Here are the most popular house styles (and the least popular, too)
Here are the most popular house styles (and the least popular, too)
Are you drawn by the warm and woodsy Craftsman? Perhaps the clean lines of the Contemporary style or the nostalgic comfort of the Colonial is more your thing?
Naming your housing style at the beginning of the process will guide your design and decor decisions cohesively, and help you understand which floor plans suit your budget, lifestyle and aesthetic goals.
For inspiration, we have compiled the most popular housing styles in 2024. While popularity around certain housing styles varies regionally, these are some of the most sought-after, coast to coast.
In no particular order, here are the most popular house styles explained, and their most distinguishable features identified.
Craftsman Style
The Craftsman style home celebrates the simple beauty and attention to detail with handcrafted goods. It’s named in homage to the Craftsman and the patient skill required to design and build these homes, where millwork and artisanal details are prevalent.
It is one of the most coveted housing styles in 2024, according to HousePlans. Its timeless, quiet beauty and functional floor plans make it a big draw for house hunters.
The Craftsman emerged as a housing style on the heels of the Industrial Revolution in Europe, arriving in the United States in the early 20th century.
Homeowners were looking for homes that, while ornate with intricate details, were warm, simple, and durable, in contrast with the formal and mass-produced houses that were generated thanks to the tech introduced during the Industrial Revolution.
Some distinguishable features of Craftsman homes include steeply-pitched roofs, dormer-style windows, a wide front porch, often with columns, a walkway (natural stone is popular) that leads to the front door, and simple, understated landscaping that serves to accentuate architectural features. The Craftsman is usually a single story, or sometimes a story-and-a-half.
Most common exterior colors are earthy browns, greens and taupes, but brighter colors are trending for Craftsmans too, particularly blue, red and yellow.
Interiors are designed with comfort in mind, with lots of wood detailing and abundant windows to usher in natural light to counter the aesthetic weight of wood. Floor plans typically balance open concept living areas with defined spaces adjacent to open areas.
Cape Cod Style
Cape Cod style homes are usually a single story, with a low, rectangular profile. They have a side gabled, steeply-pitched roof, a central chimney and dormer windows, often with shutters.
The central chimney plays a role in balancing the aesthetic, but was also functional in the early iterations of the Cape Cod style home, which were first built in the 1600s by the Puritans. The fireplace was meant to heat the whole house, so it required a central location.
The small, simple, boxy home style hints of an English cottage, but evolved over the years to be more durable in a sometimes-harsh New England climate: for example, shutters were installed to block sea breezes and ceilings were low to keep warmth in the rooms.
Traditional Cape Cod homes are clad in cedar shake tiles on the roof, and sometimes on walls, but clapboard or shiplap are common siding choices, lending a nautical appearance.
Inside, decor choices tend to lean towards beachy and coastal, with blues, yellows and greens, and comfortable furniture made from materials such as wicker, pine and oak, similar to what you would find at a beachside cottage.
Victorian Style
Victorian housing style describes the architecture used during Queen Victoria’s reign from the mid 19th century, through to the early 20th century. Victorian style actually extends to cover several sub-styles, including Gothic, Italinate and Queen Anne, among others, but there are certain defining characteristics they all share.
Victorian style homes consciously make use of vertical space, with long, tall windows adorned with stained or leaded glass, and intricately-styled roof systems that draw the eye upwards. Often Victorian style homes stretch up three stories.
They also focus on streetside curb appeal, with elegant, extended porches, balconies, turrets, towers and steeply-pitched, irregular rooflines, bay windows and asymmetrical design. They boast colorful exteriors, with pinks, yellows and blues a frequent choice.
Perhaps most distinguishing with this housing style is the gingerbread trim that lines eaves and front porches.
The traditional Victorian style floor plan is compartmentalized and boxy, in contrast to today popular, free-flowing open concept.
Historically, the floor plan design was in part strictly utilitarian, as spaces in the home were often divided by function. Kitchens, for example, were located at the rear of the home, where servants prepared food, and the rooms were often hot, messy and noisy, while rooms dedicated to entertaining were at the front of the home. This design also helped with ventilation during the era as well.
Today’s modern floor plans feature some of the hallmark Victorian style, including a scullery or a butler’s pantry away from main areas for prep and storage.
Colonial Style
Although this popular housing style originated many years ago, built by European settlers throughout the 17th to the 19th centuries, Colonials are enjoying a revival.
Many of today’s homeowners feel a nostalgic connection to the home, reminding them of their childhood home, or home of their grandparents, with Neocolonial (a blend of Colonial and Federal styles) characterizing a lot of the newly-built housing stock during the late 1970s and 1980s in the United States.
This formality of this popular house style comes partly from its staunch symmetry, with a rectangular, boxy design that extends up at least two, if not three, stories, with a stately front door centrally positioned to establish the balance. The facade is graced with columns and a covered porch.
