- architectural styles
- log cabin
- homesteaded
- acre
- tract
- area
- home
- hewn of logs with shingles
- salvaged wreckage
- shore
- steep roof
- palmetto fronds
- cabin
- architecture
- local environment
- bundled palmetto fronds
- method of construction
- early construction
- planing mill
- carpenter
- railroad lines
- building materials
- boat
- vernacular architecture
- handsome buildings
- single family homes
- vernacular: a term used to characterize buildings crafted without the assistance of a trained architect.
- vernacular architecture: encompasses a variety of traditional, indigeneous, and mass-produced buildings. These building forms were transmitted by memory or pattern books, constructed by builders who used traditional building techniques, and utilized locally available construction materials. The primary concern was to provide economical, functional and comfortable spaces for the owners. Vernacular buildings often reflect a local adaptation to the landscape, climate, and cultural patterns. Nineteenth-century industrialism and the extension of northern railroads made it possible to standardize and mass-produce building elements and to distribute them across the country. A variety of applied decorative ornament was used to embellish these vernacular homes. Over time, some of the more commonly used vernacular types were given names.
- traditional buildings
- indigeneous buildings
- mass-produced buildings
- building forms
- memory
- pattern
- constructed
- traditional building techniques
- locally available construction materials
- economical
- functional
- comfortable
- vernacular buildings
- adaptation to the landscape
- adaptation to the climate,
- adaptation to cultural patterns
- industrialism
- northern railroads
- standardize
- mass-produce
- building elements
- distribute building elements
- applied decorative ornament
- embellish
- vernacular types
- shotgun: The origin of this unique vernacular house type has been traced to Africa and the West Indies. It is a common housing type in Haiti and the Bahama Islands. In the Southeastern United States, the shotgun house was popular from ca. 1880-1930. Many were built by black freedmen who migrated to southern urban centers following the Civil War. The shotgun house is characterized by a one–story height and a simple rectangular plan. Roof forms vary, but most commonly are front-gabled or hipped. The house is typically frame construction that is often raised a few feet off the ground on a pier foundation. A porch may be located across the front and/or rear. The interior is arranged two to four rooms deep, with each room opening to a hallway extending the length of the house. The name comes from a commonly repeated anecdote that a shotgun could be fired down the hallway without hitting anything. Shotgun houses were usually repeated in rows on small lots.
- vernacular house type
- Africa
- West Indies
- common housing type
- Haiti
- Bahama Islands
- Southeastern United States
- shotgun house
- freedmen
- urban centers
- Civil War
- one–story
- rectangular plan
- roof forms
- frame construction
- pier foundation
- porch
- two rooms deep
- four rooms deep
- hallway
- length of the house
- small lots
- American Four-Square: The American Four-Square was a very popular two–story house type throughout the country between the years 1900 to 1925. This common vernacular form was first named and described in an Old House Journal article in 1982. The American Four-Square provided an economical and practical hometype that avoided the profusion of ornament associated with the Victorian period. The cubic shape of the house provided space for four rooms on each floor and a central or side stairway. The house was typically covered by a low-hipped roof, often pierced by dormers, and with broad eaves. Exposed rafter ends frequently extended below the eave. Characteristically, the American Four-square has a porch that extends across the width of the façade. The porch roof is supported by boxed-in posts or simple columns. On some homes, the flat walls of the unadorned exterior are relieved by bay windows. The entrance doors typically have a rectangular panel of clear glass or an oval, beveled, glass panel. The exterior is commonly sided with clapboard, stucco, or wood shingles. The use of different siding on each floor added variety to this form.
- two–story house type
- common vernacular form
- Old House Journal
- economical
- practical hometype
- profusion of ornament
- Victorian period
- cubic shape
- floor
- central stairway
- side stairway
- low-hipped roof
- dormers
- broad eaves
- exposed rafter ends
- eave
- porch roof
- boxed-in posts
- simple columns
- flat walls
- exterior
- bay windows
- entrance doors
- rectangular panel
- clear glass
- oval panel
- beveled glass panel
- exterior
- clapboard
- stucco
- wood shingles
- different siding on each floor
- architectural styles
- guides to architectural styles
- common national vocabulary
- stylistic definition
- Post-World War II buildings
- recommendations of alterations
- Tudor
- Spanish
- Colonial Revival
- Colonial architectural heritage
- patriotic
- nostalgic
- nationalistic
- American architectural style
- colonies
- Mount Vernon
- restoration
- Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
- colonial architecture
- colonial memorabilia
- Philadelphia Centennial of 1876
- Colonial forms
- Colonial Revival has
- building style
- free interpretations
- simple forms
- uncomplicated forms
- national character
- Colonial Revival style
- World War I
- restoration
- Colonial Williamsburg
- Salt Box
- Federal
- Georgian
- stylistic variations
- Dutch
- German
- Colonial Revival residences: are usually two stories in height, symmetrical, with rectangular or square plans. Side or rear wings are common. Generally hip roofs were used, pierced by hipped dormers. The most common exterior wall finish is wood siding. Other common stylistic characteristics include: centrally placed, ornamented, projecting entry bays with fanlight and sidelights; end chimneys; rectangular, double-hung sash windows; shutters; Palladian windows; classical porch columns; denticulated cornices; and pedimented dormers and entry porches.
