There was a renewed interest in handcrafted art and design following the industrial revolution. This became the “Arts and Crafts” era and paved the way for the Craftsman home, or “arts and crafts” home.

Craftsman homes focus on simplicity to counter the ornate stylings of Victorian homes. They’re also designed to highlight the craftsmanship of its builders and include:

• A low-pitched roof with overhanging eaves
• A covered porch
• Woodwork including exposed beams and built-in features like shelving
• Natural tones to complement the warmth from woodworking

Craftsman homes are favored for their character and are another versatile style that may borrow common elements from other home styles.

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.

Gothic Revival architecture grew in the mid-19th century and was one of the early styles of Victorian-era homes. The Gothic Revival style takes influence from Medieval Europe and was designed as a country home. Architects believed the asymmetrical design and ornamentation complemented the nature of rural America.

Gothic Revival homes can be identified by their:

• Pointed arch in windows, doors, and decoration
• Elaborate wood trim vergeboards and bargeboards
• Steeply pitched roofs and front-facing gables
• Towers and turrets resembling medieval castles

Gothic Revival architecture was a popular style for schools and churches as well as rural homes.

A French Country home has a rustic yet upscale charm. French Country architecture is designed after French chateaus and became popular with American soldiers returning from World War I.

French Country homes offer a unique house style featuring:

• Steep pitched or hipped roofs
• Tall ceilings and windows
• Traditional materials including clay, stone, and brick offer a rustic appeal
• Exposed wooden beams in ceilings and walls

French Country homes are designed with their environment in mind. They often feature neutral colors with soft, nature-inspired pops of color like sunshine yellows and grass greens.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.