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Characteristics of ranch style homes


What Is a Ranch Style House? The Most Common Characteristics

According to a recent report from Google, ranch-style houses are now the most commonly searched-for style of home in the United States. But what is ranch-style architecture? And what are some of its defining features and benefits? In this article, we’ll explain the common characteristics of ranch-style homes and consider a few reasons for their growing popularity.

What Is a Ranch House?

Traditional ranch style homes are single-story houses commonly built with an open-concept layout and a devoted patio space. Ranch home designs often feature long, low-pitch rooflines and large windows along the front of the house. The shape of a ranch style house can vary. Most are rectangular, but they can also be built in a “U” or “L” shape. Other common features of ranch style homes include sliding glass doors that open onto the patio or backyard, wide roof eaves, and an attached garage.

It’s important to note that while most ranch style homes don’t feature a second floor, many do have finished basements. Serving as an additional floor, the basement increases the overall space available in the home and works great as an area for a home theater, a home gym, or additional bedrooms.

To summarize, here are the common characteristics of a ranch-style house:

Where are Ranch Style Houses Most Common?

Ranch-style houses originated in the Southwest but can now be found across the USA, with different types prevalent in different parts of the country. Ranch-style architecture is very popular in the West, North, Northwest, Midwest and Southwest. In the northern USA and the Midwest, one can find many raised ranches, featuring finished basements. Ranch homes on slabs can be found mostly in the warmer climates of California and the Southwest. Ranch-style houses can also be seen in Florida, New Jersey, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Ranch-style houses originated in the Southwest but can now be found across the USA, with different types prevalent in different parts of the country. Ranch-style architecture is very popular in the West, North, Northwest, Midwest and Southwest. In the northern USA and the Midwest, one can find many raised ranches, featuring finished basements. Ranch homes on slabs can be found mostly in the warmer climates of California and the Southwest. Ranch-style houses can also be seen in Florida, New Jersey, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

5 Different Types of Ranch Homes

Though different styles of ranch homes do share common characteristics, there are also key features that can set them apart. Here are some distinct styles of ranch homes that are tailored to different homeowner needs.

California Ranch

Also known as a rambling ranch, the California ranch is characterized by an L- or U-shaped structure built low to the ground. This sprawling, single-story style is designed to blend with nature. A patio and front lawn are key features of the California ranch.

Suburban Ranch

Though the suburban ranch is similar to the California ranch in its L or U shape and open-concept interior, it is more compact and asymmetrical in structure. Its other main features include an attached garage and backyard

Split-Level Ranch

The split-level ranch has a similar exterior to the suburban ranch but with three stories of staggered living space. Its unique layout features a front door leading into the living, dining and kitchen areas, with two half-flights of stairs leading to bedrooms and additional living space.

Raised Ranch

Like the split-level ranch, the raised ranch features multiple stories of living space, though with a distinctly different layout. The front door of the raised ranch opens directly to a staircase leading both upstairs and downstairs, with the kitchen and bedrooms usually on the upper level.

Storybook Ranch

Also known as the fairytale ranch, the storybook ranch stands out from other ranch styles because of its ornamental details. This design features diamond-shape window panes, a decorative chimney made of brick or stone, and a steep, gabled roof.

3 Benefits of Ranch Style Houses

1. No Need to Trudge Up the Stairs

Because ranch style houses don’t have a second floor, living in one means you won’t need to run up and down the stairs every day. For this reason, ranch homes are especially popular with older residents who have greater difficulty moving around than they once did. The lack of stairs also frees up more living space on the home’s first floor.

2. An Open and Inviting Ranch Floorplan

Though ranch homes originated in the 1920s, they were ahead of their time in featuring the wide, open-concept floorplans that are in vogue today. An open ranch house floorplan makes it easier to entertain, bringing together the kitchen, living room, and dining room, and helps capture natural light in every room of the house.

3. Easier Exterior Maintenance

With just one floor and a low-pitched roofline, ranch homes make for easier exterior maintenance and repair. Cleaning your gutters and windows won’t ever require climbing a ladder up onto the roof.

With these key benefits of living in a ranch house, it’s not hard to see why more and more people are growing interested in ranch style home designs.

To learn more about ranch homes and all our other types of new homes, visit khov.com.

Last Updated on March 23, 2022

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Characteristics of a Ranch-Style Home

Posted by
Lewith & Freeman Real Estate Inc.

5 years ago

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If you’re not talking about salad dressing, you’re probably talking about this popular American architectural style.

Ranch-Style Origins

Low-slung and open, ranch homes are uniquely American. This style of home dates back to the 1930s and reflects the more relaxed Western lifestyle. Ranch-style architecture didn’t become popular, however, until after World War II.

