Virginia is a great place if you are looking for that historic vibe. But, there is always the question of renovating vs. building a home. Regardless of what you decide, you should definitely opt for some of the most popular Virginia home styles. Not only will you participate in conserving the historic vibe of the state, but you will find that it can be very functional.

Almost every city in Virginia has something characteristic when it comes to home styles. For example, you can find the Tudor Revival style in older suburbs like Arlington. It reached its popularity peak during the 20s and 30s. However, its features give it a medieval touch. In fact, the decorative half-timbering steeply pitched roofs will make you feel like you are in a fairytale. But, if that is not your cup of tea, we have some more styles you may like.

We selected some of the most popular Virginia home styles and listed them in chronological order. The order is based on the timeframe they were most popular. They include:

• Colonial Revival
• American Foursquare
• Bungalow
• Cape Cod
• Ramblers
• Neo-colonial

Colonial Revival and American Foursquare – the oldest among the most popular Virginia home styles

So, the Colonial Revival style derives from the Georgian and Federal styles which were popular from 1880 all the way to 1960. They mimic the styles of early American housing. The features you will encounter are:

• Two or more stories
• Symmetrical facades
• Small portico
• A center hall

These houses are often formal with hallways and doors that clearly mark the beginning of one and the end of another room. They are a great option for families and if you decide to move into one, professionals can help you anytime, anyplace, and at an affordable price.

The American Foursquare style popped up around the same time as the Colonial Revival style. But, it was popular only up to the 1930s. As the name suggests, these types of homes have four rooms on the ground and an equal number of rooms on the second floor. They were built like squares and they feature wide porches. Also, they were designed to make maximum use of the lots that can be found in small cities.

The Bungalow and Cape Cod-style homes are great

The blooming of Bungalow-style homes can be traced to the first half of the 20th century. Usually, they are 1-1 1/2 stories high and have a low-pitched roof. Also, you will find that they have broad eaves that often extend to cover the large front porches. Unlike the previously mentioned colonial houses, the Bungalow building style has no distinct formal features. Rooms just flow into one another which can give of a vibe of comfort. You should keep that in mind if you are looking to renovate your Virginia historic home. Also, you might want to add some more lighting in your home since the covered front porch creates quite a bit of darkness in the living room.

Around the same time when Bungalow-style homes were a thing, another type of housebuilding was on the rise – the Cape Cod style. Popular from the 1920s up to the 1960s, these homes had the objective to keep you warm throughout the long and cold winters of New England. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that these homes were build to be economical and easy to build, maintain, heat, and cool. Their signature feature is the chimney located at the center of the roof. The front door is right beneath it. Moreover, it is windows flank it on both sides.

Ramblers are among the most popular Virginia home styles for seniors

Unlike the aforementioned Cape Cod style, Ramblers are much more spacious. They were most popular from the 50s to the early 70s when the development of large tracts of land began in Virginia. They are single-story homes and their entire width is facing the street. Also, it has a built-in garage that like the house, faces the street. This makes them very noticeable. So, if you decide to move here, just go over to a2bmovingandstorage.com and arrange a move right now.

Even though many dismiss the Ramblers style and call it soulless, they have many advantages, like:

• They are good for seniors since mobility can be an issue when you get older. Since there are no stairs, this problem is solvable.
• It provides excellent options for expansion, either upward or outward.
• You will have much greater privacy because of the relatively large lot.
• You don’t have to create a new foundation if you are looking to expand the house vertically.

Last but not least – Neo-colonial homes

In recent years the Colonial house style has become more popular. But, it has some very specific traits. These were borrowed from the Georgian, Federalist, as well as Colonial Revival styles. These homes go by the name Neo-colonial. They are economic to build and maintain. In fact, the economic side is the main driver of this type of build.

The main characteristic is that they are on multiple levels which makes a small footprint. Consequently, they have a lower land cost. Moreover, they are inexpensive to heat and cool. But, they greatly differ from the Colonial Revival homes we talked about at the beginning. The biggest difference is concerning features and building materials. While the former use many costly building materials and are considered “high-maintenance”, the situation with Neo-colonial homes is the opposite. They use high-tech features and low-maintenance, modern building materials. So, if you are looking to move to Virginia, this type of home might be perfect for you.

Living areas in these types of homes are more spacious and have much better natural lighting. Also, by combining the traditional strict demarcation of rooms you will get great open spaces and huge rooms. This is one of the many features that make the Neo-colonial style so desirable.