Major American House Styles
Cape Cod
Cape Cod Houses usually have these features: 1 or 1½ stories � � Steep roof with side gables Small roof overhang � Wide clapboard or shingles on sides � � Large central chimney linked to fireplace in each room Symmetrical appearance, with door in center � � Little exterior ornamentation
Colonial
Georgian Colonial homes usually have these features: � Square, symmetrical shape � Paneled front door at center � Decorative crown over front door � Columns on each side of door � Three or five windows across front � Paired chimneys � Medium pitched roof � Minimal roof overhang
American Federal
American Federal houses have many of these features: � Brick facades � Low ‐ pitched roof, or flat roof with a balustrade � Windows arranged symmetrically around a center doorway � Semicircular fanlight over the front door � Narrow side windows flanking the front door � Extended symmetrical wings � Circular or elliptical windows, arches, oval rooms, decorative swags & garlands � Shutters
The American Foursquare
American Foursquare houses usually have these features: � Simple box shape � Two ‐ and ‐ a ‐ half stories high � Four ‐ room floor plan � Low ‐ hipped roof with deep overhang � Large central dormer � Full ‐ width porch with wide stairs � Brick, stone or wood siding
Greek Revival
Greek Revival houses usually have these features: � Pedimented gable � Symmetrical shape � Wide, plain frieze � Bold, simple moldings � Entry porch with columns � Narrow windows around front door
Victorian
Victorians homes often have these features: � Dormer windows � Brackets beneath eaves, balconies and bay windows � Porches with spindlework or flat, jigsaw cut trim � Large wrap ‐ around porches � Irregular shapes � Patterned slate on roof � Tall windows � Small entry porch
16 Dutch Colonial
Dutch Colonial homes often have the following characteristics: � broad gambrel roof with flaring eaves that extend over the long sides, resembling a barn in construction � porch along both long sides � chimney was located on one or both ends � double ‐ hung sash windows with outward swinging wood shutters � symmetrical floor plan with central hall entrance
Semi ‐ Detached or Row Houses 18
Semi ‐ Detached or Row Homes (sometimes called condos or duplexes) usually � consist of pairs of houses built side by side as units � share a wall in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin � have independent open spaces in front and rear of home
Mobile Home evel
Mobile Homes are usually � prefabricated - built in factories, rather than on site, and then taken to the place where they will be occupied � placed in one location and left there permanently � available in two major sizes, single-wides and double-wides *single-wides are 18 feet wide by 90 feet long or less in length *double-wides are basically two single-wides towed to their site in two separate units, which are then joined together 21
Ranch Style
Ranch style houses have many of these features: � Single story � Low pitched gable roof � Horizontal, rambling layout: Long, narrow, and low to the ground � Rectangular, L ‐ shaped, or U ‐ shaped design � Asymmetrical � Large windows: double ‐ hung, sliding, and picture � Sliding glass doors leading out to patio � Attached garage � Emphasis on openness (few interior walls) and efficient use of space
Raised Ranch Style (Split Level)
Split Level style houses have many of these features: � Two stories � Attached garage � Partially submerged basement with living quarters � Low pitched gable roof � Asymmetrical � Large windows: double-hung, sliding, and picture � Sliding glass doors leading out to patio
Neoeclectic
A Neoeclectic home can borrow characteristics from any of the traditional styles and combine them all together
Other styles to recognize:
Tudor
Italianate
Postmodern Style
Antebellum Architecture
A ‐ frame Style
Spanish ‐ style House
Craftsman Bungalow
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