Popular Architectural Styles

Across the country you will find a wide range of architectural styles, making for an eclectic mix of homes and many interesting neighborhoods.

Queen Anne

This style of home was first constructed between 1870 and 1910 and is known for a large center hall, as well as an elaborate façade with bay windows, towers, gables, and verandahs. You will usually find mixed materials used in this type of home, such as brick, stone, and shingle.

Bungalow

Most people are probably already familiar with the bungalow. This type of architecture first blossomed in the early 20 th century and continues to be a popular choice in today's market. A bungalow provides enough living area for an affordable price, as it comes in either 1 or 1 ½ stories. Typically, bungalows boast a deep porch under a wide, overhanging roof, and a long, low profile.

Craftsman

The English Arts and Crafts movement provided inspiration for this style of home, but it was first marketed to Americans by Gustav Stickley in the early 20th century. This type of house is identified by its use of natural materials you might find in the country, including stone and wood. A Craftsman has broad, overhanging eaves with exposed rafter ends, deep porches, and shingled exterior walls.

Tudor

This style from the Elizabethan era still influences many homes today, even in the most modern of suburbs (albeit in a more modest way). A Tudor is recognized for its slate, steeply-pitched roof and rows of casement windows. It also has overlapping gables, decorative half-timbers, and stone, masonry, or stucco exteriors.

Cape Cod Cottage

Inspired by the homes of early English settlers in Cape Cod , this style of home is still popular today. The overall shape is low, broad, and boxy – this design was implemented to deal with winds from the sea. The Cape Cod is also known for a pitched roof that slopes down very close to the top of the windows.

California Ranch

An American twist on the one-story Spanish ranchos of the Southwest, the California Ranch house first debuted in the 1930s. This architectural design offers the homeowner an open kitchen and living areas, with easy access to a good-sized backyard. These homes are popular in suburban areas, and usually have an attached garage.

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