Classic Ranch style house (1945-1970)

This one story home became especially popular after World War II. There were practical economical reasons for change in the architectural style.  After World War II, real estate developers turned to the simple, economical Ranch Style to meet the housing needs of returning soldiers and their families. There was a lack of decorative detailing apart from the shutters that kept the design simple.

It was a very futuristic design, because it was a symmetrical. Also the elongated angles on the roof also made gave it a distinctively modern look.  This style design was dominant in the post war era; they also included attached garages for the family car.

The houses were also made of natural materials, oak floors and a wood or brick exterior, this was a characteristic of the environmental look that overtook designs in the 1960s-70s.

Vastly different from the Victorian home floor plan, the ranch home emphasized on openness (few interior walls) and efficient use of space

The cape cod

The split level house is an important part of the American vernacular landscape. The Cape Cod style originated during 17th century colonial New England. Today, the term refers to Cape Cod-shaped houses popular during the suburban post war era. 

The Cape Cod is a modern design of the old fashioned colonial style. This style was symmetrical and included a chimney that linked in a central fireplace. Because of modern technology there was no longer a need for fireplaces in heat homes. Yet in the years following the war, renewed interest in America's past inspired a variety of Colonial Revival style. Colonial R0evival Cape Cod houses became especially popular during the 1940s.

These small, economical houses were mass-produced in suburban developments across the United States. Steep roofs with gables are distinctive characteristic of this architectural style.   These houses are made out wood covered in wide clapboard and covered shingles. It had a centered formal floor plan. Another identifying feature of a cape cod are dormers is a window which is set vertically on a sloping roof. The dormer has its own roof, which may be flat, arched, or pointed.