Where do the walls come from?
The architecture of the houses of the first settlers was determined by the availability of free land and harsh living conditions: robbery attacks occurred with enviable regularity. Good review along the entire perimeter of the home and emergency exits were matters of vital importance. Covered galleries around the perimeter of the house protected the house from the sun, and also made it possible to quickly move around the house.
Since then, much has changed in the life of the country, but the basic principles are still reflected in the homes of Americans. This is the most open, spacious, definitely “pass-through” (with two exits) house.
Layout
What is an "American home"? First of all, it should be convenient for all family members. If a family consists of six people, then the house should have room for 120 pairs of shoes, 6 bicycles, sports equipment for the whole family (tennis, golf, bowling, alpine skiing, surfing, etc.). Of course, not everyone adheres to this arithmetic, but a large number of built-in wardrobes, storage rooms, a basement and attic equipped for storage, and a spacious garage are a must.
The layout of the house is simple, its basic principle is that each family member has a separate room. If there are two children in a family, then there are at least three bedrooms, and the parent’s room is located as far as possible from the children’s (the right to independence and privacy is manifested even in such trifles).
If the house is two-story (and this is the type that is most common), then the private area is located on the second floor, and on the first floor there is a kitchen, dining room, hall and living room. Moreover, there are no rooms in the public area; the entire space is open and divided only by arches, partitions, and shelving. Even the kitchen Most often it is separated from the dining room only by a bar counter or a kitchen table with drawers.
What are they hiding?
The American climate (not counting perhaps Alaska) makes it possible to build lightweight houses - panel, frame, even slatted. Stone (brick, block) built to last are extremely rare. It's all because of the way of life of Americans, in which almost every one of them will easily take off and move to another city or even state if they are offered a more profitable job there.
It is not customary to live with parents, so there are very few so-called “family nests”. Accordingly, if it doesn’t matter what the house is built from, then it’s not worth putting it on public display - all the houses, as one, are plastered or covered with siding. Another important point- maintainability. The mobility of Americans and the easy and frequent purchase/sale of housing require that the house always be in good condition and in marketable condition. Therefore, tiles, artificial or a natural stone They are not used for finishing - it is expensive and difficult to repair.
By the way, the same mobility of the population led to the standardization of housing. Having sold a house in one state, a person wants to find something similar in another, so as not to change their usual way of life too radically.
What's in sight
At home in cottage villages from the developer are like twins. But, in principle, the style of an American house does not set any architectural restrictions (except for stereotypical thinking). A wide porch with a staircase or a veranda, a balcony on the second floor, attics, turrets - all this is left to the future owner.
All Americans are united by their approach to settling local area. Mandatory green lawn separating the house from the road. There are two paths to the house: one is wide to the garage, the second is to the porch. It is not customary to fence the street part of the territory. Patio is not just welcomed, but considered simply obligatory. There you can arrange a children's playground, a small garden, there are often swimming pools, and there is no need to talk about a place for a barbecue. Here, fences are still installed to protect the private life of the family from nosy neighbors.
There are two more attributes of a purely American home, unique status symbols - a basketball post and a mast with an American flag.
A bit of architecture
Convenient and comfortable internal layout it is difficult to fit into a square or rectangle, so asymmetrical facades are very common in America. Houses are overgrown with wings and wings, and the second floor may be smaller in area than the first. The windows on the first floor are usually enlarged, but there are no large glasses. Frequent bindings and small glass are a tribute to the traditions established in those days when glass was transported to America across the ocean.
The most common type of roof is multi-slope with a slope angle of 30-60°. Such roofs do not have to be cleared of snow in winter, and for lazy Americans this is important. Practically roof slope the wings and wings have a different slope from the “large” roof, which visually balances the different volumes.
The attic is a dry and clean room, equipped as a storage room. Even if it is an attic, there are no living rooms in it. Steps are perceived as an inconvenience. The result is that very often the floor of the house is almost flush with the ground. It is easier for Americans to “burrow into the ground” once to make a basement with a low foundation (fortunately the soil allows it) than to climb the stairs to the front door every day.
A porch is a platform with a canopy that can be supported by posts; railings are often installed around the perimeter. If the area allows, then chairs or sofa swings can be located on the porch. By the way, if a house is built in a hilly area, then the slope should never be leveled - it is too expensive. It is much easier to build a house on two levels, and the main entrance can be located either at the bottom or at the top of the house. This way they not only save money, but also highlight the features of the landscape.
