Sometimes, it’s not quite enough to walk the streets and take in the atmosphere of on area you’re thinking about moving to. And when this happens, it’s important to look at other ways you can gain a deeper understanding of an area’s culture, history, and potential future.
Looking into the architecture and popular home stylings of a place can provide you with some fascinating insights into the area itself. And when it comes to hunting for houses in Houston Texas, there’s a lot to learn about what kind of homes there are to buy in the Bayou City.
Victorian homes
Reaching peak popularity around the latter part of the 1800s, Victorian homes have sometimes been used in literature and film to convey a sense of dread and doom due to their imposing nature and accentuated exterior features.
However, the reality of these homes, named after Queen Victoria of England, is far more inviting than fiction would have you believe. A combination of sturdy interiors, steep roofing, and expansive front porches make these homes a popular part of Texas architecture.
Farmhouse homes
Despite the charm and appeal of a classic farmhouse seeming to convey pure Americana, these rustic Texas mainstays were actually first introduced by German farmers as a practical way of getting their daily farm duties completed in a timely manner while providing shelter for inhabitants.
Over time, the features of this classic style (large barn doors, wide porches, and plank floors) have become a large part of popular home stylings in Houston.
Tudor homes
Another popular style of architecture from England, Tudor homes combine Renaissance designs with a gothic twist. Originally built out of necessity in order to endure England’s cold
and wet climate, Tudor homes are known for their large chimneys and steep roofing.
Ranch
Does any other style encapsulate the Lone Star State quite like the ranch-style home? The perfect house for the landscapes and ranches of Texas, these one-story houses were ideal for cowboys and cattle ranch hands alike.
Equipped with low roofing, L-shaped flooring plans, and large windows for those awe-inspiring Texas views, it’s no wonder they’re still so popular to this day.
Southwest style
It’s easy to see why Texans are still enamored with old-school Southwest-style homes that combined Native American and Spanish ingenuity to provide shelter and safety in the New Mexico desert once upon a time.
The clay roofing, square pillars, and rounded corridors are ideal for life in warm, dry climates.
Mid-century modern
At the turn of the mid-century, the homes of the 1960s began to embrace minimalism in American architecture. Hence, mid-century-style homes became synonymous
with neat and clean lines, flat roofs, and open floor plans with wide glass windows.
The style was in response to the climate at the time, which focused primarily
on new technologies and a futuristic but sparse aesthetic.
Contemporary
Like anywhere else in the world, Houston also has an array of contemporary homes to accommodate more modern needs, such as energy efficiency, economically aware building materials, and other sustainable benefits. This tends to mean that contemporary homes embrace natural light and open floor plans.
