Top 10 Architectural Styles

Just as America became a melting pot for ethnicities, it also provides a palette for blending architectural styles. Blurring definitive lines as they evolve, adapt and blend characteristics from one another, it’s sometimes difficult to discern a single style. Nevertheless, every house has a basic origin. Here are some of the most popular original styles copied today:

Craftsman bungalow: 1905-1930. Born of the Arts and Crafts Movement and its emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship, the bungalow is characterized by low-pitched roofs with deep overhanging eaves, exposed rafters, decorative brackets or knee braces under shallow gable roofs, dormers and a deep front porch. Windows are double-hung sash with three panes over one.
Prairie: 1900-1920. Pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright, the prairie-style house is frequently considered America’s first indigenous architectural style. Taking inspiration from the land that gave it its name, it features cantilevered, flat roofs with large overhangs; square, symmetrical lines; simple materials like stucco; natural stains; rows of mullioned windows in horizontal bands and brick detailing in geometric patterns – horizontally oriented, of course. They appear to rise out of or cling to the earth as if they were a part of it, yet their open, flowing spaces are set a convivial mood for entertaining.
Cape Cod: 1930-1950. Quintessentially American, this cozy design features shingle siding; a large, central chimney directly behind the front door with dormers flanking it; steep roof and shallow overhang; and a steep, narrow “captain’s stairway.” Many were built in the early 1950s and are now part of established neighborhoods. Because of their small size and modest cost, they are typically starter homes or belong to empty-nesters.
Farmhouse: 1720-1910. This unpretentious, straightforward, functional home comes in many shapes and sizes. Originally built by farmers without an architect, most feature a porch and formal rooms at the front of the house, with a large kitchen and staircase to the upstairs bedrooms in the back of the house. Roofs can be a complex mix of gables and hipped roofing, often with later additions as families expanded.
Ranch: 1930-1980. Designed to link the outdoors with the indoors, these low-profile homes are practical, unadorned single-level houses, usually with a sliding glass door leading to the backyard, where family life was the focus. Popular in the post-war suburbs, most had attached garages out of necessity. Often asymmetrical, featuring an L-shape, some ranches did evolve into a split-level. Synonymous with laid-back living, the style originated in California, where its architecture took advantage of the mild climate, but the style quickly spread across the country.
Tudor Revival and English Country: 1890-1950. Characterized by steep, multi-gabled roof lines with eaves that plunge near ground level and decorative half-timber framing, this Medieval throw-back is easily recognizable. Casement windows grouped in twos or threes often form diamond patterns. Entryways are usually arched and outlined with stone. The stone or stucco exterior is complemented by massive chimneys. Inside, the same hearty, noble appeal is conveyed through dark wood paneling, exposed timbers and stained glass.
Victorian: 1840-1910. Technically, Victorian architecture exists in the form of several well-known styles, such as Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Stick Style and Shingle Style. But most people envision the elaborately detailed and slightly feminine Queen Anne that came into fashion in the 1880s when mass-produced trim was at its height. Large, imposing two-story wood houses feature complicated asymmetrical shapes, towers, wrap-around porches, bay windows and steep Mansard roofs with numerous gables, all done up in bright colors and extensive, elaborate “gingerbread” trim.
Georgian Colonial: 1700-1850. With a square, symmetrical, orderly shape, the Georgian Colonial imparts a sense of formality and elegance. A centrally located entry leads to a hallway and staircase, around which the rooms are arranged. Evenly spaced windows are typically multi-paned and shuttered. Dental molding decorates the eaves and pilasters or flattened columns borrowed from Greek architecture adorn the front. Pedimented dormers jut from the roof.
Art Moderne: 1920-1940. Often confused with Art Deco, this stripped-down geometric style is sleeker and plainer than the often showy Deco style that preceded it. Born of the Bauhaus movement, Art Moderne symbolizes simple design without ornamentation or excess. With a flat roof and horizontal orientation, these boxy white houses feature asymmetrical, rounded corners highlighted by wraparound glass block windows and stainless steel or aluminum trim. Easy and economical to build, these simple homes showcased innovative construction and technological advances.
Contemporary: 1965-present. Another hodge-podge of diverse influences, contemporary houses are more relaxed than their cousin, the Mid-Century Modern, although they share ideas of a connection with nature in the use of natural, sustainable materials and bringing the outdoors in. Recycled, nontoxic materials grace the eco-friendly space, which in extreme cases can even feature a “living” roof of greenery. If not covered in earth, it’s bathed in sunlight from skylights and large windows. Having accommodated the need for contact with nature, the home’s open floor plan, mirrored by outdoor living spaces, also satisfies the need for contact with others: this is an excellent setting for casual entertaining.

Lori Lovely is a real estate contributor for the Indianapolis real estate website of ICON Realty Partners, LLC. The website, located at www.indyhomespecialist.com, features helpful information about buying and selling homes in any market.

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