Traditional
- some of the most common styles built throughout the United States.
These floor plans are designed to accommodate the American way of life.
Traditional homes are kind of a mix of several other styles but there are some
basics that are usually consistent throughout traditional designs: Simple, often
hipped rooflines. Brick or stucco exteriors are most common. Traditional plans
are often single level floor plans with steeper roof pitches though lofts or
bonus rooms are quite common. Covered porches. Open foyers. 

Colonial - style home plans are generally two to two and one half story homes with a very simple and efficient design. This architectural style is very identifiable with its very simplistic rectangular shape and the large columns. These homes are also very symmetrical with equally sized windows generally spaced in a uniform fashion across the front of the home with decorative shutters. Colonial plans usually have one gabled roof from side to side or a hipped roof. Entrances are often accentuated with tall columns extending up both stories.

Contemporary -
Throughout the late 1960's and 70's contemporary plans became quite popular.
Contemporary styling is a combination of several styles and are often multi
level homes. Some of the characteristics are: · Garage placement on the front
of the home for cost effectiveness. · Shallower pitched roofs that often extend
from a higher level down over the lower level. · Simple, clean lines that is
cost effective to build but attractive. · Windows are large and sometimes
trapezoidal following the roof pitch in gables. · Exteriors are a mix of
materials like wood, brick, rock, siding and stucco. · Vertical ornamentation
in simple patterns. Contemporary homes are still being built across the nation
and have been a very popular style in tract home developments and custom home
neighborhoods alike.

French - a unique
style that offers a lot of charm with its distinctive characteristics. These
house plans generally have asymmetrical exteriors with a combination of
ornamental attributes that complete the design. Some of the common
characteristics of this design are: · Stucco and brick exterior. · Steep roof
pitches at varying heights. Curved roof pitches are sometimes incorporated in
one or two locations. · These homes are usually two stories in height with high
rooflines. · Chimneys are usually large and sloped at the base. As with many
other styles, there are variations to French architecture. Some plans are
symmetrical with steep hipped roofs and exteriors are sometimes siding, shakes
or other materials.

Spanish or Mediterranean
- house plans are most commonly found in warm climates where the clay tile roofs assist in keeping them cool during the hot summer months. The Spanish a Mediterranean style homes are usually finished with a stucco (usually white or pastel in color) exterior and often feature architectural accents like arched
openings in the stucco or wood beams. This style is similar but different than
the southwest style of architecture, which also originated in the southwest
areas of the country. 

Southern - Also
referred to as plantation homes, southern homes are easily identified with some basic design applications. To accommodate the warm, humid weather of the south, plantation homes are spacious and airy with tall ceilings, large front porches with a series of round or square columns. Porches sometimes surround the home (sometimes called a veranda) to provide shade throughout the heat of the day. Porches are built of some type of decking material rather than concrete. Roofs are pitched or gabled of usually a medium to shallow pitch. Southern homes are single or two stories in height and sometimes are adorned with dormers. These types of plans became popular in the 1700's as plantation owners commonly built them. There are many plantation homes preserved throughout the south, usually
built on large pieces of land.

Information from: The
Plan Collection