Most of these styles still continue to be an inspirational influence for many. Be it small design features, an entire layout or the materials used, modern home architecture still holds many qualities of the designs that have appeared over time, while some continue to be used in their entirety even today. Every house style has a distinct quality about it, setting it apart from the others. 

Here are some house styles that you can seek inspiration from for your home: 

1. BUNGALOW 

The bungalow home architecture began in India itself During the colonial reign, it was one of the most popular house layouts, and was often viewed as an easy to set up home. To date, bungalows are associated with large and spacious homes that have a luxe quality about them. Typically, a bungalow home follows a low rise layout. This means that they have either one or two stories at the maximum. They are built to follow a square or rectangular form, and kept close to the ground, but usually made wider instead. 

One of the most distinct features is it’s inclusion of a verandah. Verandah or courtyards have been a feature in most ancient and modern Indian homes, as an outdoor space to relax and enjoy in. The overhanging roofs, further, are a striking feature that sets apart the gorgeous bungalows from the rest. Bungalows, even today, are a loved style and widely used with tweaks to suit today’s design needs. 

2. CAPE COD 

Cape cod is yet another stunning yet simple home architectural style. The style, originating in New England, is almost a storybook style of homes. It is usually kept in a low rise format, much like bungalows. What sets them apart is the features that characterize cape cod homes. Cape cod homes focused a lot on symmetrical and balanced façades for the exterior, to create a uniform design. Further cape cod homes, put in a steep and slanted roof with a noticeable chimney. 

This style was fairly traditional and looked rather enchanting. The most distinct feature of this style, however, is it’s utilization of dormers. Dormers or windows that pop out through the roof were featured in almost all cape cod homes. The exterior was usually kept rather simple. The idea of this style was to create a simplistic house that stands apart in comfort and gives a cozy feeling. 

3. CRAFTSMAN 

Emerging in the early 20th century, the craftsman style was a distinct one in itself. Ornate and lovely, this style drew its inspiration from nature. The craftsman style of homes were unique in the sense that it laid a lot of focus on handicrafts and locally sourced materials. The designs were rather simplistic and made while keeping nature in mind. From the detailing to the textures utilized in the design, nature was the running theme. 

Exposed beams and huge wrap around porches were a distinct feature in this style as a way to keep the natural rustic charm in the home. The color palette too was planned to resonate with earthy and warm tones of nature. This style developed homes with an open and seamless layout in mind, with simple and classic exteriors giving it a dreamy look. 

4. ROWHOUSE 

In cities where people continue to migrate and set base, finding ample space for everyone is a task. This is why architects came up with the solution to create rowhouse homes that are longer in length, or literally traditional home layouts flipped sidewards. This gave the opportunity to offer comfortable living within a fraction of the space. These houses are usually designed in blocks, with low rise uniform buildings throughout the block. These homes were made to save space and thus lacked a yard, instead, were connected directly to the sidewalks. 

This style is still very prominent in the western countries. Row house homes are built literally adjacent to each other, meaning that the windows are concentrated to the front of the house. Further, the design was kept simple yet functional. While uniform, the exteriors had some tonal variation to distinguish them, while the interior remained a classic one featuring wooden floors and fireplaces. 

5. FRENCH COUNTRY 

French country homes are luxury living personified. The french country style of home architecture has been a prevalent one for a long time and continues to inspire chic and classy design trends even today. French country homes are characterized primarily by their exterior facades. Drawing from nature, french country homes utilized rustic stone work facades for the exterior. The roofs were usually built to be taller and sloping downwards creating a hut shape atop. 

Windows too were designed to give an illusion of height to the exterior by creating symmetrical designs often with some sort of framing and window sills attached. The interior was mostly kept to exude simple rustic charm with exposed brick, wooden beams making appearances. The layout was made with soft shapes in mind as opposed to edgy and sharp designs for a subtle and elegant look. 

6. ANTEBELLUM 

Antebellum architecture for homes saw its peak before the civil war in the 1860s. The antebellum style was all about grandeur. The layouts and designs were extremely elaborate and filled with grand features. The features characterizing this style were many. To begin with, this style featured balconies that wrapped around the edges of a house very often. The entrances and foyers were made to look and feel grand with ornate plaster detailing and plenty of space. 

The windows too, were kept to be comparatively bigger, bringing in a ton of natural light. Dramatic columns, throughout the interior and even on the exterior were installed to create a dramatic look. Fabulously furnished entryways, and grand stairways, made this style a true treat to look at.  

7. ITALIANATE 

Inspired by the Italian renaissance era, the Italianate style of architecture for homes is rather charming. The Italianate homes brough the features of rustic and elegant charm to homes. The structures were usually up to four stories high, with balconies making appearances on each floor. The exteriors and buildings were dominated with features of bricks and wooden planks. Despite the rustic elements, the exterior and interior design saw a lot of intricate and fine detailing. 

From molding to columns, extravagant sculpting and detailing was used to accentuate. The overhanging eaves too, were a running feature in Italianate homes. The entryway, in particular, was crafted with utmost diligence to evoke a fancy vibe with rich detailing. The use of double doors and arched bay windows added to the extravagance of this style. 

8. PRAIRIE 

Prairie homes had a rather distinct approach. While most styles focus on detailing and grand features, the prairie architecture was all about creating simple yet functional homes. The idea was to create homes that look beautiful without unnecessary decking up. The prairie style thus focused on effective designs that had  subtle charm. The roofs in these homes were flat as horizontal layouts were mostly preferred in thai style. From the window placement to the interior design simple horizontal lines were mostly preferred. 

It utilized the simplest of materials to create arid and open floor plans while also planning for the interiors and exteriors to flow into each other seamlessly.  Another notable feature of this style is it’s utilization of organic materials and textures, creating sustainable and simplistic designs, using only what is needed. 

9. MID CENTURY MODERN 

Inspired by the call for modernity, modern home architecture is all about minimalism. A popular style even today, the modern style homes prioritized functionality and simplicity. The designs usually see a lot of sharp geometric features and details. The layouts are kept clean and open, with no ornate detailing, rather a subtle approach is taken. The layouts are made with a split level elevation in mind, featuring smaller staircases separating living areas from the rest of the house. 

A stark feature of this style is the advent of ceiling to floor windows. These windows are made so to give a view of the outdoors and bring in ample natural light into use. The decor and interiors are kept rather simple, often utilizing monochromatic palettes. This approach also focused a lot on connecting with the outdoors by making multiple access points to the outside around the house. These homes have a subtle yet edgy approach to them, creating harmonious designs. 

10. CONTEMPORARY 

Often mixed up with the mid century modern, contemporary homes have a different approach. In terms of overall design, contemporary homes are similar to mid century modern in terms of focus on simplicity and neat designs.  However, the main difference lies in the construction style and the layout, which is made with the theme of sustainability in mind. From using energy efficient technologies, to utilizing sustainable and toxin free materials, the designs are made with sustainability at heart. 

The focus is to protect and promote nature, first through responsible design and then through accentuating nature in the house by embracing biophilic design. This style focuses more on natural and curvy shapes for a soft look to a space and gives way to abstract and asymmetrical designs too. Contemporary homes are the perfect blend of nature and technology for fine living. 

Above is  a round up of 10 different types of home architecture, each truly remarkable. From old world charm to modern futuristic approaches, every home has a distinct quality to it. Seek inspiration from the above styles while making your home for the ideal look.