11 Most Popular Architectural Home Styles

At the dawn of any proposed building to house the question of architectural style is a decisive element to which it is essential to confront. In this article, discover the characteristics of shapes, volumes, facades and materials of the different styles of house, allowing you to guide your future decision.

The definition of an architectural project for the construction of a detached house can become a difficult task: between traditional, contemporary or ecological house, it is sometimes difficult to navigate. In order to better understand this essential decision at the start of a construction project, here is an introduction to the various stylistic characteristics commonly encountered in the field of single-family homes.

If you are in the mood for a house built, it is important to have a clear idea of ​​what style of house will work best for you and your family. If you still have trouble deciding between a traditional house or a contemporary house, we will recall here the different advantages of each type of house, without forgetting of course the ecological house which we are talking about more and more!

How to choose the architectural style of your house?

Once the land is found, it’s time for construction. A question will then arise: which architectural style to choose? The decision will often depend on a set of criteria such as price, aesthetics, functional capacities, geographical constraints, etc. Professional advice is essential to help you combine all these aspects and choose the right structure for your house.

Architectural style of a house: the choice of aesthetics

Modern, classic, atypical… the architectural styles are very varied. Contemporary design is oriented towards refined forms: large openings, bay windows, economy of ornamentation and industrial decoration are the most frequent characteristics. These are very personalized houses where you can give free rein to your imagination. The general line of the house, the structure of the rooms, the heights… Everything has to be invented! The advice of an architect designer and 3D plans are essential to build your new house in your image.

Priority to the functional for a house

If your priority is to focus on the practical aspect, then you have to define the needs. You can, for example, opt for a single storey house. It adapts perfectly to people with reduced mobility such as the elderly. It is also easier to heat than a two-story house, which saves energy.

In comparison, for the same area, the two-story house is ideal for families. It allows to divide well the part living rooms and the bedrooms. For more targeted needs, we can choose the L-shaped structure and the right furniture for interior design. A wing can thus be reserved for sleeping or to create an additional bathroom, an office, a workshop… But be careful, because this type of construction is expensive. This requires major earthworks and foundations, the installation of a roof adapted to the house, the installation of an internal staircase.

The particularities to take into account for the architecture of your house

The first element to take into account are the urbanization rules. Depending on where you live, you may have technical or design constraints. It is advisable to check with the town hall before choosing the architectural style of your house. These constraints may concern the height of the house, the exterior appearance, the location, respect for distances, the colors, etc.

If you opt for an ecological house, you will have to pay attention to a certain number of criteria: materials, shape of the roof, openings, orientation, etc.

The most popular Architectural home styles

Do you want to build a new house, but you don’t know much about real estate? Rest assured, you have come to the right place. Single storey, floor, breeze block, wood, contemporary or traditional, many adjectives exist to describe a detached house. It is therefore very difficult to navigate to choose your model, its materials or even its type of architecture! If the ideal solution depends on your tastes and desires, there are nevertheless certain specificities to know, in order to be able to fully appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of your decisions.

Craftsman style

Craftsman style homes are reminiscent of the early 20th century arts and crafts movement. The arts and crafts movement began as a reaction to the industrial revolution; artists and designers sought a return to the uniquely designed decorative arts in an era when most things were more widely mass produced. Craftsman homes have exteriors that are typically a combination of stone and wood. Houses are often bungalows but can be of any shape as long as they emphasize a relationship with nature and the art of building.

Country House

Country houses are above all a highlight of the popular “colonial style”. The Colonial House is (you guessed it) a style influenced by 18th century settlers bringing European styles with them. This style is probably most recognizable with its two windows on either side of the front door and five windows on top, with the middle window directly above the door. These homes aspire to be warm and welcoming. They usually have wide verandas, shutters, skylights and wooden details.

Traditional style house

This type of house is similar to a country house. Traditional homes differ from the latter in that they pay more attention to historically accurate details rather than trying to create simple charm.

