Originated in 17th century New England, Cape Cod homes are generally one-and-a-half stories with a steeply pitched roof. Traditional in style, windows are generally multi-paned with shutters on each side.

Colonial homes have wide and varied styles due to influences from Dutch, French, Spanish, New England, and Georgian architecture. Like other traditional-style homes, Colonial homes are often fitted with multi-paned windows and shutters. Ventilation is important in Colonial homes due to its older structure with little or no open space layout.

The Tudor style has been around for several hundred years, developing out of fifteenth-century English during the Tudor period. Defining features include brick and stone exterior, arched doorways, and combinations of tall, narrow windows with dark trim. Many of these homes contain exposed wood features that the windows may match or complement.

Clean lines, smooth surfaces, and lots of light encompass the look of contemporary homes. Ornamentation is kept at a minimum to focus on large perceived space and welcome indoor-outdoor living.

American Craftsman style and bungalows are variations of an affordable housing type that swept across America in the early twentieth century. Distinguished with many low-pitched windows and an open floor plan, craftsman and bungalow homes are ideally suited for mild California climates. Bungalow style houses typically have plenty of natural light. The style was initially marked by its modernity and break away from the ornate Victorian-style homes. Craftsman bungalows are now popular with homeowners who want to restore a historic house as many are over 100 years old. Many of these homes have wood features that replacement windows may match or complement.

Frank Lloyd Wright revolutionized the American home when he began to design “Prairie” style houses. Rooms were a direct contrast to the Victorian era style; rather than ‘boxed in’, the interior spaces were open. Mostly an upper class or upper-middle-class movement, prairie style homes usually have low-pitched roofs, horizontal lines, and open interior spaces.

Ranch/Split-Level homes become popular as suburbia expanded to accommodate the growth of families in post-World War II America. Split-level is a variation of the raised Ranch style with a basement, main floor and upstairs. The basement often features a garage that is level with the driveway. Large windows and sliding glass doors are popular in Ranch/Split level homes as the architecture lends towards a more contemporary style.

As the name suggests, Spanish/Mediterranean/Stucco homes are influenced by the region in its descriptive. This ranges from older homes with small windows and large doors topped by arch windows, to new-style Mediterranean homes that have larger windows.

During the twentieth century Industrial Revolution in Great Britain, millions of houses were built in a housing boom now referred to as “Victorian” houses. In the United States, Victorian-era houses often include ornate décor with elaborate details, a multitude of trim and bold color palette.