As we slide into a post-postmodern world where many house styles have been altered and hodgepodged to such a degree as to become unrecognizable, there are a slew of identifiable types of houses popping up in new builds across the country. Although home designs used to signify something about their region—think Craftsman homes in the Pacific Northwest, Colonial in the Northeast, or the sprawling California ranch house—today’s home styles are less locationally driven and more about the individual lifestyles being framed within them. Modern and contemporary houses still have a stronghold on new construction, but many traditional types of homes are holding fast. Below, we’ve compiled an overview of the most popular home styles in the US today.
1. Contemporary Style
From coast to coast, over the last decade, contemporary styles have become ubiquitous in architectural and interior design. Whether it’s industrial styles highlighting contemporary building materials, like steel and concrete, or more restrained expressions with clean lines and unadorned surfaces, contemporary home styles are united by their commitment to innovation in breaking with the past. Simple forms and geometries abound, with a distinct lack of more organic elements like curved shapes, soft textures, and overly decorative ornamentation. Sustainability is often an important feature in contemporary styles of houses, incorporating green elements like solar PV arrays, rainwater harvesting, and geothermal heating. “One trend emerging in our work and resonating with an increasing number of clients is design that directly responds to the climate crisis,” says Jonathan Feldman, of AD PRO Directory–listed firm Feldman Architecture. “It’s where issues of ecology, resources, and human and ecological well-being are embedded in design, rather than an afterthought.”
2. Midcentury Modern
Created by architects in the middle of the 20th century, midcentury modern is a style born out of post–World War II optimism and new technological developments of the age. With the advancements in steel, concrete, and glass, architects developed new styles of houses that expressed these novel building materials. “For us, the elements that contribute to this style include clean lines, a reinterpretation of traditional craft, restraint, and an emphasis on connection to place,” says Shawn Watts, of Leroy Street Studio. “Clients are looking for architecture that feels authentic, meaningful, and timeless and for homes that are contextual, appropriate, and relevant.” No matter the individual expression, or whether they use industrial or natural materials, midcentury-modern styles of houses focus on doing away with unnecessary ornament and getting to the heart of a design vision. “We’re finding our clients want modern homes that still reflect the culture and DNA of the neighborhood, and that can coexist with surrounding historic and eclectic homes,” agrees David Montalba, of AD PRO Directory–listed firm Montalba Architects.
3. Classical Revival
If there’s one house style that lends an air of confidence and a deep sense of legacy, it’s Classical Revival. Derived from buildings of Roman and Greek antiquity, Classical Revival houses include Greek Revival and Roman Revival styles and draw on common elements such as columns, pediments, and a strong sense of rigor and balance. Think of classic civic examples like the Parthenon in Athens or the Pantheon in Rome: Buildings like these have influenced architects for centuries and still inform house styles across the country today, albeit in many different forms. “There is a vast constellation of different styles and substyles,” says Benjamin McGriff, of McGriff Architects, a member of the AD PRO Directory. “But across all these variations, there is always a shared emphasis on the key principles of order, balance, composition, and symmetry.” Through the 18th and into the 19th centuries, the Classical Revival house style represented a turn to simplicity after the lavish ornamentation of previous periods like French Rococo, and that clean austerity still has appeal today. “Despite the inherent flexibility of residential Classical architecture to work with many different interior design styles, most clients see it as a somewhat serious and calming aesthetic,” McGriff says.
4. Tudor
Named for the Tudor period in England and Wales, spanning the late-15th to the early-17th centuries, Tudor house styles today take loose inspiration from late Medieval manor homes. Originally combining Renaissance and Gothic design elements, today’s Tudor houses often feature white stucco exteriors framed by half-timbering or a dark brick or stone construction. It’s a storybook style of home that is often punctuated by a gabled roofline and long, rectangular windows. Though the Tudor trend was popular in the US in the 1920s and ’30s, it fell out of style in the 1950s, but it’s still possible to see Tudor home styles across the country today.
5. Georgian
Particularly on the East Coast, the Georgian style is one of the most consistently popular house styles today. It saw its heyday in the American colonies from the 18th century through the Revolutionary War and was heavily influenced by Renaissance design. These types of houses are characterized by their rigid symmetry—think windows and front doors evenly lined up and spaced, with rows of windows breaking up a flat façade. Typically expressed in red brick structures with hip roofs, these types of homes rarely feature excess decoration and have restrained exteriors. With the Georgian style, proportion and balance reign supreme.
6. Victorian
Another blast from the past, Victorian refers to a European house style that emerged during the Victorian era in the late-19th century. Often associated with the age of industrial expansion in Britain, the Victorian style can be seen as a reaction to the symmetrical and straightforward designs of Neoclassical and Georgian styles. The style encompasses a mixture of many revival styles, including Gothic Revival, Romanesque Revival, and Second Empire. Victorian homes are characterized by elaborate detailing, expressive ornament, and a sense of grandeur. Today Victorian-style houses are some of the most diverse, since they typically feature decorative detailing and grand structures.