- two stories
- symmetrical
- rectangular plan
- square plan
- side wings
- rear wings
- hip roofs
- hipped dormers
- exterior wall finish
- wood siding
- centrally placed ornamented projecting entry bays with fanlight and sidelights
- end chimneys
- rectangular double-hung sash windows
- shutters
- Palladian windows
- classical porch columns
- denticulated cornices
- pedimented dormers
- entry porches
- pedimented entry
- Dutch-inspired Colonial houses
- Neoclassical Revival
- Neoclassical
- Classical Revival
- Greek and Roman precedents
- France
- England
- classical past
- archaeological discoveries
- public buildings
- courthouses
- banks
- commercial buildings
- Neoclassical Revival style: The style is characterized by the use of colossal pedimented porticos flanked by a series of colossal pilasters, simple geometric forms, and smooth surfaces. Neoclassical Revival style buildings generally have a symmetrical design. The second floor may contain a centrally placed balcony. Dentils or modillions may decorate the cornices and windows are generally double-hung sash. The roof type is usually low-pitched or flat with a balustrade and the entrances, found at the center of the façade, are usually detailed with transom, sidelights, or ornamental woodwork.
- colossal pedimented porticos
- colossal pilasters
- simple geometric forms
- smooth surfaces
- symmetrical design
- second floor
- balcony
- dentils
- modillions
- cornices
- windows
- double-hung sash
- roof type
- low-pitched roof
- flat roof with a balustrade
- entrances
- center of the façade
- transom
- sidelights
- ornamental woodwork
- bungalow: The term bungalow was popularized in the early twentieth century to describe a cottage-like dwelling, informal in plan, elevation and detail. It answered the need for simple, comfortable, economic residences. The popularity of the bungalow spread across the country. Many were built from mail order, house plan catalogues. Sears and Roebuck offered a variety of bungalow designs and would ship complete plans and the necessary building materials. Other companies, such as the Gordon-Van Tine Company of Davenport, Iowa, shipped prefabricated bungalows.
- cottage-like dwelling
- informal in plan
- informal in elevation
- informal in detail
- simple
- comfortable
- economic residences
- mail order
- house plan catalogues
- Sears and Roebuck
- bungalow designs
- complete plans
- building materials
- Gordon-Van Tine Company: of Davenport, Iowa, shipped prefabricated bungalows.
- prefabricated bungalows
- building type
- style guides
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- bungalow residence: is most commonly a low profile, single story house with a low pitched, gable roof. The rafters, ridge beams, and purlins are often exposed and extend beyond the wall and roof. A large front porch is common and the porch roof is frequently supported by battered piers. Occasionally, low shed dormers were used. The bungalow plan emphasized craftsmanship, climatic adaptation, and harmony with the landscape.
- low profile
- single story house
- low pitched gable roof
- rafters
- ridge beams
- purlins
- large front porch
- porch roof
- battered piers
- low shed dormers
- bungalow plan
- craftsmanship
- climatic adaptation
- harmony with the landscape
- English Arts and Crafts movement
- Oriental architecture
- Indian architecture
- Craftsman style
- Spanish Colonial Revival
- Mediterranean Revival
- National Register of Historic Places
- Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival
- Mediterranean Revival: General characteristics of the style include textured stucco walls, often tinted with pigments mixed into the cement; arched entrances and windows; porches; balconies; complex roof lines and barrel tile roofing; use of wrought iron; ceramic tile decorations; and arcaded wings. Multi-light casement and double-hung sash windows were often deeply set in the walls or in arched openings. Pergolas, fountains, and trellises or patios frequently appear in the surrounding landscape.
- textured stucco walls
- pigments mixed into the cement
- arched entrances
- arched windows
- porches
- balconies
- complex roof lines
- barrel tile roofing
- wrought iron
- ceramic tile decorations
- arcaded wings
- multi-light casement windows
- double-hung sash windows
- deeply set in the walls
- arched openings
- pergolas
- fountains
- trellises
- patios
- surrounding landscape
- Spanish Colonial heritage
- residential architecture
- hotels
- commercial buildings
- railroad stations
- schools
- architectural elements
- Mediterranean Sea
- Italy
- Spain
- Spanish Colonial
- Mission Revival
- eclectic buildings
- Pan-American Exhibition
- New York
- office
- architect
- railroad companies
- stations
- resort hotels
- marketing device
- resort communities
- exotic
- beauty
- Spanish Colonial heritage
- building design
- World War II
- Mission Revival style: The style became popular when it was used for the California Building at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, and its use was widespread by 1915. The style is characterized by an overall simplicity, arched openings, large expanses of unadorned stucco surfaces, the use of stepped or curvilinear parapets, quatrefoil windows, porches or covered entryways, and minimal decorative detailing. Exterior walls are stucco and barrel tile roofing is common. An even more simplified version of the Mission Revival style became popular in the 1930s.
