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Traditional homes are some of the most common styles built throughout the United States. These floor plans are designed to accommodate the American way of life. Traditional homes are kind of a mix of several other styles but there are some basics that are usually consistent throughout traditional designs: Simple, often hipped roof lines. Brick or stucco exteriors are most common. Traditional plans are often single level floor plans with steeper roof pitches though lofts or bonus rooms are quite common. Covered porches. Open foyers.
Traditional house plans of today combine many of the styles below.
- Federal Colonial: Box- shaped, multi-storied, symmetrical house with clapboard or brick exterior walls, one or more chimneys, windows with small glass panes, usually no porch but an elaborate surround for the front door, which has sidelites and an elliptical transom. Other characteristics include a low pitched roof or flat roof with a balustrade, shuttered windows symmetrically arranged around a center doorway, circular or elliptical windows, decorative swags and garlands, paladin windows, and dentil moldings. Easy to confuse with Georgian style, the Federal style was more graceful and ornate. 1730-1830.
- Cape Cod: Very small, compact, symmetrical house with a central entrance and sleeping quarters in the attic. Always 1 1/2 stories. There are usually no halls- rooms are reached by walking through other rooms. May have a very narrow overhang for front door but usually no porches.
- Dutch Colonial: Usually has a gambrel roof with dormers and wide flaring eaves, or parapet walls with chimneys. Most built as one story houses, with the attic used as sleeping quarters. Other characteristics include wide overhangs, gable ends with small oval windows, 8- over- 8 windows, and dormers. In traditional dutch colonial, walls were made of stone only, but modern homes use a variety of materials. 1900-1925.
- Early Classical Revival: Signaled a return to the classical forms of Greek and Roman architecture following the elaborately detailed period of Victorian architecture. Characteristics include colossal porticos, large columns, pilasters, pedimented windows, classical frieze, dentils and domes. Buildings are generally masonry structures of monumental proportions, using terra cotta, brick, and stone materials. 1770-1920.
- Georgian: Stately and symmetrical, these homes generally have a paneled front door in center with flattened columns on either side of the door and a decorative crown over the door, five windows across the front, medium pitched roof with minimal overhang, and chimneys on both gable ends. Very little ornamentation. Most popular period: 1690-1830
- Saltbox: Usually two stories, square or rectangular house with a steep gable roof that extends down to the first story in the rear. Exterior walls are usually clapboard or shingles, but modern homes can be masonry. Most have either a large central chimney or end chimneys, usually no decorative elements on exterior of building and no porch or overhang for front door.
- Plantation/Greek Revival: The most easily identified features of this type of building are the tall columns, most 2 stories high, which can be either only in the front or around the entire building, sometimes with a 2-storied porch. Most southern plantations were built in this style. Other characteristics include a pedimented gable at the front of the home, symmetrical shape, heavy cornice, and simple moldings. Height of popularity: 1825-1890.
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