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Curb Appeal: 10 Updated Architectural Styles
See how designers have customized classic home designs
A house with the right curb appeal will increase value for you and for the community. Before building or renovating your home, knowing which architectural style your house belongs to is important to give direction for any changes you may want to make. Good designers take what inspires them and their clients, then gives it their personal touch, rather than simply copying what they see elsewhere.
See what designers have done to update 10 home design categories popular in North America today.
See what designers have done to update 10 home design categories popular in North America today.
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| Cape Cod. Traditionally these are simple rectangular in plan with gable roof and sometimes dormers in the attic. Updates: Metal roofing and exposed wood trellises create outdoor spaces. The lack of roof overhangs on the dormers creates a clean, contemporary look. |
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by DSA Architects
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| Colonial. There are many different versions of the Colonial style. Traditionally these houses are two stories high, have symmetrical elevation with the entrance in the center of the house. Updates: In this example, the garage is set back to emphasize the main portion of the house. The windows on either side of the entrance work against the tradition of symmetry but still relate to each other. |
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| Victorian. Some features of Victorian houses include a bay window, dentils (moulding around the soffit underneath the roof), large square or round columns, portico (a porch on the main floor), and intricate window mullions. Updates: This house is a streamlined version of the Victorian house with more straight lines, but keeps traditional window details and the front porch element. |
| Prairie Style. Traditionally the Prairie Style house has a low pitched hip roof with large overhang, horizontal lines, clerestory windows and central fireplace. Updates: The form and shape of this example fits with the Prairie Style, but uses modern materials such as stucco and linear stonework. The color scheme is not common for Prairie Style but is still earthy. |
| Craftsman. The traditional Craftsman home builds from the Prairie Style with addition of exposed rafters, decorative brackets under the eaves and stone porch supports and chimney. Updates: This new construction played up the Craftsman style home with more complex roof lines and color combination. |
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| Tudor. Some characteristics of the Tudor house include decorative half-timbering siding (usually white and brown) with brick wainscoting, steeply pitched roof, prominent gable and small window panes. Updates: The architect of this house kept the form of the Tudor house while using nontraditional colors and smooth stucco siding instead of textured stucco. |
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| Spanish. In contrast with the Tudor style, traditional Spanish homes are asymmetrical in plan, have a low-tiled roof pitch with minimal overhang, stucco siding, half-round arched windows and doorways. Updates: The central part of this home with the wall of long, horizontal windows is an unexpected touch to the rest of the Spanish inspired facade. |
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| Ranch. This style usually has a long, low profile elevation with simple use of exterior decoration and trims. Updates: The modern take on this house played with larger picture window designs while varying the ceiling height to define each of the rooms. |
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| Cabin retreat. These are traditionally built with log and field stones with centrally located fireplaces. Updates: Warm wood structures are being replaced with engineered laminated beams with more dramatic roof lines, but the result is still appealing. |
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| Modern. This ranges from Midcentury to Deconstructive homes. One of the most iconic modern homes is the Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier with simple rectangular white exterior. Updates: This example uses a common floating design with earthy materials such as long horizontal wood siding to further express the linear design. More: The Colonial: America's Home Style Getting it Wright: Today's Prairie Style Cape Cods Across America Modern or Contemporary: What's the Difference? Bungalows: Domestic Design at the Auto Age |
Ideabook updated on Jan. 6, 2012.
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1960's home is? This split level has flat a flat roof.