European-style house

European-style houses usually evoke styles from France, Italy, and sometimes England. There is an emphasis on elements that give an old-fashioned effect but are durable, such as high-quality plaster walls, marble or stone floors, and massive fireplaces. The exteriors of these European-style homes can include intricate roof lines, stone, and even copper roofing elements.

Ranch-style

Ranch-style homes are a regional western and southwestern style, but they are now found all over the country. Originally used as housing on ranches, the term has come to mean a single storey house. Because the whole house is on one level, ranch-style homes can be sprawling. The Ranch House became the quintessential modern home in the 1950s and 1960s.

Farmhouse Style House

These houses are found throughout much of the USA. Bases are usually rectangles with one or more additions; the roof lines are also simple. These farmhouse style homes follow many 19th century designs (tall, narrow windows, large porches, wood siding) and may even include a metal roof.

Chalet Style

These homes are small chalets or bungalows with details that evoke the 1920s, when the typical chalet had a generous porch, with a second story usually hidden in the attic. The interior can include native features like window seats, display cases, or food stalls. The chalet style is similar to the Craftsman style, except that the details are simpler, less expensive, and the woodwork is usually painted.

Modern house

Modern houses refer to a style popular in the 1950s and 60s. Modern houses use almost flat pitched roofs, horizontal windows and large, undecorated fireplaces. These houses embrace horizontality. Modern homes avoid fussy details and often employ high quality materials such as marble, wood floors and stone. The overall effect creates clean lines.

Southern House

The Southern Style is a regional style developed in response to the hot and humid climate of the South. Southern homes typically include features to take advantage of cool breezes such as main high living standards, enclosed porches, large modular shutters, and large verandas. These houses may also have 19th century details found in plantation houses like the monumental columns at the entrance.

Mediterranean style

Mediterranean style houses evoke houses in southern Spain, France and Italy. They usually focus on patios, yards, and verandas as a way to extend the house outside. The exterior of these houses have few details. The roofs are flat or low slope and can be tiled. The interior is simple, and details may include decorative tiles or exposed beams.

The Provencal house style

Contrary to what its name indicates, the Provencal house, also called the Mediterranean house, is not only found in Provence. On the contrary, whether in Vendée, PACA or even Loire-Atlantique, it is not uncommon to see this building full of character in other regions of France, mainly when they are often sunny. With its old farmhouse or bastide style, the Provencal house offers a living environment full of charm and authenticity, and is characterized mainly by its mix of materials and textures, as well as by its warm colors on the facade.

12 architectural styles from antiquity to the present day

An architectural style is characterized by details that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. An architectural style can include elements such as shape, construction methods, building materials, and characteristics typical of the geographic area in which the work is built. Most of the architecture, however, can be classified and cataloged within a series of very specific architectural styles.

Classic

Classical architecture was born in ancient Greece between the 7th and 4th centuries BC It is best known for its large religious temples built in stone, designed according to principles of order, symmetry, geometry and perspective. A characteristic of classical architecture and its expressiveness are the principles of the “architectural orders”: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The greatest work of classical architecture is certainly the Parthenon. Built in the Acropolis of Athens in the 5th century BC, the Parthenon displays striking features: a volume built on a foundation that supports the sequence of columns and its capitals, which in turn support a pediment.

Romanesque

Developed in Europe between the 6th and 9th centuries, this architectural style shows a great relationship with the historical context that generated it. At a time when European countries were at war and concerned with protection against invasions, the buildings, inspired by the Republic of ancient Rome, were characterized by heavy and resistant walls and minimal openings in semicircular arches. His main examples were the churches built during this period and one of his most important works is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It was built during the Crusades and is the largest building in the world built in the Romanesque style

Gothic

What we know today as Gothic architecture was originally called Opus Francigenum, or “French work”, as it originated in the late Middle Ages in France, between 900 and 1300. It was only during the Enlightenment that the name “Gothic” was used for refer to the vertical and majestic architecture produced in that period. The main Gothic works are related to ecclesiastical buildings: churches and cathedrals with pointed arches and cross vaults. Most of the Gothic buildings are considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site today, such as Notre Dame Cathedral and Reims Cathedral.

