Find Your Style
Got a favorite style? Pick your favorite(s) from the list below, and we’ll send you an idea or two.
Half Timber (Jacobean) Style
Developed in Medieval times, these buildings were originally constructed using masonry, brick, mud, and other infill between timbers that were split lengthwise (thus the term “half timber”). The framing was visible on both the interior and exterior. In the mid 1600s, English colonists brought the style to the Colonies, but soon realized the harsh weather on our eastern seaboard was problematic. To protect the buildings, settlers began using slightly overlapped horizontal feather-board siding that was tapered to shed the rain. Today, this “clapboard” siding remains a uniquely American architectural element.
Other common features of this style include:
- Steep roof
- Level eaves unbroken by dormers or mixed rooflines
- Second floor “stepped out” a foot or so from the first (an English import that came to be known as the Garrison Colonial style)
Georgian Style
Georgian architecture (1720 to 1770) is the embodiment of balance and symmetry. The scale is grand, but not overbearing. The heavy timbers that support the structure are concealed in the walls, while the joinery is by dowel or nail. (This integration of a timber frame with precisely crafted, uniform walls is considered a “technical” building technique.) By design, Georgian buildings emphasize the horizontal axis, but often feature dormers that break the eave line. Roof pitches tend to be low.
Other common features of this style include:
- Cubic shape (as opposed to rectangular)
- Hip or gable roofline with ornamental fencing
- Clapboard exterior
- Dentil molding along roof eaves
- Symmetrically positioned, multi-paned, double-hung windows
- Quoins
- Centered front entrance with a pediment (either triangular or flat) and pilasters
- Two, three, or four chimneys
- Two or three stories
Federal Style
This style of architecture emerged from 1780 to 1820, just after the U.S. Revolutionary War period. Heavy timbers carry the weight of these buildings. The front elevations typically feature five-over-four windows, as well as fan and sidelights around the front door.
Other common features of this style include:
- Low pitch or nearly flat roof
- Smooth facade
- Pediment over front entry
- Columns and dentil moldings
- Deck with railing for rooftop ornamentation
- Single, double-hung windows
- Louvered shutters
- Central hall plan
Log Style
The Swedes brought log homes to what was then the western U.S. frontier in 1810. The structures later became ubiquitous further west (in the Rocky Mountains) thanks to their ability to withstand large snowfalls. The basic design is based on joining four stacked log walls to carry the weight of the structure. The resulting one-room structure is known as a single “pen.” (Designers later expanded the single pen by adding interior and exterior walls.) Joinery techniques vary from notching the logs in place, to spiking the logs, to corner posts (called “false notching”). In the 1970s, when fuel conservation became a major concern, log home building was revolutionized as designers began developing strategies to deal with log shrinkage and improve air tightness.
Other common features of this style include:
- Oversized eaves and gable overhangs with cantilevered roof beams
- Porches with heavy timber frames and large overhangs
- Stone veneers and columns
- Dormers with large overhangs
Greek Revival Style
America’s first national architecture — Greek Revival — appeared in 1825. The vernacular form suggested columns and beams through bold, exterior trim made with built up boards. The buildings were originally constructed using heavy timbers. In the years following the Civil War, however, the design was adapted to the light timber “balloon” frame and the trim boards were mass-produced. Building a proper Greek Revival structure required not only a practiced eye for design and (more often than not) the use of an 1835 pattern book written by New Jersey architect Minard Lafever. But despite the reliance on basic themes, Greek Revival is truly unique in that its flavor varies from region to region.
Other common features of this style include:
- Rectangular shape with a gable front
- Moderate roof pitch
- Large triangular pediment over front entry
- Columns and pilasters
- Sidelights and transom at the entry
- Cornices and dentils
Shingle Style
Built in the northeastern U.S. between 1880 and 1900, Shingle style was the first Neo-Colonial style and a predecessor for Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style. (In 1905, one of the Shingle style originators, Stanford White, was shot by a jealous millionaire husband. Some people speculate that White’s death may have actually boosted the style’s cachet.) Shingle style designs are most noted for their continuous wood shingle siding, irregular rooflines, extensive porches, and asymmetrical floor plans.
Other common features of this style include:
- Wavy wall surfaces
- Eyebrow dormers
- Rusticated stone
- Rounded arches
Victorian Style
In the late 19th century, nearly every American city had its Victorian section. The style is typically exemplified by a high degree of ornamentation. (One might even call it “decorative exuberance.”) The style is also notable for its complex rooflines and decorative cupolas.
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Other common features of this style include:
- Bay and oriel windows
- Dormers
- Clapboards
- Covered porches
- Mansard roofs
- Turrets
Bungalow Style
The Bungalow style is rooted in India, where style evolved from peasant huts, to British Army tents and huts, and finally to British summer cottages. Compared to the Victorian style of that era, the Bungalow architecture — particularly the space planning— was spare and informal. The Arts and Crafts movement was first to adopt the style, thanks to its simplicity and focus on hand craftsmanship. (Interestingly, the style moved from the western U.S. to the east—opposite the migration pattern of other architectural styles.) During the early 20th century, the style’s popularity grew, prompting the publication of many plan books (descendents of the Greek Revival carpenter guides) and featured in many catalogues and magazines. Sears and Roebuck (and others) even offered pre-cut, assemble-your-own versions of Bungalow Style homes to eager buyers.
Other common features of this style include:
- Single story designs, traditionally with upper rooms in the roof space
- Large overhangs
- Porches
- Heavy, decorative timbers
Barn Style
Emil Hanslin and Suzanne Sisson Hanslin created Barn Style Homes in 1969. Their first structure resembled the Colonial gravity barn — a 1 1/2 - story building with a loft above the main floor and partially walled basement below. In Barn Style buildings, the framing is predominately horizontal and vertical, reflecting the structural stability of post and beam. And, as in a real barn, the entire depth of the timbers shows throughout the interior ( “full reveal”). Thanks to the simplicity of the massing, the exterior can easily be dressed in a variety of exterior styles: Half Timber, Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Victorian Barn, Shingle, Bungalow, or Contemporary.
Other common features of this style include:
- Heavy timbers and roof beams
- Wood walls and roofs
- Sheetrock and other finish materials placed outside the timber frame
- Framing connected using lap joints with spike heads hidden between the timber and the outside wall
Revival Style Timber Framing
Tedd Benson began a revival of timber framing in the early 1970s with his book “Building the Timber Frame House.” These days, America has timber framers aplenty, all of whom focus on the craft of mortise and tenon joinery. The construction methods involved in this style are extremely technical. Smaller builders often celebrate their art by hand-building dramatically vaulted or Medieval timber frames, while much of the work by larger producers is done with computer-driven machines.
Other common features of this style include:
- High volumes of timber
- Hammer-head trusses
- Structural foam panels
Neo-Eclectic Style
In the 1960s, some tract house builders cared enough to include features that bore some resemblance to classic architectural styles. With today’s Neo-Eclectic style, there is no hidebound adherence to the tradition. The resulting structures — which are often enormous — are sometimes (derogatorily) referred to as “McMansions.”
Other common features of this style include:
- Focus on sidewalk appeal and impressiveness.
- Inconsistent or mixed use of period styles.
Credits and Disclaimers
We credit all opinions and facts to scholarly authors and selfless web commentators. All mistakes and general wrong-headedness are solely our doing.
Renderings are by Yankee Barn staff Manny Jasus, Butch De Luca, and Andrew Williams.