The rise of the rambling ranch is directly linked to the rise of car culture. With automobiles, families could live on larger lots of land outside of the traditional population centers (the cities). As people built spread-out ranch homes, they also gave birth to the suburbs. This is why ranch-style architecture is often to synonymous with the American suburb: they dominated in the 1950s and 1960s.

Characteristics of Ranch Homes

Characteristically, ranch-style houses can be low-profile and earth-hugging (much like American Craftsman bungalows) or more modern with wrapped corner windows. While they can often be viewed as simple, ranch-style homes represent 20th-century architecture and can be eclectic and incorporate various stylistic and architectural elements.

Typically, these homes are a single story (often rambling) with hipped or gabled roofs. Ranch shapes range from an unadorned box to various L- or U-shaped configurations. Rather than cubic, this style is more long and horizontal with an asymmetrical facade. From beginning in the 50s and 60s, ranch homes also included attached garages, sliding glass doors, and huge picture windows.

In the interior, ranch-style homes are open and airy. Typically, living and dining areas blend into one another and the kitchen is often adjacent to the family room. Sliding glass doors seamlessly open to the outdoors, where you will also often find a back deck or patio. For these reasons, Ranch-style house plans are very well-suited for casual entertaining and living.

This was also really the first widely-accepted style to incorporate the outdoors as part of the home itself. Whereas earlier home styles such as the Victorian separated the more formal and family parts of the home, the ranch eliminated those barriers.

General Characteristics:

Ranch-style architecture fell out of favor in the 1980s and 1990s. However, they are making a comeback, particularly as custom-built homes. The wide, open floorplans are attractive to many buyers who don’t like the closed in look and feel of other architectural styles.

Ranch homes still remain quite synonymous with the suburbs and are often still seen as family-oriented with their kid-friendly backyards.

Additional Resources:

https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/ranch-house-style-defining-suburbs/ 

http://www. antiquehome.org/Architectural-Style/ranch.htm 

http://www.hgtv.com/design/home-styles/ranch-architecture 

views of the facade and interior - Overview + Video

The style of "Ranch" in itself implies involvement in American architecture. It can be divided into two types: American and Californian. At one time (the fifties of the twentieth century), the ranch style was very popular. Later, its distribution reached Europe and Australia, although the latter also had its own version of the design of houses.[contents]

Contents:

How the ranch style evolved

This variant of architecture came about when the American continent was settled. Some historians believe that the Spaniards were the first creators of the ranch, as there are some similarities with Spanish architecture in its details. nine0005

The main difference between a one-story house is the lack of symmetry and the cheapness of materials. Bricks, stones, logs were used. The priorities of such construction can be called short terms and minimal costs.

The Americans took huge verandas from Spanish architecture, which are being built open. In the twentieth century, this style was very popular, because it was then that the American economy was reviving.

You can often hear such a thing as "one-story America." It presupposes such constructions. American cottages can be compared to farmhouses. In Russia, this style did not take root. nine0005

The main features of the American ranch

The building must be one-story, complete lack of symmetry, gable roof, there is a garage .

A large veranda must be attached to the house, always open. The ceiling rests on thick ceilings or beams, there are deep vaults. The windows are big enough. Sliding doors made of glass and leading to the veranda or courtyard. The walls are sheathed with ordinary clapboard, there is an imitation of natural stone through plaster. nine0005

Buying a ranch-style house is within the power of any ordinary citizen of America. Its cost depends on the layout, location and condition of the building. Typically, a ranch contains a kitchen, dining room, living room, and two to three bedrooms.

What are ranch houses made of?

The main criterion for choosing materials for building a ranch is the lowest cost . The quality of construction of such houses suffers from this. America has a warm enough climate that does not require the construction of buildings with an emphasis on reliability. And besides, the nomadic lifestyle of American cowboys affected. nine0005

The main materials for the construction of the ranch were natural materials such as clay, wood or stone. Nowadays, these same materials are used to finish projects built in the ranch style.

Ranch layout

Typically, an American ranch has only one floor. It is extremely rare to find two-story houses. The interior layout is distinguished by the absence of all kinds of geometric proportions and shapes. It was impossible to divide it symmetrically due to the small size of the room. nine0005

The first floor was a walk-through and had two exits - to the courtyard and to the terrace. Sliding doors made the house look more spacious. The dining room and living room were combined, the only isolated room was the bedroom.

These days, the ranch is practical. If necessary, you can complete the premises, if the land area allows. The main point in the construction of such a house is the timely planning of all communications.

