Did you realize that homes have their own style? It’s more than just a structure with doors and windows and a roof over your head; there are completely different concepts when you get into home styles. Modern homes focus on big windows and simplicity while historical homes were all about ornate details.

Some houses make more sense in different parts of the country while some styles, like a ranch, can live about anywhere. What are all the different style options for my family and what are the differences? Here is a look at the basics behind some of the most popular home choices and when they work.

Art Deco

Art Deco is a Paris design that emphasizes geometric decorative elements and a vertical shape. It was never really used on residential buildings before because it was an urban style. Adding projections over the roofline really emphasizes the vertical oriented design. You’ll notice metal window casements, flat roofs, smooth stucco walls and rectangular cut-outs on the exterior. Look for zigzags, geometric, and floral themes as well as boat-like curved corners and glass-block windows.

Ranch

Ranches have been around for decades. It’s often called a California ranch style and it was the most popular American style home in the 50s and 60s. It’s a one-story home with pitched roofs, built-in garages, wood or brick exteriors and sliding windows.

Craftsman

One of the newest concepts to hit the home design scene are craftsman style homes. This bungalow is a home that’s made in its simplest form offering low, broad proportions, a lack of ornamentation and a sense of blending in with the landscape due to many natural elements. You’ll notice the wide front porches, the overhanging eaves, the pedestal-like tapered columns and materials like stucco, wood and stone being used.

Other great options

Other great options that you may want to consider for your family include:

• Contemporary – one story homes that incorporate the landscape in the look

• Cape cod – one story cottages with shingle sides, shutters and an un-complicated shape

• Victorian – a historical design with 19th century details, modern materials and large in size

• Pueblo – commonly seen in Arizona and New Mexico featuring flat roofs and adobe-brick walls

• Tudor – a 1920s design featuring upper floors, large stone chimneys, sloping roofs and half-timbering on bay windows

Consider these style variations when choosing the next home for your family.