A matter of technology
All new houses that are quickly being built by developers are already filled with all kinds of built-in appliances and various energy-saving technologies. Ordinary houses no one buys anymore: having spent money on housing once, no one wants to overpay for operating costs. Therefore, no one will look at what the house is built from, even at its aesthetics, but they will definitely pay attention to the presence of triple-glazed windows, highly efficient heating boilers and energy-saving appliances.
A house in such an Anglo-Saxon country as America is, of course, a fortress, but this fortress seems like a toy, like those that kids build from blocks in winter and from sand in summer.
An American home often evokes a feeling of some frivolity, undignity, and flimsiness. It's all kind of flimsy: panels, slats, plywood, turrets, curlicues and other architectural excesses, instead of a more solid material, say, brick.
Despite the reasonable practicality of these buildings, whose reliability is constantly tested by fierce hurricanes and earthquakes, the American house with its flirtatious flower beds and the inevitable lawn is strikingly reminiscent of a summer house...
(Alexander Genis “American ABC”)
The answer to why American apartment buildings are so ephemeral is provided by the history of this unusual country- a country located on Indian land, created by Europeans and settled by immigrants from all over the globe.
About the features of colonial architecture
Ah, the flora there is still the same, but the fauna is not the same...
(Bulat Okudzhava)
Colonial architecture has always been a special branch of the architecture of the metropolis. Any colonists needed housing. But when settlers found themselves in a new environment, they had to adapt their construction technology to different climates and other materials. In addition, the “new” world for them was already populated, and its inhabitants had to be conquered, culturally shocked, or, conversely, adopted from them knowledge and skills.
The ancient Greeks, having appeared in Asia Minor and Southern Italy, brought with them skills so superior to those of the natives that there was no point in changing their building traditions. To amaze the local population, they built temples larger and richer than in Greece itself. If a more developed civilization was conquered, the borrowing process changed direction, as happened with the same ancient Greeks and Roman invaders.
Colonies in North America were created by the Spaniards, French, Dutch, Russians and British.
Of these, the most successful conquerors, supplanting others, were the British, and the United States became a country of Anglo-Saxon culture. This was reflected in architecture, especially the architecture of residential buildings.
Let's start with Spain
The Spaniards came into contact with civilizations whose art of urban planning was in some ways superior to their own - the Incas demonstrated some of the most skillful masonry, and the Aztecs had the skills to create fantastic sculpture. The abundance of gold and silver on Indian soil allowed the Spaniards to create incredibly lavish Missions.
Mission San Xavier Del Bac, Tucson, Arizona, 1798
Pueblo style
The oldest building built by Europeans in North America today is the Spanish Governor's Palace in Santa Fe.
Gouvernor's Palace, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1609-1614
A one-story building more than 300 meters long, made of Adobe (raw brick), with a terrace, it was very convenient for living - thick brick walls provided comfortable coolness.
French people
They were not such great builders as the Portuguese or the Spaniards, but, representing a craftsman nation, they brought their own unique style.
Despite the fact that at its colonial zenith France controlled a vast territory (from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico), all that remained of the French in American architecture were southern plantation houses with a gallery.
Parlange Plantation House, Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, 1750
Due to seasonal floods and a humid climate, the second floor was intended for housing, while the first floor was used for utility rooms.
Dutch
A typical Old Dutch house had a so-called gambrel roof - a double-sided roof with two slopes on each side. The upper slope is gentle, the lower slope is steep.
In Holland to XVI century there were no forests left, and brick was the main building material. It was also used in the Dutch colonies, where it was sometimes brought in the holds of ships.
Russian America
You will never forget me
You will never see me...
(Andrey Voznesensky)
In the middle of the 18th century, the expedition of Vitus Bering reached the American coast. In 1799, Alexander Baranov founded a colony in Sitka (Alaska). In 1805, Nikolai Rezanov replaced Baranov, and next year"Juno" and "Avos" sailed to California for provisions. There Rezanov met Conchita, the subsequent events are known to everyone... In 1812, the successors of Baranov and Rezanov founded Fort Ross 60 miles north of San Francisco, which became the center of the fur trade.
Alas, Russian America turned out to be a temporary phenomenon. In 1841, Fort Ross was sold to Johann Sutter, and in 1867, Alaska repeated the fate of Fort Ross. A log church, several houses and a stockade remain at Fort Ross.
British.
Here's the house
which Jack built.
And this is wheat
Which is stored in a dark closet
In the house,
which Jack built...
