linger in the tiled
courtyard, and you might think you were in Spain. Or
Portugal. Or Italy, or northern Africa, or Mexico.
North America's Spanish inspired homes embrace
the entire Mediterranean world, combine it with ideas
from Hopi and Pueblo Indians and add flourishes that
would make Walt Disney proud. It's hard to know
what to call the style. Spanish-inspired homes built in
the first decades of the 20th century are usually
described as Spanish Colonial Revival, suggesting
that they borrow ideas from early settlers. However,
these homes might also be called Hispanic or
Mediterranean. And, because these homes often
combine many different styles, some use the term
Spanish Eclectic.
Spanish Eclectic Home in Schenectady,
New York

109. Pueblo Revival Style 1912 - Present
Because they are built with adobe, Pueblo homes are sometimes called Adobes.
Modern Pueblos are inspired by homes used by Native Americans since ancient times.
Pueblo Revival homes borrow ideas from the ancient earthen homes of Native
Americans.
Since ancient times, Pueblo Indians built large, multi-family houses, which the Spanish
called pueblos (villages). In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Spanish made their own
Pueblo homes, but they adapted the style. They formed the adobe into sun-dried
building blocks. After stacking the blocks, the Spaniards covered them with protective
layers of mud. Pueblo Revival houses became popular in the early 1900s, mainly in
California and the southwestern United States. During the 1920s, aviation pioneer Glenn
Curtiss and his partner James Bright introduced their own version of Pueblo Revival
architecture to Florida. In the region that is now Miami Springs, Curtiss and Bright built
an entire development of thick-walled buildings made of wood frame or concrete block.
Modern day Pueblo homes are often made with concrete blocks or other materials
covered with adobe, stucco, plaster, or mortar.

110. Details
Massive, round-edged walls made with
adobe
Flat roof with no overhang
Stepped levels
Rounded parapet
Spouts in the parapet to direct rainwater
Vigas (heavy timbers) extending through
walls to support the roof
Latillas (poles) placed above vigas in
angled pattern
Deep window and door openings
Simple windows
Beehive corner fireplace
Bancos (benches) that protrude from walls
Nichos (niches) carved out of wall for
display of religious icons
Brick, wood, or flagstone floors

111. French House Styles 1700s - present
French Colonial House Style
Tidewater House Style
French Creole Cottages
French Normandy House Style
French Provincial House Style
French Eclectic House Style
Spanish, African, Native American, and other
heritages combined to create a unique blend of
housing styles in America's French colonies. Two
hundred years later, soldiers returning from World
War I brought a keen interest in French housing
styles.

112. French Creole Architecture
French Creole plantation houses were small,
one-story wooden structures with low, sloping
roofs. The main roof extends over the porch. The
reader who submitted this photo writes, "Around
a millennium ago, in the late 1930's, I was born in
this old farm home in North Louisiana. Back then,
it was in much better shape--immaculate in fact.
The yard was filled with flowers such as
hyacinths, daffodils, dwarf Cape Jessamine,
antique roses, and hydrangea .... Note the long
'gallery' across the front of the house. Back then
there was a chimney at each end of the front--
only left chimney remains here. And, at one time,
there was a dog trot down the middle. The house
was an "L" shape with a long screened in porch
that ran the length of the back of the house. And,
it had a 'well porch' at the tip of the "L" in the
back of the home."
Small Creole Plantation House in Louisiana

113. French Normandy House Style
Some French style homes borrow ideas
from Normandy, where barns were
attached to the living quarters. Grain or
ensilage was stored in a central turret. The
Norman Cottage is a cozy and romantic
style that features a small round tower
topped by a cone-shaped roof. Other
Normandy homes resemble miniature
castles with arched doorways set in
imposing towers. Like Tudor style houses,
20th-century French Normandy homes
may have decorative half-timbering. Unlike
Tudor style homes, however, houses
influenced by French styles do not have a
dominant front gable.
French Normandy House Style

114. French Provincial House Style
French Provincial houses
tend to be square and
symmetrical. They
resemble small manor
homes with massive
hipped roofs and window
shutters. Frequently, tall
second floor windows
break through the cornice.
Unlike French Normandy
houses, French Provincial
homes do not have towers.
French Prorovincial House Style

115. French Eclectic House Styles
French Eclectic homes
combine a variety of
French influences. The
cottage pictured above is
a charming example of a
home inspired by the
symmetrical Provincial
style. It was built in 1938
and is sided in Austin
Stone
French Eclectic Cottage