Rooflines are steeply pitched, and feature gables, dormer windows with shutters and a chimney, adding to the symmetry.
This symmetry continues inside the Colonial style home, with balanced, closed- off spaces, long hallways, a formal foyer that unfolds into a grand, central staircase.
Colonial style homes comprise several sub-styles, many of which reflect regional differences, including Dutch Colonial, Southern Colonial, British Colonial, and French Colonial
Cottage Style
While features vary, there are some general common characteristics with Cottage style homes: One to one-and-a-half stories, a steeply-pitched gable or thatched roof, a front porch and lush landscaping (think English garden with blooms and greenery).
Part of the architectural style is functionally inspired, modeled after British country cottages, where the climate is notoriously damp. The angle of the roof directs water away from the home, and helps to prevent ice damming in colder regions.
While Cottage style homes resemble Cape Cod style homes, they are less formal, with asymmetrical facades; the front door might be offset, and banks of windows might be clustered, as opposed to evenly spaced.
Interiors embrace natural warmth, with lots of wood, natural stone, and often vintage decor and furniture. A fireplace or a wood-burning stove is usually a primary focal point. With a tight footprint, the floor plan is usually open concept, with a single space serving for kitchen, dining and living area.
Cottage style homes are growing in popularity with homeowners who prioritize sustainability, as its smaller, efficient size means a smaller carbon footprint. They are also a compelling housing style for homeowners looking to downsize. This growing buyer segment has pushed this housing style up in the rankings for popular housing styles, according to HousePlans.
Also common with cottages are a low-profile fence edging the property
Ranch Style
Traditionally, one-level living has been the domain of retirees, but homeowners across demographics are leaning towards a single story because of the smart use of space and lifestyle-friendly features. Its' broad-based appeal makes it one of the top housing styles for 2024, according to HousePlans.
Typically, today’s Ranch style homes offer open-concept floor plans, with wide sightlines and abundant natural light, all features that homeowners prioritize.
A Ranch style home offers separation between common spaces and bedrooms, typically with an open-concept living/dining/kitchen area, and a primary suite tucked off to one wing of the house, and secondary bedrooms on the opposite side of the common areas in another wing.
Ranch style homes typically have soaring ceilings and tons of windows, so the design is inherently airy and bright.
They favor indoor/outdoor connection, usually with dedicated outdoor space at the rear of the home, with decks, porches and outdoor rooms.
A few considerations for designing and building a Ranch style home:
They often need more land than other housing types, given their footprint is long and wide, as opposed to using vertical space, so that could limit location options.
While open-concept is great for flow, it’s a challenge to contain and muffle noise, which could be challenging for a family engaging in the main area, while kids are sleeping in the secondary bedroom wing. You can dampen acoustics with wall treatments and lush textiles and rugs.
Farmhouse Style
Spoiler alert: most Farmhouse style homes are not on a farm.
This rustic housing style is as much about how it makes you feel, as how it looks, and homeowners love that idyllic charm. This is likely why the Farmhouse was far and away the most popular housing style in 2024, according to HousePlans.
The Farmhouse has two sub-styles: Traditional Farmhouse and Modern Farmhouse. The Traditional Farmhouse is more laid back, and relies centrally on natural patina for personality, while the Modern Farmhouse tilts slightly towards a minimalist vibe, with curated interior and exterior elements that incorporate on-trend materials.
The Farmhouse exterior is understated, and may feature board-and-batten or paneling, in the Traditional Farmhouse style, with metal or more industrial materials for a Modern Farmhouse.
Historically, farmhouses were constructed on farmlands, with whatever materials were easily on hand, thus the heavy influence of warm woods, natural stone and other natural materials.
Typical design elements include open-concept floor plans, exposed beams, shiplap, reclaimed wood, rustic, oversize and comfortable furniture, lots of natural light, high ceilings, black-framed windows, cage fixtures, and open shelving.
The Farmhouse kitchen is both beautiful and highly functional, with a deep and wide sink as a focal point, often made from stainless steel or porcelain. Also notable in a Farmhouse kitchen are butcher block countertops.
Barndimonium Style
Trending is the Barndimonium, a riff off of the Modern Farmhouse, popular with new construction, although existing barn structures are being converted to homes in this style as well. Its design incorporates an open-concept living area with work space.
These homes are either converted from existing barns, or are built to resemble a barn, usually with a metal frame. Inside, features include lofty ceilings and a wide open, fully customizable floor plan.
Barndimoniums (or Barndos for short) jumped in popularity in 2024, according to HousePlans, and are a housing style commonly featured in design makeover shows. It’s no wonder they are so popular, as the housing style promotes several other sub-trends in 2024, including a priority for cozy homes, open- concept living, flexible spaces, and a wood-heavy aesthetic.
The other reason that Barndominiums are so popular is more practical. They are typically cheaper to build, compared to a traditional home, and are often able to be built more quickly as well.