The British, who landed in North America, created their own unique style. They were not, like Cortes and Pissaro, adventurers in search of fabulous treasures, or, like their fellow Indians, representatives of the government supported by a regular army.
Most of them were simple, hardworking people who left their country in search of a place where they could pray the way they wanted. They were traveling into the unknown with the expectation of a difficult life and a reward in the distant future, which might not have happened. They had no intention of conquering, no intention of impressing, no intention of imitating.
British architecture styles are often named after English/British monarchs.
The first English colonists arrived in America at the beginning of the 17th century. The age of Elizabeth I - the last of the Tudors - was over, the English literary Renaissance had already taken place, but the houses that the early colonists built bore the imprint of the Middle Ages.
They were asymmetrical, with pointed Gothic roofs, relatively small windows, massive chimneys and unpainted walls.
House of the Seven Gables, Salem, Massachusetts, 1668
The events of the novel (under the same name) by the American classic Nathaniel Hawthorne take place in the House of the Seven Gables.
Anatomy of an Anglo-Saxon house
In the Massachusetts house of the Phillipses ( Phillips House) a device was installed designed to alert the maids when they were needed. The device panel lists the main rooms where the maids were supposed to appear when the bell rang and the light came on.
Call Box (Phillips House, Salem, Massachusetts)
The list of rooms gives an idea of the mandatory minimum, without which the house would not be functional:
— living room(parlor),
— dining room(dining room) with adjacent kitchen(kitchen),
— bedrooms(chamber), host and guests, each with its own bathroom(bathroom)
What else was in the house in addition to this minimum was determined by the needs of the owner, born in his fantasies and limited by his wallet.
The listed premises are also present in modern American homes, although under slightly different names. For example, parlor- This living room, chamber — bedroom. The presence of such rooms seems completely natural to us. But it was not always so.
From Roman Britain to Tudor England
When the Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD, they found its inhabitants living in primitive thatched structures. The windowless room served as a common shelter for people and livestock.
The Romans built several cities and a fair number of villas outside the city walls. City houses were two-story, made of brick. When the Romans left Britain, the houses that remained were destroyed, and building skills similar to those of the Romans did not emerge until centuries later.
The Anglo-Saxons who came after the Romans built the first villages. Simple villagers lived in huts, gentlemen lived in long barn-shaped buildings, divided into sections for family, servants and livestock. 
Stone residential buildings only reappeared at the end of the 11th century, under the subsequent Norman conquerors, who built castles and fortified manors. 
These buildings are the direct ancestors of modern English and American houses. But it took centuries for such architectural dinosaurs to turn into comfortable and cozy homes.
Castles and estates. Evolution
Heyday castles came at a time of weak central government. With its intensification, internecine wars between feudal lords changed in nature - castles lost their military significance. The fortresses in which one had to live began to turn into residences that could be defended. The locks were replaced by the so-called fortified estates.
IN castles utility rooms were located on the first floor, the garrison and servants were on the second. Above, reflecting the communal style of early medieval life, was the Main Hall ( Great Hall).
Estates had only two floors - utility rooms were located on the first floor, the Main Hall - on the second. In later times, the Main Hall began to be located on the ground floor, next to the utility rooms. 
Main hall
The Main Hall was an elongated room with an entrance to end wall. On the side opposite the entrance there was an elevation ( dias), on which the table was installed ( high table), intended for the family of the castle owner. 
The Main Hall was a multifunctional room - courts and meals took place there, and performances with music and dancing, acrobats and jugglers were also given here. The common tables were collapsible, and at night the hall turned into a place to sleep. 
Beginning in the 16th century, the Main Hall ceded most of its traditional functions to specialized rooms - the bedroom, lounges and dining room.
Bedroom
In early castles, the lord's family slept at the far end of the hall, behind a raised platform. This place was fenced off only by a partition or even a curtain. In later times a separate room was added to the Main Hall - Lord and Lady's Chamber. Used as a bedroom, the room also served for the secluded rest of the master's family. 
Rooms for relaxation and study
Subsequently, the resting place was separated into a separate room, called at different times Solar(lonely /French/), Parlour(parler - speak /French/) and finally, Drawing Room- room for privacy.
Later, offices and boudoirs appeared.
Cabinet ( Cabinet) - a room for relaxation, study and confidential meetings, usually used by male representatives of the family.
Boudoir ( Boudoir- sulk /French/) - a room for relaxing, changing clothes and romantic dates, the female equivalent of an office. 
