The Complete Guide to Home Exteriors

From A-frame to Tudor, here are 17 popular styles of residential homes in America—which one is your favorite?

Carpenter Gothic

A popular style of house in the late ninetenth century, Carpenter Gothic homes are characterized by steeply pitched roofs, board-and-batten siding, and ornate trim.

Tudor

A timber frame, small leaded windows, shingles, and brickwork add a charming storybook aesthetic to this 15th-century style of home.

Cape Cod Style

This popular New England-style house is commonly recognized by its steep roof and small, protruding windows.

Victorian

Wraparound porches, intricate turrets, bay windows, and ornate details often populate the exterior of this whimsical style of home.

Farmhouse

These gorgeous homes, often found on sprawling, rural country estates, are distinguished by wraparound porches, clapboard siding, and numerous windows.

Craftsman

Though Craftsman homes are often designed as bungalows, the style can be adapted for a range of sizes. Triangular roofs, overhanging eaves, and spacious front porches are often the standout details of these types of residences.

Tuscan

Tuscan-style homes, reminiscent of architecture seen in the Italian countryside, often showcase patios, terraces, and a stucco or stone exterior.

Split-Level Home

Split-level homes are exactly that: a style that features levels of the house at different heights, with sets of stairs in the interior to link each portion.

Ranch

Ranch-style homes became wildly popular between the 1940s and the 1970s among the middle class masses, and are easily distinguishable by their tendency to feature a single story, a low roofline, and an open, asymmetrical layout.

Cedar Shingled

Covered in small cedar panels that can be painted, stained, or weathered and usually age well, these homes are often seen near the coast.

A-Frame

Like its name suggests, this kind of home features a dramatically steep roof that mimics the letter A. However, due to the somewhat restricting nature of the structure, homeowners might choose to build an additional portion of the house extending from one of its sides.

Saltbox

Structured with a long, sloped roof that extends down the back, a saltbox home is named after its similarities to saltboxes used in the Colonial era.

Dutch Colonial

A traditional gambrel roof adds visual interest to Dutch Colonial homes—which were popular in the Northeast in the early 1900s—in addition to distinguished chimneys and overhanging eaves.

Eastlake Stick-Style

Cross gables, steep roofs, and quirky Victorian details characterize these late-1800s-style homes, which can include exteriors that boast half-timbering, grid stickwork, or rosette-trimmed porch brackets.

Log Home

This rustic, mountain home can be made of a variety of reclaimed materials, including chestnut logs, ponderosa pine, or oak.

Octagon House

First popularized in the mid-19th century, these eight-sided houses provide 360-degree-views of surrounding property, and usually feature a cozy lookout point that extends from the center of the roof.

New England Colonial Home

Symmetrical facades, detailed molding, and original millwork (a term used in the 18th century for any work done by a sawmill) are features typical of a classic colonial home.








From- http://www.countryliving.com/homes/real-estate/home-styles#slide-17