What Custom Home Style is Perfect for You?

10 Different Styles of Houses Explained

Are you on the hunt for your dream house but don’t know where to start? Maybe you’ve searched through so many real estate listings your head is already spinning and no house that you’ve seen so far has what you are looking for. So why not build your own custom home? If you’re not sure what type of house style suits you best, you’ve come to the right place! Read below for the 10 most popular styles of houses that many homeowners have chosen to custom build.

From the craftsman, to the modern farmhouse, to a cape cod and more—take a look at each of the distinct characteristics that lend these ten different houses their unique style and find out what makes a home buyer fall in love with their character so that you can pinpoint the custom house style that perfectly suits your tastes and needs.

The Quintessential Craftsman

The Craftsman style of house was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement which began in the late 19^th century. These homes are furnished with a covered front porch, deep overhanging roof eaves, single dormers that are large and centered, multiple wide windows, and partially paned doors.

 Craftsman often have a color palette that tend toward wash-out earth tones with a color palette of greens and browns. Inside, you’ll often find large fireplaces and exposed beams for accents.

Want to see inside our latest craftsman style custom home build? Take a tour of 12711 Caruso Court and get to know the most popular home style that our customers build with us.

The Timeless Ranch Home

The Ranch-style house originated in the United States and calls to the laidback lifestyle of the early 1960s, but had their start in the early part of the 20^th century. These homes are known for its wide footprint, close to the ground one-story profile, and wide open floor plan. 

Ranch homes are often built on a slab, this types mostly seen in California to ones with a full basement, which is very popular here in the Midwest. Ranch homes feature a long, low roofline with brick, wood or stucco for its exterior with neutral colors being the most popular with homeowners. These homes have attached garages and feature large windows for plenty of natural light for the interior of the home. 

Want to build a ranch of your own? Check out our Ashton Ranch Floor Plan for a little inspiration.

The Modern Farmhouse

The modern farmhouse is the ideal take of the inviting and cozy style of the classic farmhouse and perfectly mingles a touch of contemporary for a more updated feel. 

Structurally, the modern farmhouse evokes the look of the classic farmhouse with a gabled front façade, gabled roofs, and a large porch on the front or the back of the home. 

Inside, the modern farmhouse features a sprawling open floor plan, with neutral color schemes, rustic accents in its contemporary design elements, with exposed beams, shiplap wall accents, barn doors, vintage-inspired lighting and more.

Learn more about the modern farmhouse here and check out our most recently built rustic-inspired home 818 North Webster here.

The Classic Colonial

Colonial architecture first arrived in the 1600’s where many variations of this type of home were found due to the diversity of the settlers of early America. 

Colonial houses are well known for their eye-catching symmetry, characterized by evenly spaced shuttered windows. These homes feature a rectangular or square shape, with a door located in the exact center with the same number of windows reflected on both sides. 

The formal look of the colonial is highlighted by dormer windows on its roof, stylish columns that grace its font entrance, and winsome chimneys for added distinction.

The Cool Contemporary

Although people often confuse Modern and Contemporary homes to be the same, they are quite different. Modern homes refer to styles built in the 60s, whereas contemporary homes refer to architectural styles that are popular now. 

Depending on the builder and what the homeowner wants, contemporary homes can vary in appearance and design. 

Contemporary homes feature wide open windows that aim to connect the outdoors with the indoors and showcase straight and clean lines in their architecture. These homes are built with sustainable materials and are furnished with energy efficient components. 

The Magnificent Mediterranean

Mediterranean homes stand out immediately in any neighborhood thanks to their unique and stylish exteriors. These homes typically feature red-tiled roofs made from terra-cotta and have siding of brick or stucco that is often painted white. 

Other common features of these distinctive homes are carved doors, intricate stone details, metalwork on windows, and wrought iron front doors. Mediterranean homes are truly evocative of the aesthetics of southern European countries with light and warm tones in their color schemes and extensive use of natural materials, like ceramic and wood throughout.

The Refined Greek Revival

The Greek Revival style of home was inspired by Greek architecture and its democracy and exploded in popularity in the US in the 1830’s and again in the 1940’s. 

These stately homes are often painted white to resemble the white marble of costly public buildings, are adorned with tall columns, a painted plaster exterior, and a symmetrical shape and look. Greek revival homes are gable-fronted and have two to three stories, due to their imposing size, these homes are often found on estates.

The Courtly Cape Cod

Cape Cod homes were first built in the 1600’s and were inspired by Britain’s thatched cottages. Modern cape cods now feature steeper roofs and larger chimneys as they are mostly found in the 

Northeast which experience harsher winters. Cape cods have windows that flank the front door with dormer windows on the top floor and offer a charm that matches the seaside town that they are mostly found in.

The Noble Tudor

Tudor homes are easily recognizable thanks to their distinct appearance. These homes were a revival of medieval and post-medieval styles from the 1600 to the 1700’s. 

Since tudor homes mimicked the style of home perfected to colder weather, rain and snow, they are most often found in the northern parts of the United States. 

Tudor styled homes have a sort of storybook appearance and often embody the romantic ideal of an English country manor. These homes feature steeply pitched gable roofs, decorative masonry on their chimneys often with chimney pots, exposed wood framework with stucco in between, embellished doorways, and large groupings of windows that are inspired by medieval architecture.

The Charming Cottage

The first cottages originated in Europe and came from the term “cotters”, which were the type of home that peasant farmers in the Middle Ages lived in. 

A cottage refers to a small house that is 1 story to 1.5 stories and is made of stone or wood siding. Cottages often feature a curved entryway, brick front or gravel walkway and bright exterior colors. 

These homes are furnished with small porches, gabled roofs, a balcony, and bay windows for a cozy and charming style like no other.

Picked Your Design & Ready to Build Your Custom Home?

It’s time to contact a custom home builder that you trust. 5^th Avenue Construction crafts homes with integrity and professionalism, as it is our mission to build the home of your dreams and have it be everything that you have always wanted. 

Our experienced design team will be with you every step of the way and will offer their expertise on your selections choices and on the most effective way to use your budget. 

Have more questions or want a consultation?

Contact our New Home Specialist for a free consultation and find out how we can craft the home of your dreams. Call us at (331) 255-7500 or email us at info@buildwith5th.com.