- overall simplicity
- arched openings
- unadorned stucco surfaces
- stepped parapets
- curvilinear parapets
- quatrefoil windows
- porches
- covered entryways
- minimal decorative detailing
- exterior walls
- stucco
- barrel tile roofing
- subtype
- Spanish Colonial Revival style
- California masonry tradition in architecture
- Franciscan missionaries
- Prairie style: This style originated with architect Frank Lloyd Wright who created an architecture that accentuated the lines of the mid-western prairie terrain. The style was predominately seen between 1900 and 1920, reaching its peak of popularity ca. 1915. Prairie style houses are generally two stories, but frequently have a projecting one–story wing that may open up into a porch or carport. The design emphasis is on horizontal lines. Generally the house has a low-pitched, hip roof with deep eaves. The roof is often penetrated by a large, plain, rectangular chimney. Dormers are almost never seen in Prairie style homes.
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- mid-western prairie terrain
- Prairie style houses
- two stories
- projecting one–story wing
- porch
- carport
- design emphasis
- horizontal lines
- low-pitched hip roof with deep eaves
- large plain rectangular chimney
- Prairie School
- Prairie style house
- cantilevered elements
- porch roof
- casement
- horizontal bands with a shared sill
- wood striping
- sill line
- horizontal emphasis
- parapets above porches
- parapets above steps
- parapets above balconies,
- parapets above the tops of piers
- porch roofs
- projecting caps
- projecting coping
- Monterey
- Monterey style: originated in California and was especially popular between 1930 and 1950. It was a fusion of revival styles derived from New England, the South, and the Southwest. The resulting designs were two– story residences that exhibited Spanish eclectic and Colonial Revival characteristics. The distinctive features of the style include a low-pitched, side–facing gable roof and a full-length, second story balcony. The balcony is usually cantilevered and covered by the principal roof. Decorative detailing is often confined to the balcony balustrade. The first and second stories often feature different building materials. Typically, the first floor is brick or stucco, with the second floor finished in clapboard. Exterior end chimneys are common.
- revival styles
- New England
- South
- Southwest
- two– story residences
- Spanish eclectic
- Colonial Revival
- low-pitched side–facing gable roof
- second story balcony
- cantilevered balcony
- principal roof
- decorative detailing
- balcony balustrade
- different building materials
- first floor
- brick
- stucco
- second floor
- clapboard
- exterior end chimneys
- brick veneer
- board-and-batten
- Spanish detailing
- Colonial details
- Modern movement
- Modern architecture
- progressive movement
- traditional architectural idioms
- new forms
- new ways to use new materials
- aluminum
- glass block
- modern movement
- Art Deco: The 1925 Paris Exposition des Artes Decoratif is generally credited as the inspiration for expressing architectural modernity through the Art Deco style. The verticality of buildings was emphasized in the late 1920s and 1930s by rectilinear, geometric surface ornamentation. Wall surfaces were smooth and usually of stucco. Other characteristics of the Art Deco style are: towers or other vertical projections above the roof line, symmetrical facades, and a unique form of ornamentation consisting of zig-zags, chevrons, sunbursts, spirals, and/or stylized plant and animal motifs, abstract arabesques, elongated ovals and octagonal panels.
- Exposition des Artes Decoratif
- inspiration
- architectural modernity
- Art Deco style
- verticality of buildings
- rectilinear
- geometric surface ornamentation
- wall surfaces
- stucco
- Art Deco style
- towers
- vertical projections above the roof line
- symmetrical facades
- ornamentation
- zig-zags
- chevrons
- sunbursts
- spirals
- stylized plant and animal motifs
- abstract arabesques
- elongated ovals
- octagonal panels
- Art Moderne
- International style
- Commercial Building
- Art Moderne: The later phase of Art Deco, occurring during the 1930s and 1940s, is generally called Art Moderne. New industrial and technological developments in the early 1930s led to the evolution of this variation. Art Moderne reflected the current interest in the streamlined designs in vogue for ships, airplanes, and automobiles. The machine-inspired imagery gave the style a sleek and modern appearance and it was especially popular in commercial buildings. In contrast to the verticality of the Art Deco style, the Moderne style emphasized the horizontality of the building through the use of horizontal bands of contrasting finish materials and long bands of windows. The style features smooth wall surfaces that were frequently curved and usually stuccoed. Glass block and steel railings for stairs and balconies were frequently utilized. Popular new materials such as chrome, aluminum, and neon lighting were also used.