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7. Gothic Revival
Many styles of houses aim to capture a single theme or ethos, but Gothic Revival house styles are defined by eclecticism. Drawing from many different time periods, architectural ideas, and forms, Gothic Revival houses merge architectural ideas and forms from a range of times and places. Many may associate the term Gothic with medieval Gothic cathedrals, but the Gothic Revival style is actually a European invention originating in Gothic towns of the English countryside, primarily in the 19th century. Typically, these types of houses have steep roofs, pointed arches at window and door openings, roof gables with lacy ornamented woodwork, front porches, and oriel bay windows. Because the Gothic Revival style was defined from the outset by its eclecticism, today it is popular for the range of creative expression it can embody. “Many architectural styles can be predictable, and very rigid in their expression. Gothic Revival embraces complexity and contradiction,” says Chip Bohl, of Bohl Architects, a member of the AD PRO Directory. Angela Healy, also of Bohl Architects, agrees. “Gothic Revival is romantic, enchanting, and dramatic architecture with an old soul. Who wouldn’t love that?”
8. Mediterranean Style
In many cities, new builds often take inspiration from historical styles but incorporate innovative details inspired by the local context. In South Florida, where the New York–based AD PRO Directory–listed firm Fairfax & Sammons Architects often designs homes, a prominent house style is Mediterranean. “Mediterranean-style architecture is a classic, timeless tradition that combines elements of proportion and design,” Anne Fairfax says. “Its colorful and textured exterior stucco, intricate wrought-iron railings, and distinctive curves and lines give it an elegant yet timeless look.” Mediterranean-style homes also focus on bright natural light, with oversized windows and front doors and open spaces that allow fresh breezes to flow. Additionally, the emphasis on outdoor living, with these types of homes utilizing courtyards, loggias, and terraces, makes the Mediterranean style perfect for the climate of South Florida. “Historically accurate architecture based on location is essential to preserving culture and a sense of identity,” Fairfax says. “The best preservation tool is to build with integrity and respect for the past, and not be afraid to ask that beauty be a requisite.”
9. Shingle Style
Because of the country’s colonial roots, many traditional house styles developed on the East Coast but have since migrated to other parts of the nation. One such house style is the shingle style, which originated in New England as an alternative to the more expensive clapboard siding homes that signaled a “higher” design aesthetic but were out of reach to the average homeowner. Using shingles, or small wooden pieces installed in an overlapping rhythm, was a less costly and easier-to-maintain option than clapboard and other cladding options of the time. Today, the shingle style can be found in many different materials and aesthetic expressions depending on the region and design influences, with the most common material being cedar. “Shingles can be used on differing styles,” explains Aaron Mollick, of Studio AM Architecture | Interiors, a member of the AD PRO Directory. “They signal a casual sophistication that many of our clients express when creating their legacy homes.” Michael Troyer, also of Studio AM, agrees. “Shingle style grants artistic versatility and interpretation of one’s own personal taste. Shingles have a rigor and repetition, which appeals to both traditionalists and those drawn to a more modern sensibility.”
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10. Italianate
The mid-19th century Italianate style remains enduring for house styles today. It was popularized in the US as people looked backwards to a romanticized version of the past to re-create something similar in the present. Inspired by medieval Italian villas and farm houses, the Italianate house style typically features deep overhanging eaves with highly decorative brackets, or the element that carries the weight of the eave. Ornamental elements such as decorative window crowns or pediments are common for Italianate houses. They will often have tall, narrow windows, usually with rounded tops. Inspired by Italian villas, these types of homes typically feature ground-level front porches supported by narrowly spaced columns.
11. Spanish Colonial
On the West Coast, one of the most commonly recognizable house styles—particularly in California—is the Spanish Colonial style. Inspired by the architecture of the Spanish missions, these types of houses are defined by gracious courtyards, solid white stucco walls, arcaded walkways, and rustic red tile roofs. “As a native Californian, I have always loved the Spanish style,” says Erik Evens, of AD PRO Directory–listed firm KAA Design. “The planning of Spanish Colonial buildings places special focus on inviting outdoor spaces such as courtyards and loggias, which are protected from the rain and sun and are usable year-round.” Often imbuing a sense of warmth, texture, and rich details, Spanish Colonial types of homes are still common in Southern California and beyond, but often with a modern twist. “This style allows our clients to build in a way that connects to a rich architectural tradition,” says Evens. “As an architect, I’m keenly interested in creating a contemporary interpretation of the Spanish Colonial style that addresses a modern lifestyle.”
12. Ranch Style
In the American West, the legacy of ranch-style houses looms large. This type of home originated in the Southwest and California, but can now be found in the Midwest and across the US. This style of home is known for being single-story and rambling, with open floor plans and expansive living spaces, and large porches or patios. Ranch-style homes typically have low-pitched roofs, long windows on the facade, flat roofs, and an attached garage. While the form and scale of ranch-style homes can vary depending on the location—they tend to be more sprawling in California and more compact and asymmetrical in other places—the emphasis on an indoor-outdoor connection is a defining factor. “We’re particularly drawn to the broad overhanging roofs of California ranch homes, which evoke a sense of cozy domesticity, and the generous use of porches, which foster a connection to nature,” says John Ike, of Ike Baker Velten, a member of the AD PRO Directory.
