Difference Between Architectural Styles

When you are starting a project, the first thing you want to do is determine the design style that speaks to you either architecturally. Two great ways to determine this are:

• Pinterest. Start a Pin Board and create as many sub-boards that you like and pin away. Google Chrome has a great extension that will allow you to pin from any site. You can always clean up the boards later by deleting the pin and you can share them with your partner and / or designer to quickly get on the same page. When we look at a custom client’s pinboards, we quickly look to see what is the most consistent design element and start designing from there.
• Determine what you hate. Sometimes, it’s easier for people to become very clear about what they hate first by eliminating many styles and landing on a few styles that they like and creating a nice blend.

ARCHITECTURE:

There are a plethora of design styles architecturally so we’ll just focus on the most popular ones used currently.

COLONIAL. Considered traditional with a first floor and second floor height and full attic. Typically, these houses have a gabled roof with the gables on the side.

FARMHOUSE. Also considered traditional or transitional, this style basically takes the Colonial and adds a farmers porch and rambles with other wings of the house such as a first floor mudroom connecting to a garage.

NEW ENGLANDER. These were typically older houses built in New England Cities where vertical living was important. The front door is always off to the side with the staircase straight in front and the living, dining kitchen move from front to the back of the house. The second floor has a hallway along the staircase with bedrooms and bathrooms off of it. A full New Englander will have a third floor walk-up ideally with a dormer for head height or the staircase to the 3rd floor moves to the center of the house to access a good sized attic. The roofline gable faces the front of the house with a steep pitch – typically 12/12 (this is a right triangle or in 12” across, the roof will rise 12”).

MODERN. This style is typically introduced with simple, low to no pitched roofs. The roofline and materials define the modern style and the interior space is open with clean lines.

RANCH. This simple home provides function and options with first floor living only and an option of a full basement with potential walk-out for more square footage or just storage. The roof pitch is typically lower, more like a 6/12 and the first floor can easily be cathedraled. The common space is typically open concept with living, dining, kitchen on one side of the house and the bedrooms / bathrooms off a hallway.

CAPE COD. This is considered a 1.5 story house. It will have a full first floor and center staircase then two bedrooms on the second floor one on each side of the staircase and a bathroom at the top of the stairs. If the house is not dormered in any way, it can be quite small but dormers will add head height and square footage as well as curb appeal.

SHINGLE-STYLE. Typically, these houses are defined by their shingle siding but also by deep roof overhangs, multiple and complex rooflines creating a rambling look. Larger in size, the second floor is almost always dormered for full living inside the roofline.

BARN-STYLE. These homes are becoming more popular as a new construction house style. The footprint is a rectangle with full first and second floor living with a gable roof and open concept living. Beyond that the structure is to stay simple from the outside and really must have large front doors with the barn shutters that could cover these doors to give it the authentic barn-style look.

BUNGALOW. These low house houses started as efficient simple homes and some were literally Sears Home Kits that have oodles of character. You could think of them as a blend of the ranch and new englander. With the roof being either a gable or hip that is low in pitch and faces the front of the house, the staircase is typically in the middle of the house with a center door. The bedrooms and bathrooms are off to one side and living, dining, kitchen run front to back. The staircase typically leads to one or two bedrooms on the second floor depending on layout and dormers.

VACATION HOME. Whether you are at the beach, on the lake or in the mountains, typically the view is what we are trying to achieve with these homes. We are also typically up against a height restriction so the roofs tend to be simple and low in pitch. One side of the house has the function of view with full glass windows and common space living while the other side is functional and where the bedrooms are located.

When trying to define the style that you like the most, it is also worth considering your lot and living requirements. If you are renovating a home, feel free to think outside of the box. The back of the house is where we depart from all “rules” and you can create whatever style and function. For example, at our custom company, Amy Dutton Home, we just finished an expansion of a 1860 New Englander that was traditional from the exterior but completely modern from the moment you walked in the door with the back being modern with low pitched roof, nickel-gap siding, modern window and doors and painted black. Most of all, we encourage you to explore, have fun and be inspired.