- streamlined designs
- machine-inspired imagery
- commercial buildings
- horizontality of the building
- horizontal bands
- contrasting finish materials
- long bands of windows
- smooth wall surfaces
- curved wall surfaces
- stuccoed
- glass block
- steel railings
- new materials
- chrome
- aluminum
- neon lighting
- International
- International Style: evolved from the philosophy developed at the Bauhaus in Germany. This design school, founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius, was concerned with simplicity and adopted the tenet that “forms follows function.” The style emphasized utility and function rather than superfluous ornament. Characteristics of the style include: flat roofs; uniform wall surfaces; minimal exterior window reveals; corner windows; cantilevered balconies; and bands of windows, emphasizing the horizontality of the building. Window bands may be contrasted with circular windows. Cylindrical elements are occasionally used to elaborate the design.
- philosophy
- Bauhaus
- design school
- simplicity
- forms follows function
- utility
- function
- ornament
- flat roofs
- uniform wall surfaces
- exterior window reveals
- corner windows
- cantilevered balconies
- bands of windows
- horizontality of the building
- window bands
- circular windows
- cylindrical elements
- Post-War architectural development
- cost of the average house: more than doubled between 1940 and the 1950s because of the increased cost of labor and materials and the desire for new technology. In order to be affordable, many houses were downsized and houses of just less than 1,000 square feet were common.
- downsized
- traditional building styles
- Minimal Traditional: Minimal Traditional houses are generally modest in size and usually square or rectangular in shape. Many frills were eliminated such as porches and formal dining rooms, in order to minimize cost. However, some exterior reference to earlier styles, especially Colonial Revival, are often seen, such as gabled porticos, dormers, or quoining.
- Minimal Modern: In the Post-War years, a modest modern house form was developed that paralleled the Minimal Traditional residence. The term “Minimal Modern” is an appropriate term for a small, modern house. Characteristics of this style are large windows, rows of windows (ribbon windows), shed and asymmetrical gable roofs with one roof slope much longer than the other, the use of lally columns, and the incorporation of a carport into the design of the house.
- Post-War
- house form
- Minimal Traditional residence
- modern house
- large windows
- rows of windows
- ribbon windows
- shed roof
- asymmetrical gable roof: with one roof slope much longer than the other
- lally columns
- carport
- Ranch: Ranch style houses are generally long, shallow (one room deep), one–story houses with low gable roofs and deep eaves. A rectangular, L, U, or splayed plan is common in Ranch style houses. They often have shallow front porches, sometimes running the length of the house. Decoration rarely consists of more than shutters and open-work metal posts. It is common for the front façade to project at one or both ends. The orientation of the Ranch style house is usually to a patio on the rear elevation, accessed through sliding glass doors. A garage at one end or an attached carport is a common feature. The desire to integrate the interior and exterior is seen in the inclusion of large expanses of glass, such as picture windows or window walls. Clapboard or stucco are common exterior treatments, although a brick exterior is occasionally used.
- one room deep
- one–story houses
- low gable roofs
- deep eaves
- rectangular
- L
- U
- splayed plan
- Ranch style houses
- shallow front porches
- shutters
- open-work metal posts
- front façade
- orientation
- Ranch style house
- patio
- rear elevation
- sliding glass doors
- garage
- attached carport
- integrate the interior and exterior
- large expanses of glass
- picture windows
- window walls
- clapboard
- stucco
- common exterior treatments
- brick exterior
- Ranch style
- California ranches
- box-like houses
- flexible plan
- Split Level: This style was developed in the 1930s, but became increasingly popular after World War II. The split floor plan of these two–story structures offered opportunities to separate adult from children’s spaces. They became a standard alternative to the two–story, Colonial Revival design in the Post- War years. Commonly, the garage is located on a lower level, with a bedroom above the garage, to one side of the front door. Often, separate gable roofs cover both sections of the house.
- World War II
- split floor plan
- two–story
- Colonial Revival design
- garage is
- lower level
- bedroom above the garage
- front door
- separate gable roofs
- Neo-Eclectic: In recent decades, there has been a growing popularity in building homes loosely based on historical styles. These contemporary interpretations are sometimes called Neo-Eclectism. Instead of closely copying historical prototypes, historic details are adapted to fit modern house forms and building materials.
- historical styles
- Neo-Eclectism
- historical
- historic details
- modern house forms
- modern building materials
Source Citation
West Palm Beach, “Chapter IV. Architectural Styles.” Last accessed 2025.