The first thing that comes to everyone’s mind when they think of California is endless sandy beaches, warm weather, and palm-lined avenues. However, what makes this state unique and leaves the visitors in awe is its incredible architectural styles. Many renowned architects from all over the globe have left their signatures by creating distinct home styles in California. In this article, we’ll let you know all about them and, in case you’re looking for your new California home, possibly help you find a home that reflects your personality.
Home styles in California you’ll fall in love with
California is one of the most popular states in the US, with plenty to offer regardless of your age or lifestyle. It’s also a state filled with residential architectural masterpieces, ranging from adobe Spaniard homes to glamorous mansions in Hollywood. If you are about to relocate there, consider yourself lucky and get ready for the adventure of your life.
When you start organizing your long distance move in California, you’ll want to leave everything to experts. Since it’s their expertise, they will do all the heavy lifting for you. However, this is the last thing you want to do when choosing your new home. As your home should reflect your personality, it’s essential to do your research and find a style of home that matches it. To help you, we’ve selected the most popular home styles in California, and below, you can find out all about them.
Mediterranean (Spanish Colonial Revival) style
Mediterranean-style homes are one of the most beautiful architectural designs in the Golden State. This architectural stylistic movement started in the early 20th century. It was based on the traditional architectural construction of the Spaniards, and that’s why it is more commonly known as the Spanish Colonial Revival style.
This home style has been mostly adopted in the southern part of California. For instance, there are plenty of Mediterranean-style houses in San Diego. In case you’re considering this city for your potential home destination, definitely have your real estate agent show you some of these homes.
Modern style
Modern-style homes are very specific and easy to differentiate from other architectural styles. The main difference is that modern-style homes lack ornaments. These homes also have open living spaces and large windows that allow plenty of natural light to come in.
As this style draws inspiration from the historical art movement of modernism, the emphasis is on rectangular forms and no roof. Most of these homes can be seen in metropolitan cities such as LA. After all, is there a better place for homeowners to take advantage of stunning views and surrounding vegetation?
Victorian style
Victorian style is one of the most popular home styles in California, especially in the northern part of the state. It’s one of the most common home styles in San Francisco, but you can also see many public buildings constructed this way.
When looking at a Victorian-style home, the first thing you’ll notice are complex ornaments. These buildings tend to be mostly constructed for beauty rather than functionality. They also feature gorgeous bay windows. It makes them that much more appealing. So, if you have an appetite for details with touches of individuality, this home-style might be perfect for you.
Craftsman style
This architectural style is very popular in California, especially in the state’s capital. You can recognize these homes by low-pitched gabled roofs and deeply overhanging broad eaves. They usually have large front porches beneath the extension of the main roof. The exterior consists of a combination of materials.
These homes also have single dormers (roof structure with one window). It’s one of their most distinctive features. When it comes to the interior, it’s usually filled with a lot of woodwork.
So, if you’re moving to Los Angeles and like this style of home, we’ve got some excellent news for you! Craftsman-style houses are some of the most affordable ones in the Los Angeles area, especially compared to other styles we’ve mentioned. Plus, there are plenty of neighborhoods with these homes to choose from—for example, Jefferson Park, Vermont Square, or Hardvard Heights.
Cape Cod style
No home style’s more prevalent in Californian suburbs than Cape Cod. They are low, broad, single-story houses with moderately steep gabled roofs and large central chimneys. They usually come with wood siding, hardwood floors, and multi-pane windows. As opposed to Victorian-style homes, Cape Cod houses have minimal ornamentation.
One of the biggest downsides of this style is that the houses are quite small and space-limited. However, you can easily change this if you ever need extra room. You can add an extension on the side or back of the property or finish the upstairs.
Contemporary style
The contemporary style reflects the current style, or in this case – the 21st-century architecture and design. Given that these homes are constantly evolving, defining contemporary style is very difficult. But you can think of it as sort of a golden middle between traditional style and modern style homes.
In most cases, contemporary homes have a traditional house shape. However, they also have many modern elements, such as large multi-sliding doors and clean lines, and most of them have open-plan layouts.
Which one of the home styles in California do you like the most?
We hope our list of most popular home styles in California has helped you choose the place that perfectly fits your wants and needs. Let us know by leaving a comment, we’d love to hear from you! And in case you need tips for making your new home great both on the inside and the outside, make sure to check out suggestions from our experts.
Author’s bio:
Mary Roe is a freelance copywriter, currently working as a consultant for Verified Movers. As she is very passionate about architecture and interior design, most of her articles are related to these topics. In her spare time, Mary enjoys hiking and going on weekend camping trips with her dogs.