Bathroom and toilet
Castles and estates did not have a private bathroom. The gentlemen from time to time took a hot bath in their bedroom - in a large wooden tub. Niches were made in the walls of the castle, called Wardrobe- prototypes modern toilets. They contained simple stone seats with holes.
Dining room and kitchen
Initially, lunch was prepared on the hearth in the center of the living space, and the meal also took place here. Later, in order to reduce the likelihood of a fire, a special room began to be allocated for the kitchen - either next room, or even a separate building. 
By the end of the sixteenth century, which ended the Tudor period (1485 - 1603), British houses began to resemble modern ones, but they were still places where people both lived and worked. Home and workplace began to separate only in the seventeenth century.
Yeoman's House (17th century)
When you entered the house, you found yourself in long corridor (passage - 1), leading from the front door to the back door. 
Things were done in the dining room ( dining room - 2), and guests could go into the adjacent living room ( parlour - 3), where the family was disconnected from the bustle created by servants and workers. Food was prepared in a separate kitchen ( kitchen - 4). A steep spiral staircase led from the dining room to the bedrooms ( bedchambers - 5), located on the second floor. In the attic ( loft - 6), which could be reached by a ladder, the servants slept on mattresses.
In the second half of the 1600s, New England settlers built houses that could be called typically colonial (in America, the adjective “colonial” without qualifying words (Spanish, French) refers to the English colonial past.
The houses had to be protected from the cold climate of New England (temperature -30 degrees Celsius, high snow cover, strong winds). To retain heat, stoves were built in the center of the house, the rooms had low ceilings. Sloping roofs prevented snow drifts, and shutters on the windows protected from the wind.
Cape Cod style
This style first appeared in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 
One story Cape Cod style home.
Early Colonial Homes in the South
The same symmetrical houses were built in the southern colonies, only they were often made of brick, with chimneys along the edges.
Saltbox style
To increase usable area houses, the colonists expanded the first floor, continuing the roof slope below the second floor.
The shape of such a house resembled a box for storing salt, hence the name Saltbox.
Georgian style
Roman Empire in decline
maintained the appearance of firm order
(Bulat Okudzhava)
There were six British kings named George, but from an architectural point of view the designation Georgian refers to the reigns of four monarchs - from George I to George IV (1714-1837). This period claims to be the Golden Age of British architecture.
The Great Fire (1666) in London, which ended the Great Plague, virtually wiped out the medieval city from the face of the earth - the restoration of London was dominated by classic shapes Renaissance. The outstanding English mathematician and architect Christopher Wren was chosen to restore the city. Thanks to him, the ideals of the Renaissance became popular in England and were reflected in the Georgian style. The works of Ren and his followers are made in the tradition of Palladianism - an architectural movement based on the legacy of one of the greatest Italian architects - Andrea Palladio. The main features of the Georgian style are symmetry of forms, classical proportions, pale colors and elegant decoration.
Georgian architecture reflected the differences between the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southern colonies, although common features are clearly visible throughout: a central entrance, a regular arrangement of windows, a façade decorated with stucco and pilasters.
Georgian houses. New England
New England is deprived of stone, so almost all buildings, residential or public, were made of wood. The roof often had double slopes, like on Dutch houses.
HunterHouse, Newport, Rhode Island, 1746
Vassal-Craigie-Longfellow, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1759
Georgian houses. Middle Atlantic
In the mid-Atlantic and southern colonies, stone and lime were available, and these materials allowed for richer home decoration.
Mount Pleasant, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1761
Cliveden, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1764
Georgian houses in the South
Governor's Palace, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1755
Mount Airy, Warsaw, Virginia, 1755
Architecture of the 19th-20th centuries
The development of capitalist relations in the United States and the emergence of large fortunes are marked by a new period in the history of US architecture, aptly named the “parvenu period” (upstarts). In Western cities, built at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, you can see imitations of palaces from all over the world on the same street. The largest architect of this period was the founder of the American Romanesque school, Henry Richardson. He is the author and builder of the famous Trinity church in Boston.
Trinity church in Boston
Richardson only took on large, expensive jobs. Owning a house built by Richardson was considered a sign of the highest respectability and wealth. He built houses of granite or brick combined with yellow-gray granite, with round pointed towers, Romanesque close arches, heavy balconies and pointed roofs. There are many houses built by Richardson and his followers in Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and San Francisco. Only New York was not affected by the Romanesque style at all.
House built by Richardson in Oklahoma
In 1888, the first multi-story building with a frame made of steel rails was built in Chicago - the ancestor of American skyscrapers. The first skyscraper (it had 22 floors) was built in the same Chicago in 1891. Until 1896, skyscrapers were designed in the Romanesque style, the dominance of which was coming to an end.
