Vintage Period Styles and Old House Beauties Worth Building

Contemporary reproductions of old and vintage houses are extremely popular in today's building market. They seem to capture all of the character and charm of homes from days gone by without having any of the drawbacks or flaws. Building new homes with contemporary floor plans based on old house designs has turned into a thriving industry and captured the imagination of people who love old style homes but don't want to enter into the risk of renovating an older property. With the time, cost and patience involved in renovating, why not just build a new version to look like an older home?

Companies that sell architect-designed old house plans have a wealth of designs to select from. Here are a few of the most popular vintages style homes from the past that are being reproduced today with up-to-date floor plans:

Farmhouses were popular during the 18th and early 19th centuries. They were usually constructed with wood siding and had a front porch or wraparound porch. Usually they had 1 or 2 stories under a gabled roof and chimneys that were either in the center or on the end of the structure. Farmhouses with 1 1/2 stories often had dormers to provide light and space to upstairs bedrooms. Farmhouses were simple to build yet highly functional with a minimum of ornamentation limited to corner boards and porch moulding.

The romantic Victorian style home was fashionable from 1890 to 1910. It was introduced during the 1876 Exposition in Philadelphia and brought here by the English government. Irregular shaped rooms reflecting an asymmetrical exterior and high pitched roof lines were the characteristics of this popular structure. During that period, woodworking mills had the ability to mass-produce mouldings, trimmings, porch posts and other ornamental detailing that was prevalent in Victorian style architecture. Towers, bay windows and wrap around porches added to the distinctive look of Victorians.

The American bungalow made it’s debut around 1910 -1930. The bungalow style was much simpler and strait forward that Victorian style homes. They were built primarily as one story dwellings with one or more low-pitched overhanging gables. They were cost effective and often found in city neighborhoods throughout the country because they could be built in tight rows on small lots resulting in high density neighborhoods.

Structural form was important for the bungalow design. Typically, they would have exposed beams and projecting brackets, along with the use of natural wood materials for the shingles and clapboards. Good craftsmanship was expected in a bungalow style home along with an outdoor living area such as a porch supported by wide columns and extending across the entire front of the house.

Whether your taste is simple, functional or decorative, you will find many new ideas by looking at old house plans. These vintage beauties have influenced the design of contemporary homes today and many are worthy of being sought after reproductions.