Cape Cod homes are similar to the British or American Colonial homes, though they originated further north in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. These are often seen as the classic American family home since the style’s revival in the 20th Century.

Cape Cod homes are identified by their:

• Shingle exteriors
• Modest size and ornamentation compared to British Colonial homes
• Originally single-story homes
• Large central fireplaces
• Attic lofts (20th-century revival)
• Dormer windows (20th-century revival)

Cape Cod homes are built of local wood and stone to withstand the north-eastern weather. This exterior weathering provides an iconic weathered-blue color to these homes.

The Royal Exchange in London was founded in the 16th century by the merchant Sir Thomas Gresham on the suggestion of his factor Richard Clough to act as a centre of commerce for the City of London.[1] The site was provided by the City of London Corporation and the Worshipful Company of Mercers, who still jointly own the freehold. It is trapezoidal in shape and is flanked by Cornhill and Threadneedle Street, which converge at Bank junction in the heart of the city. It lies in the ward of Cornhill.

It has twice been destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt. The present building was designed by Sir William Tite in the 1840s. The site was notably occupied by the Lloyd's insurance market for nearly 150 years. Today the Royal Exchange contains Fortnum & Mason The Bar & Restaurant, luxury shops, and offices.

Traditionally, the steps of the Royal Exchange are the place where certain royal proclamations (such as the dissolution of parliament) are read out by either a herald or a crier. Following the death or abdication of a monarch and the confirmation of the next monarch's accession to the throne by the Accession Council, the Royal Exchange Building is one of the locations where a herald proclaims the new monarch's reign to the public.

Contemporary homes resemble the modern homes of the mid-20th century with a renewed emphasis on sustainability. Current contemporary styles are rooted in minimalism, which you can see in these key features:

• Asymmetrical exterior
• Clean lines
• Open floor plan layout
• Geometry highlighted in its structure
• Sustainable building materials and features

Contemporary homes aim to find beauty in a simple and appealing design with ties to nature and more warmth than modern home styles offer.

Second Empire homes were a modern Victorian-era style that started in France before spreading through the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. Second Empire architecture features similar ornate Victorian trends, though generally offers a simplified Victorian aesthetic.

These elements help identify a Second Empire home:

• Uniquely shaped Mansard Roof
• Decorative window framing and dormers
• Decorative rails or balustrades around terraces and staircases
• Iron roof crest and eaves with support brackets

Second Empire homes are also easy to identify since they’re the only Victorian-era style that often features a symmetrical, rectangular floor plan.

Townhomes are common in cities and densely populated neighborhoods. Townhouses are tall and narrow homes designed to make the most out of vertical space without too much of a yard or garden area.

Homes are considered townhouses when they:

• Share one or two walls with adjacent homes
• Have their own entrances
• Are built with multiple floors to maximize vertical space
• Often share a similar style to their neighbors’ homes and may operate under an HOA

Townhouses can be built to mimic other architecture styles, like Italianate and Greek Revival, while maintaining the condensed, vertical floor plan.

The French Colonial house style can be seen around the world and has significant variety among its sub-styles.

French Colonial houses have the same symmetry as other Colonial homes with these distinct features:

• Dormer windows, including one centered above the door
• External stairs to enter higher floors
• Iron stairs and balconies
• Slightly raised basements to support the floor

French Colonial houses are most similar to Spanish Colonial houses and easily identified by their elaborate iron balconies, stairs, and entrances.

Federal-style homes became popular after the American Revolution and were a refined upgrade to the popular Georgian house style. They have the same recurring shape and symmetry as other Colonial house styles, but their delicate ornamentation sets them apart.

Federal Colonial homes often feature:

• A layout built around a central hall
• An elliptical fanlight and two flanking lights (windows) around the door
• Paladin or tripartite windows

The elliptical fanlights and paladin windows are key distinguishing features from Georgian-style homes.

Queen Anne homes were popularized in the later Victorian era, beginning around 1880. This style is the quintessential Victorian home for many, with ornate woodworking and decor inside and out.

Queen Anne homes have key regional differences across the country, but maintain these essentials:

• Textured walls with decorative shingles or half-timbering
• Large round or polygonal tower at the home’s corner
• Steeply pitched and asymmetrical roof
• Decorative spindles on porches and trim
• Decorative single-pane or stained glass windows

Queen Anne architecture is most common in homes, but can also be seen in schools, churches, and office buildings.

Most Dutch Colonial homes you find today are actually from the Colonial Revival period of the early 20th Century. Original Dutch Colonial homes feature flared roof eaves and creative wood and brickwork. They are much more ornamental than classic Colonial homes, though the Dutch Colonial Revival style tends to be more subdued than the original Dutch Colonial homes.

Dutch Colonial Revival houses feature:

• Broad gambrel roofs that are visually similar to barn-style roofs
• Open-floor plans
• Flared roof eaves
• Split doors

The large barn-style roofs are the most identifiable feature of a Dutch Colonial home and even became known as “Dutch roofs.”

The American Farmhouse is a simple and timeless style. Farmhouses are designed to be practical first and foremost. They’re common across the US and often showcase regional variations, like wrap-around porches in the South.

Farmhouses have evolved with time and location, but often feature these elements:

• Rectangular floor plan
• Large front porches
• Natural wood and stone materials
• Few and small windows
• Formal front rooms separated from family rooms

Of course, the easiest way to identify a farmhouse is that they’ll often be situated on a large plot of farmland.