Chicago Insurance Building - the first skyscraper
Subsequently, American architects adapted the Gothic style to the design features of skyscrapers. Perhaps these new features are most clearly expressed in the Chicago Tribune building, built in the Art Nouveau style, but topped with Gothic towers and spiers. A significant part of New York - business districts, where space savings are taken to the limit - is built up with skyscrapers.
Chicago Tribune building
The pride of Americans is the 102-story Empire State Building, built in the 30s. In 1922, an international competition was announced for the best design of this building. Out of 260 projects submitted by architects from 23 countries, the design of the Americans John Howells and Raymond Hood was chosen. Almost every big city The USA has several or at least one skyscraper, usually built in the center. But even in New York, which is thought of as a city of skyscrapers, most of all are not skyscrapers, but houses with 5-8, or even 2-3 floors. There are especially many such houses in the suburbs and in the neighborhoods of the rich.
Empire State Building, New York
The period from early 1890 to 1917 stands out as a period of eclectic architecture. It is characterized by the absence of a single direction, a dominant school. Attempts are being made to revive colonial styles. To achieve this, it was considered sufficient to equip the house with white columns, cornices and green blinds.
In New York, on Fifth Avenue and Broadway during these years, houses were built copying the styles of Louis, Italian architecture, etc. The same diversity of style is characteristic of the main streets of the cities of the steppe states. Corbusier's style is quite common. Relatively recently built buildings in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona were erected in the old Spanish style, combined with all the technical improvements of our time.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the style of Pueblo Indian buildings was in fashion. The building of the anthropological laboratory in Santa Fe is an adobe structure reminiscent of the buildings of the eastern Pueblos, but with carved oak doors, European interior decoration, and all the amenities. Such houses are designed for wealthy people - the aesthetic bourgeoisie, fashionable writers and artists, movie stars.
Cottages are being built in the spirit of New England buildings, “huts” of the Far West, etc.
Modern American Homes
Architectural diversity is characteristic mainly of large cities, as well as cities average size, which arose in the western regions of the country relatively recently from the middle or end of the 19th century. Small towns in various parts of the country are extremely similar to each other. As a rule, in such a city there is a pharmacy, a market, one or two restaurants, and a cinema located in the center.
The suburbs of American cities are worth a special look. Their construction began along with the construction of railways, around the 40s of the 19th century. They originate from the country houses of the rich. For them, dachas, and later houses in the suburbs, were a way to get rid of high urban land rents and taxes. Railroad and road connections make holidays in the country accessible for people of average income. Now the suburbs have become a common appendage to the big city.
The suburbs of growing cities have recently been built up with small cottage houses designed for one family. Such houses are placed in rows and blocks of several houses per acre. These houses are standard in design, layout, decoration, and furniture, which is a common subject of American jokes. Sometimes it starts to infuriate you guys, why build absolutely identical houses? It is clear that it is profitable for the developer to build houses one at a time architectural plan, but if Americans had not bought such houses, they would not have been built. This means that they are content to live in cliched houses without any individuality. In some ways this way of American life is reminiscent Soviet Union, where in all cities there were not only identical houses and apartments, but even everyone’s furniture was the same.
Often houses are in so-called communities, when there is one common entrance to the “town” with a coded gate. In such a community there are usually common playgrounds, sometimes common swimming pools, sports grounds and other buildings. Residents pay a community fee every month. Residents are often required to maintain the lawns in front of the house to keep them fresh, beautiful and green, otherwise they have to pay a fine to the community or the city, if the latter has a corresponding law. I know one family who had to pay $500. a fine because they stopped watering the lawn and it turned yellow.
In a modern house, almost all rooms have analogues in the Middle Ages.
Kitchens are still kitchens. The same can be said about pantries and cellars.
Chambers ( chamber) became bedrooms ( bedroom), and the Main Halls turned into hallways ( entrance hall). Yes, yes, the small hallways of modern houses are all that remains of the huge halls of medieval castles and estates.
To the canteens ( dining room) the function of “place for eating” was transferred from the Main Halls.
Solars became living rooms ( living rooms), Cabinets- libraries ( libraries),A Boudoirs- changing rooms ( dressing rooms).
The arrangement of rooms in a modern American house follows the principle “my home is my castle”: the living and dining rooms (public areas) are on the ground floor, bedrooms and offices are on the upper floors.
