26 Popular Types of Houses and Home Styles

Do you plan to purchase or construct a new home? If yes, you must decide the type of house you want.  It’ll be a lot smoother and less stressful if you have an idea of what you’re seeking before diving into the process.

Some of the most popular types of houses include – single-family homes, bungalows, apartments, and condos. Each one differs in terms of size, style, design, and amenities.  In this article, we are going to discuss about 26 different types of houses for your inspiration. 

Understanding these styles and types before construction begins is important. It will help you to easily guide your architect in designing your dream home. 

1. Single-Family Home

If you have a small family, a single-family home is the best option. These houses are very popular in the United States. They stand on their own turf and don’t share walls with other houses. This gives you a lot of privacy and space. 

You will often find these types of houses in suburban areas. They come in all sizes, but what makes them stand out is being on their own, even if neighbors are close by. For many people, these homes embody the classic American dream with their own yard, picket fence, and maybe a two-car garage. 

If you love to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the city, single-family house design is great. You will get plenty of space in the house to decorate your lawn and outdoor landscape. It is also perfect for keeping pets.

2. Apartment House

An apartment is one of many units in a building you rent from a landlord. These types of houses often come with handy perks like on-site repairs, laundry, gyms, or pools. Apartments are great for people who prefer living alone as you have many facilities. 

While you might have less privacy and won’t build equity, these houses are affordable and easy to find. Apartments are very common in urban areas where there is a scarcity of land. If you want to stay in cities, you can go to this type of house. 

3. In-Law Suite

An in-law suite, also known as a granny pod, is like a mini-apartment. It usually includes a bedroom, bathroom, living area, and a small kitchen.

This extra space can be part of the main house, like a renovated garage or basement, or it might be a separate building on the same property. But the key thing is that it always has its own entrance for privacy and easy access.

Basically, it’s a separate living spot that might use the house’s utilities but can be used for aging parents, young adults, guests, or even as a home office or rental space.

4. Condo

If you love apartment perks but want to own your place, a condo could be perfect. Unlike apartments, in a condo, you handle repairs and upkeep. It is like a more upgraded version of apartments. 

Condos are awesome for city life and older adults who want ownership without the hassle of a house. They’re like owning an apartment in a building but with your own responsibilities.

Living in a condo provides a vibrant community, access to shared amenities, and a convenient urban lifestyle. Young and working-class people often prefer living in condos.

5. Carriage House

Carriage houses stand out with their big and arched doors. They used to be homes for horses and carriages built by rich families. Long ago, carriage houses stored horse-drawn carriages for the main house residents. Now, they’re separate buildings on the property, serving as in-law suites or rental spaces for other families. 

They offer flexibility for multi-generational living or renting out to different tenants. You’ll often spot them in cities as a part of regular row houses. These type of houses may also have vintage architecture. 

6. Tiny House

In recent years, tiny houses have become really popular because they’re affordable and eco-friendly. They can be built cheaply and might even have their own water or electricity sources. To be called a tiny house, it’s usually between 100 to 400 square feet and can stay put or be on wheels. 

Singles and couples often prefer tiny homes for freedom. Nowadays, you will find many different types of houses that are tiny. Some are even mobile, letting you move to new spots.

7. Duplex

A duplex is like a regular house cut in half, making two homes in one building. Each side is a separate home with its own entrance. Sometimes, in cities, a duplex can mean an apartment spread across two floors.

It is on two floors with one dining room and kitchen. The house is split into two living spaces with a shared central wall. Although it has two levels, one person owns the entire building, which might have separate entrances for each floor.

8. Townhome

A townhome is like a row of different houses connected by one or two shared walls. Inside, it’s much like a single-family house, but without the complete separation, you’d find in a standalone home. They’re really common in big cities where there’s not a lot of room.

Unlike condos, where ownership might feel alike, townhome owners own both inside and outside. This means they’re in charge of maintaining and keeping up the appearance of the whole place.

9. Colonial House

The colonial style started in the 1600s and 1700s during colonial rule in the United States. It remains super popular for homes across the country. Colonial architecture covers various styles that show how different cultures influenced early American settlers. 

