30 Popular Architectural Home Styles

Art Deco comes from various influences including ancient Egypt, Hollywood and French decorative arts. The art deco movement became popular in the 1920s as part of the modernist trend and jazz era that influenced music, fashion and art. The look took off in New York City where skyscrapers being built at that time such as The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building were all about art deco style. They were constructed with shiny steel to give them a futuristic look. Clean lines and patterns like zigzags, chevrons and crown-like shapes were also used to add a sophisticated vibe. Art deco took on different looks as it crossed the country, many variations were constructed of terra cotta and stucco with colorful and ornate patterns, curved corners and tall windows. The colorful structure pictured above is located in Miami’s South Beach. The area is famous for its art deco architecture where homes and apartment buildings boast geometric patterns, rounded corners and bold tropical colors. Art Deco style is also referred to as art nouveau, bauhaus or cubism.

Barnomiumin is a relatively new type of architectural style. The term is a portmanteau formed from barn and condominium; barn for the style, and condominium for the large divided space. People have been converting barns into homes for years, but what is new is the trend of building a new structure that is large enough to house a living area and an attached utilitarian space such as a workshop, warehouse or multi-car garage for a work-play lifestyle. The utilitarian space — made for either commercial or recreation use — can be as big as or even bigger than the living space, thus sometimes called a “shouse” — shop + house. Also called “barndos,” these large structures are most often found in rural areas and building plans are easy to come by and customizable to fit on any plot of land. A barndominium home doesn’t necessarily have any distinctive architectural features, they can have the traditional barn-style gambrel roof, clerestory or metal roof and be constructed from steel or wood. On the inside, barndominiums commonly have an open floor plan with rustic and industrial touches.

The first Cape Cod homes were built in the 1600s by Colonial settlers. They were inspired by Britain's thatched cottages, but built with steeper roofs and larger chimneys to withstand the cold New England winters. Windows flanking the front door, dormer windows on the second floor and cedar shingles are typical of the style. Most of today's Cape Cods were built in the 1930s and '40s. They were also the first home style used in modestly priced housing developments that popped up across the country after World War II. Even though their origins are in the Northeast, Cape Cod-style homes can be found across the country like this adorable home in Kalamazoo, Michigan, that was built in 1938.

Some may consider contemporary and modern architecture to be essentially the same thing. However, contemporary refers to today's building styles, which can vary in design and appearance. Modern architecture refers to design inspired by the historical art movement of modernism that started in the early 1900s. Both styles are similar in that they look to connect indoors and outdoors, but contemporary homes tend to emphasize energy efficiency, sustainable materials, lots of natural light and the use of recycled non-toxic materials. Case-in-point: HGTV’s Smart Home 2025. The 1980s house was renovated using green and recycled materials, and the new design features huge windows and skylights to let in tons of natural light, an interior living garden and plenty of outdoor living spaces.