Wherever you go, you’ll find various houses that are different from each other. Whether they look the same on the exterior or inside, no house is exactly the same. Besides aesthetics, appealing house styles also attract people because of their construction, including materials and room arrangement.

There are plenty of choices you can go for when it comes to house styles. Whether you’re building a new house or renovating, you have a lot of options. Knowing them can help you come to a conclusion on which style to go for.

Learn about popular house styles you can draw inspiration from for your next house or renovation project.

Ranch

Ranch-style houses are considered to be traditional because this style has been around since 1932. They’re known for their efficiency as a living space that usually has attached garages and simple floor plans. It hit peak popularity during the boom of suburban home building in the 1950s and 1960s.

The most significant advantage of this style is its simplicity. The simplicity of ranch-style houses makes putting additions easy. For example, if you’re building a family house, adding another bedroom or level would be easier with this style, and many architects are familiar with it because it’s a classic.

Even APL Architects in the Philippines know them and can plan and design a ranch-style house for everyone who prefers it.

Craftsman

Craftsman-style houses are well-known for bungalows (small, single-story houses). It’s a popular house style between 1905 and 1930s that’s making a comeback recently. This style is distinguished by a large amount of woodwork found in its interior.

You can expect to see built-in shelving and seating made of wood inside a Craftsman bungalow. As for the exterior, they often have low-pitched roofs with wide eave overhangs. They also feature porches framed by tapered square columns and decorative beams.

Often, Craftsman bungalows have unfinished usable spaces in the attic that presents opportunities for renovation. You can renovate it into another bedroom space or a small entertainment room or play area for kids.

Tudor

Tudor-style houses of today are loosely based on a variety of its late medieval prototypes. These houses are closely connected to early-16th century architectural structures from the Tudor dynasty, hence its name.

The Tudor style will allow you to play around with its exterior details that can enhance curb appeal. Its common exterior features include tall, narrow windows with small windowpanes, striking cross gables, and steep roofs.

Colonial

Colonial-style is one of the most popular house styles in the U.S. These houses usually have brick or wood facades and are mostly two or three stories high. Classic colonial-style homes have floor plans with the family room and kitchen on the first floor and the bedrooms on the second.

These houses are normally easier to upgrade on at the back and side. To help you make a smoother transition when changing the exterior, you can search for Colonial-style reproduction materials. For matching a brick facade, you can find siding materials that can complement it with the help of builders and architects.

Cape Cod

Cape Cod house styles are typically one-story to one-and-a-half-story houses that feature hardwood floors and multi-pane windows. Originally, they were fairly small houses with dormer windows. Those types of windows add ventilation, light, and space needed for most small houses.

If you want to remodel an original Cape Cod-style house, you can find opportunities to do so at its unfinished upstairs space. Most of them have spaces upstairs that are incomplete, which you can remodel to fit your requirements.

Wrapping up

These five house styles all have their unique characteristics and have aspects in which you can find room for improvement. They all have possibilities you can explore regardless of material and size. They’re popular for such reasons; that’s why each of them should at least be on your consideration list when choosing the style of your house or remodeling project.

Author’s Bio: Angelo Castelda works as a feature writer in Asia. On his free days, he likes to read books and magazines about the latest architecture news and trends. This ultimately made him fall in love with architecture and now spends most of his time writing about it.

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