In American homes, much attention is paid to improving the kitchen. This attitude towards cuisine is generally traditional in American life. Since colonial times, the kitchen has been the center of family life. Not only was food prepared here, but the whole family gathered here for dinner; in the evenings, saving fuel and lighting, we sat by the kitchen fire. Even now, when many families eat in cafes, kitchens continue to be made quite large; kitchens are often combined with a dining room - a room where there is a large dinner table and where the whole family gathers.
Another feature of Americans is that they count the number of rooms in a house only by bedrooms; all the rest are considered non-residential. Therefore, ordinary 1-room American apartments are the same as, in our understanding, 2-room apartments. If a house has 2 or more bedrooms, then there will almost always be several bathrooms; there are also so-called half bathrooms - this is just a toilet without a bath or shower.
Approximate layout of a typical American house
First floor 
Second floor 
Third floor 
In the USA there is a tendency to increase the area residential buildings. For example, at the beginning of the 20th century, the size of the average house was between 700-1200 square meters. ft., in the 1970s the average American home increased to 1,500 sq. middle foot, now this figure is approximately 2300 sq. foot. Average home prices for middle-class Americans are also steadily rising. If in 1900 the cost of one house was approximately $5,000, then in 1950 it was $5,000. It was already $11,000, and in 2011 the average cost of a home across all states was $267,000, and in 2013 it was $324,000. At the same time, due to rising land prices, there is a tendency to reduce the area of the plot on which the house stands. In 1990 The average home lot was 14,680 square feet, in 1998 it was 12,870 square feet and in 2010 it was 11,800.
Of course, in different regions and states of the United States their own architectural style, due to both colonial influence and the geographic location of the state: in some places it is necessary to build warm houses from wood or brick due to the cold, in others thin cardboard is suitable, because... the temperature does not drop below zero, somewhere you need to build strong houses that can withstand constant earthquakes or tornadoes. Often in large cities you can find architectural styles from almost all countries of the world that immigrants bring with them.
Californian houses usually have no basements, the walls are made of thin materials, and they all look almost the same: red roof, light plastered walls.
In southern cities, houses are certainly equipped with a veranda, which serves as a living room and is a favorite place for families to relax.
On the east coast you can find brick houses, houses finished with siding, usually in dark colors. 
At the same time, a new architectural style has recently been observed in all states - modernism (modern style) with high-tech design, often such houses are environmentally friendly and autonomous.
A separate architectural phenomenon is houses built in a specific theme, for example, a Flinstones-style house in Malibu (California)
Also in the USA you can find so-called mobile homes or mobile homes that do not have a foundation and are often placed on wheels or some kind of elevation so that it is not cold on the floor. These houses are a construction kit that is assembled somewhere in a factory or in some garage, and then transported assembled to the customer. On the streets you can often see such houses being transported by car.
It doesn’t matter in what region the house was built, in what architectural style, Americans always try to make a lawn near the house, plant a small flower garden, somehow decorate the house, especially on holidays, often even hang their flag, this cannot be taken away from them.
For an American a private house- indicator of success. Living in the suburbs, where neighbors know each other, in silence, away from the noise of the metropolis, is much more prestigious than even in the center of New York. At the same time, a typical American house differs from a traditional Russian one. Let's try to understand the main differences.
Let's start with the construction process. The technology adopted in the USA involves the construction of a frame made of wooden frames onto which sheets of OSB or plywood are attached. There is insulation between them. The walls are hollow, making communications easy. In addition, such lightweight walls do not require a solid foundation; the construction process is simpler and cheaper. Redevelopment is also easy - no reinforced concrete that will have to be hammered. However, such an American house is more expensive to operate - it is more difficult to cool it in the summer and heat it in the winter than a solid one made of cinder block or brick.
Most likely, when you enter a typical American home, you will be greeted by a staircase like this, leading to the second floor, which is more private and is traditionally where the bedrooms are located. A closed corridor or a separate hall, where it is customary to take off shoes and leave outerwear, in American homes most often there is simply no such thing.
The kitchen in American homes is usually open and spacious, often with an island for cooking. It is noteworthy that ready-made houses can be sold without furniture in the remaining rooms, but always with a built-in kitchen set and appliances, which are not customary to take with you when moving.
The kitchen - dining room - living room in general usually constitute one room, occupying almost the entire first floor. An American woman, when choosing a house, will most likely immediately say - I want to cook and look after the children or communicate with guests. Such an open plan is now becoming more and more common in Russia, but is far from being so popular.