116. Earth Houses Prehistoric - present
Adobe Houses
Rammed Earth Houses
Cob Houses
Compressed Earth Block Houses
Straw Bale Houses
Earth Sheltered Houses

117. Rammed Earth
Rammed earth construction resembles adobe construction. Both use soil mixed with waterproofing
adatives. However, even with the waterproofing additives, adobe requires dry weather so that the
bricks can harden enough to build walls. In rainy parts of the world, builders developed "rammed
earth" construction. A mixture of soil and cement are compacted into forms. Later, the forms are
removed and solid earth walls remain. Rammed earth buildings are environmentally-friendly and fire
and termite resistant. Some modern-day designers also say that the thick earthen walls create a
sense of solidity and security.

118. Cob Houses
In Old English, cob was a root word that meant lump or rounded mass. Cob
houses are made of clay-like lumps of soil, sand, and straw. Unlike adobe
and straw bale construction, cob does not use bricks or blocks. Instead, wall
surfaces can be sculpted into smooth, sinuous forms.
A cob home may have sloping walls, arches and lots of wall niches. Cob
homes are one of the most durable types of earth architecture. Because the
mud mixture is porous, cob can withstand long periods of rain without
weakening. A plaster made of lime and sand may be used to windproof the
exterior walls from wind damage.
Cob houses are suitable for the desert or for very cold climates.

119. Compressed Earth Block (CEB)
Compressed Earth Blocks, or CEBs, are
construction blocks made with clay, sand,
and a stabilizing ingredient such as lime or
Portland cement. The earth mixture is
poured into a hydraulic press machine.
Since they are machine-made,
compressed earth blocks are uniform in
size and shape.

120. Straw Bale
In the African prairies, houses have
been made of straw since the
Paleolithic times. Straw construction
became popular in the American
Midwest when pioneers discovered
that no amount of huffing and puffing
would blow down hefty bales of straw
and grass. Architects and engineers
are now exploring new possibilities for
straw bale construction. Modern day
"pioneers" who are building and living
in these homes say that building with
straw instead of conventional
materials cuts the construction costs
by as much as half.

121. Earth Sheltered
Earth sheltered, or underground, houses lie mostly
beneath the ground surface. The surrounding soil
provides natural insulation, making these houses
inexpensive to heat and cool. The best location for an
earth sheltered house is on a well-drained hillside.
Windows facing the south or an overhead skylight will
fill the interior with sunshine. Designers of
underground homes have developed several methods
for regulating the interior temperature. Some
underground homes depend entirely on the natural
insulation provided by the walls and floors. Sometimes
tubes are channeled through the earth to bring in air.
And, sometimes a heat pump is used to regulate
temperatures.
Earth sheltered homes are typically made of concrete.
Construction costs can run 10% higher than that of a
conventional house. However, enthusiasts say that
the lower maintenance and energy costs make earth
sheltered homes a good buy.

122. Prefab Houses 1906 - Present
Sears Catalog Houses
Lustron Homes
Log Homes
Katrina Cottages
Manufactured Houses
Modular Houses
Factory-made modular and prefabricated
houses have been popular since the early 1900s
when Sears, Aladdin, and other mail order
companies shipped house kits to far corners of
the United States. Today, "prefabs" are gaining
new respect as architects experiment with bold
new forms.

123. Sears Catalog Houses
Did your old house come "in the mail"?
Between 1906 and 1940, thousands of
North American homes were built
according to plans sold by mail order
companies such as Sears and
Montgomery Wards. Often the entire mail
order house (in the form of labeled
timbers) came via freight train. Other
times, builders used local materials to
construct homes according to the mail
order catalog house plans. Catalog house
plans by Sears, Montgomery Wards,
Aladdin, and other companies were
widely distributed in the United States
and Canada.
Modern Home No. C227 - "The Castleton" - from the Sears
Modern Homes Mail Order Catalog, 1921

124. Log Homes
Log cabins started out as basic shelter, built from the most plentiful
building material around - trees. Though we think of log cabins as being
uniquely American, they originated in Scandinavia and Russia. For
example, the Kremlin is actually a log building underneath the stucco.
Regardless of their roots, the appeal of log cabins or, more appropriately,
"log homes" has endured for centuries. Their continuing popularity stems
from the warmth and security of living in a house made of solid wood.
Log Cabins have even gone mainstream with over 50 manufacturers of
log home kits belonging to the National Association of Homebuilders
under the banner Log Homes Council. At least four log home consumer
magazines appear on newsstands, covering everything from buying and
building to landscaping and decor. Scores of books have been written on
the subject that can be found at in onlinie bookstores.
Designed by professionals, modern day log homes include brand name
double-paned windows and patio doors, Fiberglas roofing shingles,
contemporary kitchens and baths, and energy-efficient heating systems.
Most log homes are built by general contractors who take care of
everything from building permits to handing the homeowner the key to the
front door.

