We all like to see something new and interesting when we explore the world. Art teaches us many things, but sometimes, we just view art for our own pleasure, visual, aural or emotional, or all of these things, at once.
Architecture has always been interesting, with each building being an homage to a certain style or styles, but also a statement from the architect themself. Most people have seen the gothic style and the ancient Greek styles of architecture.
What about an American style, specifically, American houses? There have been so many styles used in America, but here are the most interesting ones.
Cape Cod Style – 1600s until 1950s
This is one of the styles that has survived multiple centuries in the United States. Not many styles can claim to be that prominent throughout the centuries. The reason for its popularity is its simplicity. Everybody enjoys a simple house, both from a practical and a financial standpoint.
The Cape Cod style houses were simple, one-story houses with another half story to serve as attic. They had a center chimney and were mainly built using wood. They had relatively steep gable roofs.
The Tudor Style – the 1890s until Present Day
The Tudor Style is interesting, because of its heavy chimney design and half wood decorations. It is often called the Medieval Revival style. This style is characterized by decorative wood, large chimneys, and tall and narrow windows. It has the appearance of masonry and a medieval look to it. The roofs are often pitched and steep, as is customary. The Tudor style originated in England in the 1500s but was mainly used in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s, the Tudor Style boom.
Pueblo Revival – the 1910s until Present Day
The Pueblo houses are known for their adobe usage. Not Adobe products, but adobe, the mud bricks. These houses were used by the Pueblo people in the American South West. Nowadays, they are being revived but using concrete blocks instead of sun-dried adobe which was common for the Pueblo Indians and the Spanish.
Concrete blocks, flat roofs, adobe-covered walls, benches that are anchored in walls, wood or brick, or even flagstone floors, these house styles are very interesting, to say the least.
The Federal Style – the 1740s until 1850s
The Federal style is what characterizes buildings such as the White House. This style is known by many names, Adam being another one of them. The three Scottish brothers, named Adam, adapted the Georgian style, as well as parts from Greek and Roman architecture. These are typical buildings using Palladian windows, meaning oval and large windows. They are also characterized by a balustrade, flat roofs, and Greek pillars in front of the house or mansion. This is a typical American-style house.
American-style houses are aplenty, as there have been many people inhabiting the North American continent before their own style of architecture was established. These styles are some of the most interesting ones, but take note that they are not the only ones.