Ranch home decor

The main decorative elements are antique items: forged candlesticks, chests of drawers, armchairs, crockery . The fabric in the interior is distinguished by delicate shades and is natural. Around a lot of soft, pillows, carpets. Comfort is seen in everything. Do-it-yourself details are welcome and predominate. It can be furniture, forging, walls, wood panels. The main place in the house is the hearth, decorated with cement, brick or natural stone.

Lighting and interior decoration

In the past, natural street light was the main source of light in the American ranch. That is why the windows were made so spacious. In modern ranch-style homes, this trend has continued, however, there are also artificial light sources. The most common are steel lamps, sconces, copper lamps, forged candlesticks.

In our time, progress has stepped far forward, and consequently, the style of the ranch has undergone many changes. But its main features have been preserved. Many materials have been replaced with modern finishing components that mimic the ranch. nine0005

When building such a house, it is very important not to overdo it with modernity, as the ranch assumes a complete immersion in the past. Therefore, more preference should be given to elements with antique finishes, but with modern functionality.

Ranch house highlights

Natalia | 09/18/2015 | Architectural design, Interior design, Landscape design | 5,485 views | No Comments

Ranch-style house is a real coziness, comfort and naturalness. This style appeared in America at the beginning of the last century as a response to the economic crisis. It was very cheap to build such one-story houses, but they became so popular due to their convenience and functionality that after many years they continue to conquer with their appearance and interior details. What are the main features of a ranch-style house? nine0005

So, let's start with the materials from which such houses are built. If you look into history, then in America, where ranches appeared, they were built from cheap materials at hand, such as boards, bricks, clay and stone. Today, hardly anyone will use clay when building a house, but you can pay closer attention to other materials. The style of the ranch is emphasized rough finish, an abundance of wood texture, the presence of natural materials that bring coziness and comfort to the house. nine0005

The ranch is mainly one-story houses , rarely two-story, with an asymmetrical layout and two entrances. The first, and often the only floor, has a minimum of partitions so as not to clutter up the space. The kitchen, as a rule, is combined with the living room and hallway, there are large doors leading to the veranda. The only private space in the ranch house was the bedroom, which was located in a secluded nook on the ground floor or second floor. Given the current trends in the design of country houses, the ranch-style layout is not surprising, however, you will have to try to arrange all the necessary functional areas in a small space and think through everything so that your stay in such a house is as convenient and comfortable as possible. nine0005

Often the ranch has two exits and two yards . One of them is located behind the house and is intended for housekeeping: here you can organize garden beds, leave a place for livestock if the country house is used for such purposes. The second courtyard is intended for family gatherings in nature, organizing picnics, receiving guests, etc.

The inside of the ranch is a cozy family place that offers a countryside getaway. This is not the place for numerous accessories and decorations, but here are a few large antiques or family heirlooms just fit into the interior of the ranch. In the decoration of the room, preference is given to natural materials and the naturalness of , and the ceiling is often left unfinished, with exposed beams that only emphasize some of the rustic motifs of this style. The walls are usually decorated with brickwork or wood, the floor is stone or tile. Only natural furniture fits perfectly into such an interior, so attention should be paid to wooden, wicker and forged elements. nine0005

You can decorate the interior of a ranch-style house with as simple as possible natural accessories : wooden chest, metal candlestick, earthenware, carpets, natural textiles. By the way, a lot of colorful pillows give comfort to the house, and a small flower stands out from the ornaments, although the ranch skillfully combines such cute rustic motifs with real brutality, which is inherent in cowboys. So, you can complement the interior with forged elements and animal skins. nine0005

A ranch-style house, like any other country house, is not complete without a fireplace . It can be decorated with stone, brick, concrete - the more rough and textured it is, the better. Near the fireplace, you can arrange a relaxation area with a rocking chair, a coffee table. If it is not possible to organize a real fireplace, then you can use its artificial counterpart, but try to make it as plausible as possible.

By the way, almost any items of rural life : both with a western touch and domestic. Even a cowboy hat hung on a stud on the wall will already give the room a certain atmosphere. Well, where without antique antique furniture? Therefore, if you still have an old grandmother's sideboard somewhere or something like that, then try to fit it into the interior of a ranch-style house.

The ranch style calls for to use one of the colors, and are typically shades of yellow, beige, light blue, and blue. Bright accents in the form of accessories or textiles that emphasize the comfort of home are not excluded. nine0005

pays great attention to the ranch style of lighting . Initially, such houses were built with huge windows , so that natural light penetrates into all corners of the house and makes it possible to use additional light sources much less frequently. A similar trend has remained relevant to this day, so it is imperative to provide for large windows in the building, and not cover them with curtains with complex multi-layer drapery. It is better to use light translucent curtains that do not attract much attention.

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