The different types of house include saltbox, Cape Cod, Georgian, French Colonial, Dutch Colonial, Spanish Colonial, and more. These types of houses styles are simple and symmetrical. They are typically two stories high, showcasing a central staircase and a grand entryway.

10. Tudor

The Tudor style started in England and Wales from the late 15th to early 17th centuries. Today’s homes inspired by this style are called Tudor Revival or simply Tudors. They’re known for sturdy construction, asymmetrical designs, and a mix of materials like brick, stucco, wood, and slate on the outside.

Tudor house styles can have two or three stories. They often feel like storybook cottages or castles, showcasing medieval-inspired details. The grand ones might have towers, great for cozy nooks or offices. Inside layouts can vary in shape and size.

11. Bungalow

A bungalow is a cozy house, often one or one and a half stories tall. You can spot it by its low, sloping roof, which sets it apart from other home styles like ranch houses. These types of houses are usually compact, offering less space compared to typical single-family houses. 

Inside, they often have an open layout, where rooms flow into one another without many walls. You’ll often find them in or near cities, attracting urban dwellers who want more than an apartment but not a full-size house.

12. Ranch

A ranch-style home is a single-story house with an open layout, often featuring a low-pitched roof and sliding glass doors. You’ll notice its sprawling design, which can be rectangular, straight, U-shaped, or L-shaped. Unlike some homes where you step up onto a porch to enter, ranch homes usually have ground-level access.

Inside, these homes are airy with open-concept layouts, often having minimal walls between living and dining spaces. They’re built to connect with the outdoors. You might find a low porch linking indoor and outdoor spaces.

13. Cabin

A cabin house is a peaceful retreat usually found in woodland or remote areas, offering a serene getaway from city life. Originally made entirely of wood, these homes have evolved from basic necessities to luxurious accommodations. 

Some people see cabins and cottages as pretty alike, but cabins usually bring out a more rustic and natural vibe. Traditionally, cabins were log-built, but that’s not always the case these days. Nowadays, these types of houses are often built for recreational purposes. 

14. Contemporary House

A contemporary house reflects the latest 21st-century architecture and design trends. These types of houses are super adaptive and often blend different interior styles. For instance, they mix elements from farmhouse, bohemian, and mid-century designs to showcase what’s in vogue.

Today, contemporary homes mix in bits from modernist styles. They love using eco-friendly stuff and aim for clean lines and natural textures in design. Colors are often neutral, but they add splashes of color inside.

15. Mobile Home

A mobile home is a prefab house made in a factory. It’s put on a chassis and moved to a site, either by towing or on a trailer. People use these homes as permanent houses or for holidays. While they’re mostly left in one place, you can even move these types of houses.

A mobile home isn’t like an RV you drive around. It’s a factory-made house. These homes are affordable because they’re simple and made in bulk. People in mobile home parks rent a spot for their house, but some own their own land for it, too.

16. Cape Cod

Cape Cod-style homes are typically one-story houses with a wide rectangular shape. These types of houses have a central chimney as the main element. Their roofs are distinctive, with two sections sloping in opposite directions. 

Cape Cod homes share similarities with traditional American Colonial houses built elsewhere at the same time. To be called a Cape Cod style, certain elements need to be there – like the gabled roof, shingle siding (often gray), and specific window placements. Inside, these homes usually have a narrow staircase called a captain’s stairway.

17. Mansion

Mansions are big houses with beautiful landscapes. They come in various styles and names depending on their features and where they’re located. When you think of a mansion, you might picture a large, landscaped property with lots of rooms, fancy appliances, and extras like pools or guest houses.

While the exact size of a “mansion” varies—some say 5,000 square feet, others say 8,000 or more—it generally implies a big, luxurious house. Similar grand homes include castles, palaces, chateaus, villas, and manors. They all share the same scale of size and luxury.

18. Federal-Style House

A Federal-style house is usually a straightforward square or rectangular shape. These types of houses are a few stories tall and two rooms deep. Sometimes, they have extra parts like wings or dependencies attached. 