Baroque

Born and developed in the 16th century, Baroque architecture is one of the most studied and photographed architectural styles. Making use of ornaments and elements that sought to create a dramatic sense – especially by contrasting light and dark – Baroque architecture regarded structural elements as platforms for decoration. One of the earliest examples of this style is the Church of the Gesù in Rome, which boasts the first truly Baroque facade.

Neoclassicism

From the 18th century onwards, neoclassical architecture sought to revive classical Greek and Roman buildings. Its expression is strongly linked to its social and economic context, to the Industrial Revolution in Europe, and to a period in which upper-middle-class students began the tradition of the Grand Tour, traveling the world and coming into contact with works ancient. The revival of European cultural production has brought an architecture oriented towards rational symmetry as a response to Baroque architecture.

Fine arts

This academic architectural style originated in the Paris School of Fine Arts in the mid-1830s. It established a language that referred to other periods, such as French Neoclassicism, Gothic architecture and the Renaissance, however, it also employed contemporary materials such as glass and iron. Although it emerged in France, this style has influenced American architecture and has referred to architects such as Louis Sullivan, “the father of the skyscraper”. The buildings of this movement feature sculptural ornamentation mixed with modern lines. In Europe, an important example is the Grand Palais in Paris and, in the United States, the Grand Central Terminal in New York.

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau originally served as a guide for different disciplines from architecture to painting, from furniture design to typography. As a reaction to the eclectic styles that dominated Europe, Art Nouveau manifested itself in the architecture in decorative elements: the buildings, full of curved and sinuous lines, were enriched with ornaments inspired by organic forms such as plants, flowers and animals . Its first buildings were designed by the Belgian architect Victor Horta, however the most emblematic examples were created by the Frenchman Hector Guimard.

Art Deco

Art Deco emerged in France just before World War 1 and, just like Art Nouveau, it influenced several areas of art and design. Blending modern design, handcrafted elements and luxurious materials, the movement represented a moment of great confidence in social and technological progress on the continent. Auguste Perret, a French architect and pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete, was responsible for the design of one of the first Art Deco structures. Perret’s Champs-Elysées Theater (1913).

Bauhaus

The Bauhaus originated in the world’s first design school in the early 20th century. It was inserted in a discourse that ranged from furniture design to the plastic arts. The relationship between industrial production and product design was fundamental for the school’s architectural proposals, adopting a highly rationalized position on the design process. One of its founders, Walter Gropius, implemented revolutionary teaching methods and applied these principles in his modern and functional works.

Modernism

Modernism was born in the first half of the 20th century. It can be said that it started in Germany with Bauhaus, or in France with Le Corbusier, or in the United States with Frank Lloyd Wright . However, Le Corbusier’s contribution to understanding modern architecture is notable, particularly for his ability to synthesize the precepts he has adopted in his works. A classic example of modernism is his 1926 manifesto “The Five Points of New Architecture”, also known as the Five Points of Modern Architecture.

Postmodernism

From 1929 onwards, with the onset of the Great Depression, a chain of criticisms of modern architecture began that continued until the end of the 1970s. Postmodern architecture examines some of the central principles of Modernism from a new historical and compositional perspective, both in discourse and in the built works. The book “Learning from Las Vegas” is one of the fundamental works of postmodern thought.

Decostruttivismo

Deconstructivism originated in the 1980s and questions the precepts and the design process and incorporates non-linear dynamics to field reasoning. Deconstructivism concerns two main concepts: deconstruction, a literary and philosophical analysis that rethinks and dismantles traditional ways of thinking; and constructivism, the Russian artistic and architectural movement in the early 20th century. A landmark event for deconstructivism was certainly the 1988 MoMA exhibition curated by Phillip Johnson. It brought together the works of Peter Eisenman, Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, Daniel Libeskind, Bernard Tschumi and Wolf Prix.

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