Barndos are comprised mostly of wood and steel, fusing rustic charm with a little industrial grit, with regional influences dictating which materials are most heavily weighted, with the Midwest favoring wood, and metal more dominant in the South and Southeast.
Barndominiums are particularly popular with DIY enthusiasts. It’s common for these homeowners to build the Barndo structure, and then to tackle inside finishes piecemeal, when time and budget allow.
Contemporary Style
Contemporary housing style is often used interchangeably with Modern housing style, and while some elements overlap, they are actually distinct architectural periods and distinct housing styles.
Contemporary housing style generally reflects what is current- in terms of the latest in tech, materials and trends, and you’ll find this style makes up a sizable proportion of new build homes today.
Incorporating a generally minimalist approach, exteriors tend to be boxy, with flat rooflines. Windows are abundant and often extend from floor-to-ceiling, or may be sliding glass doors. Exterior materials tend to be mixed, often with a hint of industrial grit, such as stucco, concrete, brick steel, and wood.
Another identifying feature with a Contemporary home the is the prevalence of sustainable design, materials, and lifestyle-based functionality. That includes smart tech, design that supports solar panels and other renewable energy, and sustainable decor choices, including natural stone, bamboo, and wood.
The look here is generally sophisticated and polished, made comfortable with thoughtful design touches. Open-concept floor plans, design elements that support open sightlines and the free flow of light and air, including open-riser, stringer staircases, glass panels, transparent or translucent light fixtures, and high-gloss decor.
Art Deco Style (With a Twist)
While Art Deco style home exteriors are not currently popular, Art Deco interiors are, because of the way that the aesthetic supports maximalism, which is a common thread through many of this year’s trends.
Popularized in the 1920 and 1930s, Art Deco was a movement reflected across all things design, including, housing, decor, fashion, and consumer goods. It originated in France, but quickly spread to the U.S. and Europe as the roaring 20s created an atmosphere for celebration and relative opulence.
The design motif focuses on symmetry, with pattern emphasis, as well as dramatic linear shapes, such as chevrons, zigzags, trapezoids, and lightning bolts. More traditional rectangular and triangular shapes are common, along with long, undulating curves, displayed in architectural features, such as arched doorways.
Colors are bright and bold, usually with bedazzled jewel tones, with amethyst, emerald and ruby shades very common.
Metallics play a prominent role, particularly the more reflective ones, such as stainless steel, chrome, gold and brass, appearing often on fixtures, and as trim on furniture, art and accents.
Mediterranean Style
Inspired by Mediterranean coastal homes in Europe, the Mediterranean style home focuses on easy-breezy living, facilitated by design that elevates an indoor-outdoor connection. There are variations on this style, influenced by regional differences, from the Aegean blues of Greece, warm terracotta-inspired colors of Morocco, as well as Italy and Spain.
While this popular housing style can be found throughout the United States, it is most common in coastal communities, particularly in Florida and California.
Colors are often less saturated and lighter. Plastered white walls are meant to serve as a canvas, with intentional pops of color. The aesthetic focuses on layering of texture, with items such as embroidered fabrics, woven rugs, and wrought iron detailed accents.
Exposed beams, exposed brick with natural patina, intricate ceiling details, terracotta (which is a common flooring material), patterned tiles, natural stone, and a soft, earth-inspired color palette combine for an old-world feel.
Whereas some popular housing styles go for angular balance, Mediterranean style is all about curves, from the exterior facade, to interior archways. The exterior facade usually is covered in stucco, in a variety of earthy colors, with classic clay roof tiles and lush landscaping.
What are the least popular house styles?
After learning the most popular house styles, are you curious which ones are the least popular?
Shipping Container Homes
While shipping container homes are an affordable, quick-to-build housing option, they aren’t for everyone. Constructed from shipping containers that are used to ship materials and goods over the ocean, this home style is durable, weather-resistant, and stackable.
However, homeowners reportedly have had challenges getting permits to renovate and build, and for zoning regarding land upon which to put the home.
Their austere shape and steel construction make them stackable, but also means they can’t be modified to suit different floor plan layouts easily.
Log Cabins
Log cabins are rustic and appealing, but typically are built only in forested or rural areas. There is benefit to using logs as a construction material, as they have high thermal mass (i.e. slow heat transfer) and offer a lot of energy efficient benefits over stick-built homes.
However, log cabins require a lot more maintenance over traditionally built homes to maintain the logs. Also, log cabins are inherently dark, so it can be challenging to create a light and airy aesthetic, which is a trending priority for homeowners.
Shotgun Homes
Shotgun homes don’t have hallways. Rooms stack one behind the other, so that in theory, if you fired a shotgun at the front door, it could travel in a straight line out the back door, hence the name of this housing style.
However, the real benefit of this design is its energy efficiency, and ability to create cross ventilation, which is why you’ll find them predominantly in southern states, particularly New Orleans.
They are not as popular in other regions, as their construction is quite narrow and long, compared to other housing types, which is not as popular a layout as other housing style types.
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