What Are Some Types of Brick Houses?

Tudor Style

• Tudor style houses hearken back to the architectural characteristics common in the early 16th century Tudor dynasty in England. Typically built in a post and beam fashion, these homes can be recognized by top exteriors made of stucco and wood support beams and first-floor exteriors of brick. These houses are often large, with two stories, large chimneys and steep roof lines. There are variations of the Tudor style home that are a combination of different English styles. They are often expensive to build because of the variation in materials needed and the complexity of design elements such as gables.

Colonial Style

• Colonial-style houses date back to 1876 and are considered the most popular home style in the United States. They usually have two, two and one half, or three stories. They also have fireplace chimneys and can have a wood (siding) or brick facade. One mark of a colonial home is a floor plan with the kitchen and family room on the first floor and the bedrooms on the second. Another is the symmetry of the front of the home. The front door is directly in the center, with two shuttered windows on each side, and the top floor is marked by five or six shuttered windows. Occasionally, windowed gables protrude from the roof. Sometimes, but not always, the door has an awning supported by columns.

Cottage Style

• Cottage-style houses tend to be on the small side, but give off the air of a quaint, cozy hiding place. This design is inspired by medieval English countryside homes. It became popular in the U.S. in the 1920s and 1930s. These houses are usually one or one and a half stories tall. Think of a small, storybook home with a steeply pitched roof, gables and arched doors. Small dormer windows add overhead space in the event that the house has an upper story.