The ranch house style is still a popular choice today. Here’s more about it.
Houses come in all shapes and sizes, and what people prefer depends on their needs, wants, and the trends of the times. Today, families looking to build their own custom home have plenty of house design options, with a whole store of historical and contemporary styles from which to choose. While traditional and craftsman style homes remain popular, the ranch house style also has something to offer.
History of the Ranch House
The Craftsman Movement and Spanish Colonial Revival had risen almost in tandem in southern California in early 1900s. By the 1930s, the ranch house emerged, adding variety to one’s housing options. After World War II, ranch homes became the most common house style built. They were practical to build, and practical for new post-war families to live in. By the 1950s, 9 out of 10 homes built in the United States were a ranch house.
Ranch House Characteristics
The ranch house style was unlike the typical, box-shaped homes in 1930s California. Instead of having a rectangular shape, these homes were L or U-shaped, with a patio enclosed in a partial courtyard in the back. The floor plan, unlike the other homes, was open, with a dine-in kitchen and easy flow into the living room at the front of the house. The open, one-level floor plan helped bring the outdoors in and the indoors out, as it encouraged families to pass with ease into the casual outdoor living quarters. The ranch house was notably contemporary, as it did away with steep roofs, dormers, and porches.
The Ranch House Today
The 1970s brought about the return of traditional two-story homes and other styles, but the ranch still remains an economical choice to this day. While the two-story home has plenty of advantages, a single-story, open-concept home is better for building additions, monitoring children, and traveling across the house and outdoors. The default design of the Viking Custom Homes ranch house style is more spacious than one might imagine, and with a basement, the square footage doubles.
Let us be Your Trusted Maryland Home Builder
Are you ready to bring your dream home to life? Enlist the difference of Viking Custom Homes, Maryland’s trusted home builder of high-quality single-family homes for more than three decades. With over 30 years of experience and a reputation of excellence in over five Maryland counties, we offer the highest standard of customer service and quality assurance for your new home. If you are looking to build on one of our beautiful homesite offerings or on your own lot, we are eager to help you every step of the way towards building your dream home. Let us bring your dream to life by building a home where life unfolds! Contact us online or call today at 410-977-2188 to speak with a member of our trusted team. You can also visit our Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn for more information.