A two- or three-car garage, which often becomes part of the ground floor and has a separate entrance directly into the house, is another characteristic of an American home. There are usually at least two cars in a family, because a housewife living in the suburbs also needs something to get to work, take her child to training or to kindergarten.
Clothes drying machines are rare in Russian homes, as is a separate laundry room. In American homes, a special pantry is usually allocated for these two units, hiding the equipment from guests. Often a laundry and drying room is located on the second floor, near the bedrooms, or in the basement. Washing machine in the kitchen or bathroom, which is often found in Russian small houses, will cause great surprise to an American.
Residential basement. For the average Russian, a basement is a cellar where potatoes and pickles are stored, supplies for the winter. For an American basement often becomes a full-fledged additional floor. There can be a home theater here, a guest room with another small kitchen, “man’s den” of the owner of the house, bar, games room.
Master bathroom. In an American home, there are usually as many bathrooms as there are bedrooms. Or even more - a separate bathroom can be located on the ground floor for guests. Of course, it is not necessary that the bathroom be attached to the living room like in the photo, but it must be adjacent to the master bedroom.
As for children's rooms, then significant differences in size and design no. However, in the USA it is customary for each child to have a separate room. Therefore, an addition to the family often becomes the reason for moving to a more spacious house or remodeling. Yes, and children's bedrooms usually have their own separate bathroom, even just one for two.
Leaving guests on the living room couch overnight is not an American tradition. A spacious home usually has a separate guest bedroom with everything you need, although not very large, but functional, great for friends and family.
Built-in wardrobes and dressing rooms. Another attribute of a typical American home. Free-standing wardrobes have not taken root in this country; a lot of space is required for clothes and shoes, so the master bedroom is often adjacent to a dressing room, and the remaining rooms have built-in closets for a lot of things.
Barbecue area. An American house usually has two courtyards - in front of the house and in the back, hidden from the eyes of passers-by and neighbors. It is in the backyard, even a small one, that there will be a barbecue area - a typical pastime for an American family on warm summer evenings.
And finally - in the USA, a family rarely buys a house with the thought: “This is where my children will live.” Mortgages are available, the country is large, and there may be many reasons to move. Therefore, the attitude towards houses and apartments is somewhat different - not for centuries, but while it is convenient for me and my family, a lot can change in ten years. In addition, let us clarify that the above differences relate to traditions that have developed historically. Modern Russian mansions are often even larger than American ones and have similar characteristics.
Nov 28, 2018 Sergey
The American style was formed later than most architectural movements. At the end of the 18th century, about 85% of the white population of the North American colonies were from Britain or Ireland; this became a determining factor in the appearance of homes. The American house could not help but borrow character traits English buildings of different styles - Tudor, Georgian, and later Victorian.
And, of course, the surrounding reality has made its own adjustments to construction techniques and house design. The first colonists had more than enough land and built their farms to be as spacious and practical as possible. City houses could have features of English, German, and, to the south, Spanish styles; they were built from wood and brick. Buildings in the outback acquired features of a style that is now called country (sometimes ranch style). The modern American-style home is enduringly popular; Customers are attracted by the functional layout, bright individuality and always appropriate interior.
A typical house for a large family Source pipesz.ru
American style: design features
Americans are considered a practical nation; this property helped make the houses simple in appearance and comfortable. American houses (projects and layouts) are easily recognizable:
Form. Buildings, as a rule, have a symmetrical shape in plan, one (more economical) or two (more possibilities for planning them) floors and a low foundation.
Environment. The garden plot is clearly zoned and well-groomed; the owners allocate space for a children's playground, barbecue area, garden furniture, and a swimming pool. In front of the main facade there is often a well-groomed lawn with the pride of the owner - a flower bed.
Project details. The house is decorated with a terrace, veranda or spacious porch. American-style house designs certainly include a spacious attached garage.
Atypical option - two full floors and an attic floor Source pinterest.com
Exterior. Laconic, with a predominance of straight lines, made in light, calm colors. The decoration uses natural materials (stone, brick, wood) or covers façade walls plaster, clapboard, vinyl siding.
Window. American house designs are characterized by a large number of windows. They often have an arched shape - influenced by the Spanish style - and are equipped with shutters.
Attic. A frequent detail of projects, especially in houses with wooden facade. Often it is equipped with a balcony or panoramic window; additional windows are installed on the roof.
Inputs. There are several of them: a front door and an additional one (one or more), through which you can access the backyard terrace.
Roof. Pitched, complex asymmetrical shape.
