Skip to main content

What Classifies A House Style: What Makes A National Home?

The national home is one of the oldest architectural styles that originated in the United States, yet we still see these homes – and their descendant styles – being built today. If you’ve ever wondered what it is that made this style stand the test of time, you’ve come to the right place. This post will take a deeper look at national-style homes. Read on below to find out what this type of architecture is all about.

national house

National-style homes date back to the first settlers. Image: Romakoma/Shutterstock

History of the national home

National homes are perhaps the earliest style of architecture to be born in North America. Early settlers mixed the structure of a traditional English home with some aspects of Native American design. The narrow profile of a national home, with steeply-angled roofing, is similar to teepee and lean-to construction and was better suited for withstanding harsh New England winters.

However, this style got its name because, with the advent of the railroad, it eventually spread beyond New England to all areas of the country. Each region was then able to put its own spin on the style. For example, Midwestern versions typically have two stories while Southern ones typically feature a large veranda.

It’s thought that national-style homes are the predecessor of many of the more common architectural styles that we see today, especially Colonial and Federal homes.

national home

There are three subtypes of national homes. Image: Ppa/ Shutterstock

Types of national homes

With all that expansion, it’s only natural that there are a few distinct subtypes of national-style homes. We’ve listed the three most common below:

Hall-and-parlor house

The hall-and-parlor house is the earliest configuration of national homes. The homes were made up of two rooms, which stood side-by-side with a wall dividing them. The larger of the two rooms was the “hall,” or main living space. It took up about two-thirds of the house and was where the family spent most of their time. The remaining third was the “parlor,” or sleeping quarters. It was usually to the back of the house and a little more private.

I-house

The I-house is similar in construction to the hall-and-parlor house in that it is two rooms wide and one room deep. This time, however, the home is two stories tall. Additionally, in more modern versions, there is a separate rear wing for the kitchen. These homes received their name in the 1930s when Fred Kniffen, a cultural geographer, remarked that they were common in rural farm areas of Indiana, Illinois and Iowa – all states beginning with the letter I.

Massed house

The term “massed house” refers to national homes that are more than two rooms deep. This type of home also typically has a large gable on one side and a shed-roofed porch.

Characteristics

National style homes feature simple ornamentation. Image: Karen Culp/Shutterstock

Defining characteristics of the national home

Despite the differences in floorplans and regionality, there are some distinct characteristics that tie all national-style homes together. They are as follows:

Exterior

  • Narrow profile
  • Rectangular or square shape
  • Pyramid-shaped roof
  • Steeply-angled roof
  • Side gables
  • Simple ornamentation

Interior

  • One to two stories
  • Rectangular or square floorplan
  • Side-by-side room layout

The post What Classifies A House Style: What Makes A National Home? appeared first on Freshome.com.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hackers Help: How to attach headboard to ESPEVÄR mattress base?

I’m trying to figure out if a headboard can be attached to an Espevar Mattress Base , and how to accomplish that. I’m looking at a standard metal headboard (because I just prefer the look of curved metal to what IKEA offers) and am not interested in a slat base with just a mattress on top, and a wall mounted headboard is not an option due to renting. Thanks for any help! ~ Amy *** Hi Amy I’ve not seen the ESPEVÄR in person but I believe it is possible to attach a headboard to it. From the website, the ESPEVÄR looks like a regular wooden slatted mattress base under a bed base slipover. As to how to attach it, that will depend on the fittings on the metal headboard. So you will just need to get the right hardware to secure the metal headboard to the wooden frame. And make some small openings on the slipcover to let the fixtures to go through. Jules Photo: IKEA.com Try these free-standing headboards for size A lime green and white headboard that takes centerstage in the r...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kitchen renovation reveal: Rhombus wall steals the show

It’s been a while since I did a home tour. If you’ve missed the previous reveals, you can catch up with my Master Bathroom remodel and Guest Bathroom reveal . Today, let’s focus on my kitchen renovation. Hands down, this is the most used room in my home. I spend crazy amounts of time in here, even when I’m not cooking. Just off to the side of the kitchen I converted an awkward space into a reading nook . In the mornings, I sit and read or pray and meditate, before it gets too warm. And on the other side, there’s a work-in-progress plant wall / indoor garden which also takes up a lot of my time. So, all in all, lots of traffic in here, and that’s not even counting cooking and eating time. The kitchen is definitely my favourite room, because the transformation is huge and I love how it turned out. Kitchen renovation: The before House 17 when I first got it, actually had 2 kitchens, which is a very common “Asian” home concept. First, the “dry kitchen”, which is where you make simp...
Post a Comment
Read more

IKEA sofa with genius armrest storage

Bet you never knew your sofa armrests were prime storage space. Ok, so the guys at IKEA are the masters of hidden / secret storage everywhere. In fact, one of the things I most loved about the  ESKILSTUNA sofa series was the undercover storage on the chaise lounge, but… what? More than 80 liters of storage space wasted on the armrests? NO WAY! I really don’t understand how they didn’t take that opportunity with several different armrest modules. Mobile chargers, cup / can holders, foldable tables, refrigerators… there’s SO MUCH space in there. I can’t stop thinking on different options! For myself, I went for two designs. First, a “full space” design on the (right) side of the chaise lounge. (The cavity fits two foldable chairs). Second, on the left armrest — a flip open section for “mobile charger / remote control storage / etc.”. Below that, a full-depth pull-out drawer, tall enough to store A4 sized magazines. This is the final result: Full space design, rig...
Post a Comment
Read more