These houses showcase geometric designs, like elliptical, circular, or fan-shaped patterns made from lines. If you live in a Federal-style house, you probably love its historic charm. The exterior of these homes is mostly bricks and features a center hall. 

19. Floating Residence

A floating building is a structure designed to float on water with a flotation system at its base. Typically, these buildings are permanently anchored and not meant for navigation. They’re often transported to their location by another ship and can’t move on their own.

Floating buildings are seen as eco-friendly as they don’t disturb the sea floor or marine life. However, constructing them involves pricier raw materials, advanced techniques, and costly machinery. 

20. Farmhouse

Farmhouse-style homes draw inspiration from traditional farmhouses with tall ceilings and spacious front porches. Their layouts are typically rectangular with a central fireplace. These homes often feature white walls, doors, cabinets, and various natural wood elements throughout their interiors.

While some farmhouse-style homes feature barn-shaped roofs, not all do. These types of houses often embrace rustic elements like exposed brick and stone. Modern farmhouse designs blend this rustic aesthetic with cleaner lines and updated features.

21. Container Home

Container homes take advantage of repurposed shipping containers to create living spaces. These dwellings can be made from one or more containers, offering a range of configurations and sizes. Living in these types of houses brings notable benefits. 

The steel used in these containers offers durability and weather resistance, reducing maintenance needs and enhancing fire safety. Additionally, the steel doors provide added security, deterring potential intruders. Overall, container homes offer an affordable and creative alternative to traditional housing.

21. French Country-Style House

French country-style homes draw inspiration from the rural homes in France’s countryside. They differ from farmhouse-style houses, featuring distinctive traits like pointed roofs, stone exteriors, and shuttered windows.

Inside, these homes often showcase elements like weathered wood, stone fireplaces, and calm color schemes with hints of pastels or muted tones. These types of houses opt for a more relaxed and earthy feel compared to lavish Parisian designs. 

22. Underground House

As the name goes, these types of houses are built underground below the surface. Underground homes blend natural surroundings with construction techniques for a unique and eco-friendly living space. These houses use wood and concrete, then cover them partly or entirely with earth, creating energy-efficient and weather-resistant structures.

Underground homes efficiently manage heating and cooling expenses by utilizing natural soil temperatures to regulate interior heat. Building these types of houses isn’t a simple task of piling dirt on the house; it demands specific conditions and know-how to construct and sustain this innovative living style. 

23. Mediterranean House

Mediterranean-style homes have stucco walls, red tile roofs, and beautiful archways. They borrow inspiration from various countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, like – Spain, Italy, and Portugal. You might also hear them called Spanish Colonial or Mission Revival houses.

These types of houses are all about creating a peaceful escape that embraces nature. They often have big windows and doors that lead to outdoor spaces like patios or balconies. With their design, Mediterranean-style homes aim to blend in harmoniously with the natural environment, giving homeowners a calming and cozy atmosphere.

24. Split-Level House

Split-level homes gained popularity in the 1950s and ’60s, stemming from ranch-style home designs. They stand out for how they divide the living spaces using multiple connected floors accessed by shorter sets of stairs. 

These types of houses adapt to the land’s slope, using the natural angle for their design. They feature multiple levels, usually three or more, with short sets of stairs between them. Unlike standard multi-story homes, split-level homes stagger their levels rather than simply stacking them one on top of the other.

26. Midcentury Modern

Midcentury modern style bloomed after WWII, taking cues from the Bauhaus movement. It showcases clean, minimalist designs with big windows and a blend of natural and human-made materials. These types of houses focus on practicality that influences their appearance.

Midcentury modern homes share a few vital features that define their style. They flaunt clean lines and geometric shapes, favoring flat roofs and straight angles. They’re all about simplicity, featuring minimalistic décor.

FAQs

Conclusion

These are the 26 different types of houses for your inspiration. Whether you’re renovating or building from scratch, let these ideas guide your vision. We have discussed the pros and cons of each house type to help you compare and choose the best design and style. You can even combine different ideas to add your own unique touch to your dream house. 

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