Here are six American home decorating styles...

American Home Styles; Building Our Past, Present and Future
by Anne Marie Draganowski

Although much younger than that of our European ancestors, American home styles possess a rich, ever-changing heritage of their own—and promise to do so for years to come. The diverse array of homes in the following sections speaks to the variety of this country’s history, as well as to the versatility of the land’s architects and home designers.

While not every form is represented here, our editors have identified six major traditions in the history of American homes—all of which are as popular today as ever. You’re sure to spot a favorite among these styles.

Plan A-2283-DS Colonial The homes common in the original thirteen American colonies (and those that were settled soon after) comprise Colonial architecture.

Examples range from simple—think divided Dutch doors and dominant, central chimneys—to grand—picture Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Newer "Colonial" homes in America today are part of what’s called the "Colonial Revival." First seen around 1880, the revival really took off after World War I, and continues today in homes like Plan A-2283-DS.

Most possess a more or less flat, symmetrical facade with double-hung, shuttered windows and a prominent front door. A broken pediment accentuates the front entry of the home pictured. A simple, boxlike shape prevails in this style, varied by porches, flat-roofed additions at the sides or back, and bay windows.

Plan L-3163 Victorian One of America’s all-time most popular architectures, Victorian design was a beneficiary of the industrial era’s machine-made decorations and improved railroads for distributing them. The trend flourished between 1855 and 1910 and included “Second Empire” styles, which mimicked French fashions of the day, and “Queen Anne”— what most people picture when they think of Victorian homes. Plan L-3163 is a good modern-day example of the characteristic details of Queen Anne homes: an elaborate porch, a corner turret and bay windows. “Gingerbread” ornamentation, fishscale shingles, vibrant colors, and leaded or stained glass windows are just as fitting to Victorian-inspired homes.

Plan LDH-1999-W Craftsman A reaction to the over-the-top ornamentation of the Victorian era, Craftsman home design espoused the simplicity and authenticity of natural materials and handiwork—hence, the name. The burgeoning Arts and Crafts movement in England strongly influenced the austere decorative style characteristic of this period. The Greene brothers, two architects from California with backgrounds in manual arts, drew up the first plans for Craftsman bungalows in 1903.

Soon the bungalow was all the rage among buyers of smaller homes. It’s making a comeback now in urban and suburban developments. Look for many of today’s Craftsman-style homes to sport deep porches supported by tapered, stone-footed columns, and wide, projecting eaves, often with rafters peeking out from underneath. Dormers, especially shed dormers like the ones sloping out of the gable roof of Plan LDH-1999-W, are usually present. Common exterior materials include shingles, lap siding, stucco, stone and brick.

Plan SSDH-97 Sunbelt The Spanish Eclectic, or Spanish Colonial Revival, home style began showing up on the West Coast after the Panama-California Exhibition in 1915. Hollywood stars took to it quickly and it spread from there. Now these homes are popular again, most often in warmer climates. The homes’ stucco exteriors are usually topped with tile roofs.

Small windows and unadorned facades often give way, as their Spanish predecessors did, to elaborate garden courtyards or patios. The courtyard behind Plan SSDH-97 even features a fireplace! Other interpretations of the style include archways and elaborate wrought-iron window decorations. Flat roofs are not unlikely, especially in dry climates, but low-pitched gable and hip roofs are frequently seen as well.

Plan E-3000 Southern Perfected in Scarlett O’Hara-type plantation homes prior to the Civil War, the porch was all but mandatory, since it provided much-needed escape from the heat in homes that depended on a central fireplace for cooking. The porch survives today for its comfortable, nostalgic qualities.

Floor plans in Southern-style homes typically put the formal rooms at the front, separated by an entry foyer; a central hallway leads back to the casual gathering areas. Traditional and sometimes even French- and Colonial-inspired elements are common in this type of home design. Look for quoins, arches, columns and keystones; steep-pitched, hipped roofs and louvered shutters are not uncommon. Generally, a stately elegance—seen in Plan E-3000— sets Southern-style homes apart from otherwise very similar country-style designs.

Plan DD-2096 Country What country-style homes lack in grandeur they tend to make up in comfort and livability. Just take a look at Plan DD-2096. Arguably one of the most enduring home styles in America, country-style homes share the porch with Southern-style designs as their most notable feature. Other earmarks include pleasingly symmetrical facades, shuttered windows, and gabled roofs with brick chimneys. Once reserved for farmhouses—this explains their simple construction and down-home feel—country-style homes are not only seen in the countryside, but are also common in suburban developments and even on city lots.

Sources: Klein, Marilyn W., and David P. Fogle; Clues to American Architecture; Washington, D.C.: Starrhill Press, 1985. Virginia and Lee McAlester; A Field Guide to American Houses; New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993.

Books about home decorating

"If Feng Shui is the art of arranging objects to promote harmony, then Funky Shui is the art of arranging objects to make your home and your life fun," note the authors of this guide to "playful good taste."

Borrowing from (and merrily riffing on) the lexicon of Feng Shui, the Chinese design philosophy that has garnered so much attention in recent years, the sisters offer a trove of suggestions on how to showcase quirky objects, create themed rooms with kitschy charm and integrate color and lighting to ensure good cheer, evoke pleasant memories and generate a sense of both stabilizing harmony and off-kilter whimsy.

The souvenirs you pick up during road trips. Your collection of vintage milk-bottle caps. All the Pez dispensers you can't bear to part with. If you've got 'em, flaunt 'em. Artfully display your collections-whatever they may be-to show them off. Decorating with Funky Shui encourages you to stretch your imagination to find a style that's uniquely you.

Comfortable Country (Hardcover) by Enrica Stabile, Julia Watson, Christopher Drake

New Decorating Book (Paperback) by Denny Caringer (Editor)

For nearly 50 years, home decorators have turned to Better Homes and Gardens New Decorating Book to transform their houses into warm, personal havens for their families. The tradition continues with this all-new edition. It's your personal guide to the styles, colors, textures, fabrics, wall and window treatments, flooring, lighting, and accessories that define today’s interior design.

More than 900 photographs, 100 illustrations, and friendly, informative text offer you ideas for every room in the house: the kitchen, living room, family room, dining room, bedrooms, guest room, kids’ rooms, baths, home office, and even outdoor areas - home decorating.

Mediterranean Style: Relaxed Living Inspired by Strong Colors and Natural Materials (Hardcover) by Catherine Haig

Vivid colors, bold simplicity, textural contrasts, stone, tile, and stucco--these are the hallmarks of this refreshingly unpretentious style, which is easy to live with and surprisingly simple to evoke at home for home decorating.

Vibrant photos and detailed, practical text explore all the elements of the look and explain what to do with your own walls and floors, windows and doors, furnishings and accessories to re-create the look. And the 12 step-by-step projects (including sand-textured or distempered walls, a pebbled floor, a fretwork window screen, studded doors, and a mosaic tabletop) prove that it doesn't take a huge effort or a huge budget to achieve the relaxed grace of this popular decor.

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