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Architectural Styles

Six ways of thinking about a house, and what each one asks of its site and its owners.
Modern two-story house with white volumes and a dark upper story

Modern

Modern houses rely on clean geometry, flat roofs and large panes of glass. Ornament gives way to proportion, and the plan tends to open rather than divide.

White modern farmhouse with black window frames and a metal roof in a green meadow

Modern Farmhouse

One of America's most popular home styles, the modern farmhouse pairs board-and-batten siding and metal roofs with open, light-filled rooms. Deep porches keep it welcoming, and clean lines keep it current.

Contemporary house with timber cladding, an angled roof and a stone base

Contemporary

Contemporary design borrows freely. Warm timber, stone and angled roofs soften modern lines, so these homes feel current without feeling severe.

Minimalist house of pale plaster volumes with a recessed timber entrance

Minimalist

Minimalist homes remove everything that does not earn its place. What stays is light, material and careful proportion, which makes every detail matter.

Tropical house with a broad timber roof and an open-sided living pavilion

Tropical

Tropical houses are designed for heat and rain. Broad roofs, shaded verandas and cross-ventilated rooms blur the line between indoors and garden.

Mediterranean villa with white stucco, a terracotta roof and arched loggias

Mediterranean

Mediterranean villas pair thick pale walls with terracotta roofs and arched loggias. Their shaded outdoor rooms suit warm, bright climates.