125. Katrina Cottages 2006 - Present
Inspired by the need for emergency housing after Hurricane Katrina, this cozy cottage took America
by storm
In 2005, many homes and communities along America's Gulf Coast were destroyed by Hurricane
Katrina and the floods that followed. Architects responded to the crisis by designing low-cost
emergency shelters. The Katrina Cottage was a highly popular solution because its simple,
traditional design suggested the architecture of a cozy turn-of-the-century house. The original
Katrina Cottage was developed by Marianne Cusato and other leading architects, including
renowned architect and town planner Andres Duany. Cusato's 308-square foot prototype was later
adapted to create a series of about two dozen different versions of the Katrina Cottage designed by
a variety of architects and firms.
Katrina Cottages are typically small, ranging from less than 500 square feet up to about 1,000
square feet. A limited number of Katrina Cottage designs are 1,300 square feet and larger. While
size and floor plans can vary, Katrina Cottages share many features. These quaint cottages are
prefab houses constructed from factory-made panels. For this reason, Katrina Cottages can be built
quickly (often within a few days) and economically. Katrina Cottages are also especially durable.
These homes meet the International Building Code and most hurricane codes.

126. Details
Usually (not always) one story
Front porch
Turn-of-the century details
such as turned columns and
brackets
Rot- and termite-resistant
siding such as Cementitious
Hardiboard
Steel studs
Steel roof
Moisture and mold resistant
drywall
Energy-efficient appliances

127. Manufactured Homes
A manufactured home is one that is constructed almost entirely in a factory.
The house is placed on a steel chassis and transported to the building site.
The wheels can be removed but the chassis stays in place. A manufactured
home can come in many different sizes and shapes. It may be a simple one-
story "mobile home," or it can be so large and complex that you might not
guess that it was constructed off site.
Local building codes do not apply to manufactured homes; instead, these
houses are built according to specialized guidelines (Federal HUD regulations
in the United States) for manufactured housing. Manufactured homes are not
permitted in some communities.

128. Modular Home
A modular home is constructed of pre-made
parts and unit modules. A complete kitchen
and bath may be pre-set in the house. Wall
panels, trusses, and other pre-fabricated
house parts are transported on a flatbed
truck from the factory to the building site.
You may even see an entire half-house
moving along the highway. At the building
site, these house sections are lifted onto the
foundation where they are permanently
anchored. Unlike manufactured homes,
modular homes must conform to the building
codes for the locations where they are
erected. Some housing subdivisions prohibit
modular homes.

129. Dome Homes 1954 - Present
Geodesic Domes
Monolithic Domes
The idea of constructing
dome-shaped structures
dates back to prehistoric
times, but the 20th
century brought exciting
new approaches to
dome design.

130. Geodesic Dome 1954 - Present
Buckminster Fuller's invention promised to
provide affordable, energy-efficient housing
for a troubled planet.
Developed by Buckminster Fuller in 1954,
the Geodesic Dome was promoted as the
world's strongest, most economical,
lightweight structure. The ingenious
engineering of the geodesic dome allows it
to cover a wide stretch of space without
using internal supports. The geodesic dome
design was patented in 1965. Geodesic
Domes are ideal for emergency housing and
mobile shelters such as military camps.
However, the innovative geodesic shape has
been adopted for elegant, upscale housing.

131. Monolithic Dome 1975 - Present
Also known as EcoShells, Monolithic
Domes can survive tornadoes,
hurricanes, earthquakes, fire, and
insects.
A Monolithic Dome is a one-peice
structure made with concrete and
rebar (ridged steel rods). The
Monolithic Dome Institute uses the
term EcoShells (Economical, Eco-
Friendly and Thin-Shell) to describe
the monolithic dome structures they
developed.