14 House Styles and Their Defining Characteristics

With so many different house styles available, it can be daunting to identify your home’s style, determine your favorites, and recognize the unique features of each. Some styles may be more prevalent in specific regions of the country, making them unfamiliar to you. To help you distinguish among them, we’ll explore 14 popular house styles and the characteristics that give each its unique appeal.

Neoclassical House Style

Neoclassical houses are generally impressive in size and draw inspiration from traditional Greek and Roman architecture. Striking columns often frame the entrance or extend along the entire facade. These homes typically exhibit symmetry and emphasize geometric shapes to achieve a harmonious look. Pediments, windows, and doorways feature intricate detailing.

Queen Anne House Style

This elaborate house style is one of several that fall under the Victorian category. While there are four distinct styles of Queen Anne architecture, they share numerous characteristics. These homes typically feature asymmetrical designs and boast intricate exterior details, including decorative arches, turrets, balustrades, and varied rooflines. The use of multiple exterior colors is also a hallmark of this architectural style.

Cape Cod House Style

The Cape Cod style is characterized by a steep roofline, wood siding, multi-pane windows, and hardwood floors. These homes are usually one story, although some may include an additional half story. While Cape Cod architecture gained popularity in the 1930s, its origins trace back to the late 17th century. The original Cape Cod homes were relatively small but often incorporated dormer windows to enhance space, light, and ventilation.

Country French House Style

Country French-style homes in the United States originated in the 18th century. These homes are typically one story and feature numerous narrow windows with paired shutters, steeply pitched roofs (either hipped or side-gabled), stucco walls, and a half-timbered frame. Their curb appeal is notable, often showcasing beautiful driveways and landscaped designs.

Colonial House Style

Colonial-style houses typically feature two or three stories, fireplaces, and brick or wood facades. The traditional floor plan includes the kitchen and family room on the first floor, with the bedrooms located on the second floor. The front exterior usually has a centrally located entrance flanked by symmetrical windows. Today, these homes often incorporate dormer windows and exterior window shutters.

Victorian House Style

Victorian-style houses typically feature a steeply pitched roof, a prominent front-facing gable, patterned shingles, and cutaway bay windows. These homes often have an asymmetrical facade with either a partial or full-width front porch.

Various styles of houses belong to the Victorian era, which spanned from 1837 to 1901. Victorian-era homes are known for their romantic, unique interiors filled with intricate details, from fabric patterns to color and texture. Modern Victorian house designs preserve these traditional elements while incorporating contemporary fabrics and colors, allowing for a harmonious blend of traditional and modern styles.

Tudor House Style

A Tudor-style home typically showcases a steeply pitched roof, prominent cross gables, decorative half-timbering, and tall, narrow windows with small panes. The dark half-timbering, trim, and brick are often contrasted by lighter hues such as cream, light brown, or white stucco or stone walls.

The name of this style hints at a strong connection to the 16th-century architecture of England’s Tudor dynasty. However, the Tudor homes we see today are modern reinterpretations loosely inspired by various Late Medieval English designs.

Craftsman House Style

The Craftsman bungalow, also referred to as the Arts and Crafts style, was popular from 1900 to 1930 and is currently experiencing a resurgence. If you’re curious about the interior of a Craftsman-style house, take note of the extensive woodwork, which is a hallmark of the style and includes features like built-in shelving and seating.

On the exterior, Craftsman-style houses typically feature low-pitched roofs with wide eave overhangs, exposed roof rafters, and decorative beams or braces beneath the gables. They also often include porches supported by tapered square columns. Additionally, Craftsman bungalows frequently have unfinished yet usable attic space, presenting excellent opportunities for renovation.

Cottage House Style

The delightful and inviting cottage-style houses we recognize today are inspired by the thatched-roof cottages of the Medieval English countryside. This style gained significant popularity in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. Typical features of cottage-style house designs include a whimsical, storybook charm, steep roof pitches with cross gables, arched doors, casement windows with small panes, and siding made of brick, stone, or stucco.

Mediterranean House Style

Mediterranean-style homes typically showcase a low-pitched red tile roof, arches, decorative grillwork, and a stucco or adobe exterior. The standard U-shaped floor plan centers around a courtyard and fountain, seamlessly integrating the garden with the living space. In Spanish-style houses, rooms often open directly to the courtyard, encouraging cross-ventilation and a refreshing flow of air.

Traditional Ranch-Style Houses

Traditional ranch-style homes typically feature straightforward floor plans, attached garages, and practical living spaces. These single-story residences often include large windows on the front of the house. Originating in 1932, this style remains popular today and was one of the most sought-after designs during the postwar suburban housing boom of the 1950s and 1960s.

Contemporary House Style

Many contemporary-style homes are characterized by extensive use of glass, open floor plans, and innovative designs. With minimal ornamentation and superfluous details, the exteriors of contemporary homes often showcase a striking combination of contrasting materials and textures, exposed roof beams, and flat or low-pitched roofs.

Italianate House Style

The Italianate house style is well-known for its prominent overhanging eaves and intricate detailing around doorways, windows, porches, and supporting columns. These two- or three-story homes typically feature a tall chimney and a gently sloping roof. Although they are generally shaped like large, rectangular boxes, they possess significant visual appeal through their decorative elements. Often, these Italian-inspired structures are topped with a square tower or cupola.

Colonial Revival House Style

The Colonial Revival style is characterized by its expansive windows, impressive entrances, and elaborate ornamentation. These homes are often constructed of brick and feature columns on the front facade. This style gained popularity in the 1940s and evolved from its simpler predecessor, the American Colonial-style home.