Type of style: ascetic on the outside, but comfortable on the inside Source dachnaya-zhizn.ru
Layout
The layout of an American-style house has well-established canons. The main principle that they try to follow when building housing is space and freedom for each family member. Therefore, both in one and in two-story houses The rooms are made as large as possible, and everyone has a separate room. The layout of American houses has the following features:
First floor. There is an entrance hall, a large kitchen, which is often separated from the living room by a bar counter or a partition, a dining room, a guest bedroom and a bathroom. Sometimes an adult bedroom, a study room and a gym are located on the ground floor.
Second floor. Here there are personal (bedroom) rooms for family members, dressing rooms, and bathrooms.
Garage. Typical American-style cottage designs necessarily contain a garage, often for two or more cars. It can be adjacent to the house (and have an internal entrance from the house) or be located separately and connected to the housing by a covered gallery. The garage has access to the boiler room and workshop (if provided for by the project).
First floor layout visible from the threshold Source ar.pinterest.com
Terrace and veranda. The wide wraparound terrace on the ground floor is an American classic; it is sometimes used as an exit from the master bedroom. Practical owners place comfortable furniture here for relaxation, hang a hammock, and arrange a play area for children. Here you can put a barbecue or arrange a summer kitchen. They also try to make the veranda spacious; they decorate it with wicker furniture and gather there for morning coffee or evening conversation.
Materials and design features of the facade
To build American-style housing, various materials can be used, from stone, brick and concrete blocks to timber and logs. But, as you know, the favorite option of Americans is frame houses. This is due to several reasons:
Cheap (does not affect reliability).
Fast and easy assembly.
Good thermal efficiency.
Modern project: three levels and combined facade decoration Source pinterest.es
Popular technologies are:
Frame-panel (panel). Facade and interior walls assembled from panels (blocks, panels) on a pre-assembled wooden frame. Plywood is used as shields, OSB boards(which is poorly applicable in Russian conditions), thermal blocks and SIP panels (suitable for use in areas with long winters).
Frame-modular. A more expensive option, when individual wall elements are assembled at the factory and delivered ready-made to the construction site. Each section has insulation, finishing and necessary communications.
Frame projects of American houses and cottages have no restrictions in the design of the facade. Exterior finishing carried out using the following materials:
Facade plaster. Use different types of plaster in light color scheme. Mineral plaster can be coated with a protective layer of silicate or silicone paint with vapor-permeable properties, or use acrylic facade paint.
Frame house with ground floor and facade wood trim Source www.remontbp.com
Facade clinker bricks . This cladding will provide the façade with strength and durability. Thanks to the natural shades of clinker, your home will have a beautiful appearance.
Facade panels . Panels are a modern material with a long service life and can significantly improve the appearance of a building. Manufacturers offer a wide selection of colors and textures of materials that imitate natural stone and brick.
Siding. A popular (and economical) modern home decor option. The material has good protective characteristics and a rich palette of colors.
Block house. Wood looks cozy and is great for decorating traditional homes. Wooden flooring needs periodic treatment to protect it from moisture, mold and insect pests.
Strict symmetry comes from England Source jalh.ca
On our website you can get acquainted with the most from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses “Low-Rise Country”.
American style in the interior
Decorating a cottage in the American style requires compliance with several conditions:
Combining the ground floor space. A common technique is that when you enter an American house, you do not find yourself in a hallway, but immediately in a spacious living room. The living room, in turn, is separated from the dining room and kitchen symbolically - by a bar counter, shelving or a sliding partition.
Color selection. The original American retro style implies a predominance of discreet, monochromatic shades of green, gray, and milky. Also in the palette there is always white, brown and beige colors. For bright accent colors, combinations would be appropriate: red with beige and brown, blue with white and sand, green with chocolate and cream. For country style, greater brightness and diversity are acceptable, for example, floral wallpaper or patterned furniture upholstery.
Video description
About the exterior of an American house in the following video:
Fireplace. Direct inheritance English style, it is considered an indispensable component of a real American interior. A traditional fireplace is a fairly large structure (to match a spacious living room) with a wide mantelpiece. It can be made from any material, but it is better to face it with light stone, natural or artificial.
Floor and walls. For the floor, it is preferable to use natural materials that are pleasant to the feet - sanded boards or parquet; laminate is also allowed. Light-colored tiles are often laid on the kitchen floor. The walls are plastered or covered with pastel-colored wallpaper.
Accessories. Uncomplicated and relevant to the life of the owners. These can be photographs and letters in simple frames (metal, wood or plastic) on the walls or mantelpiece, memorable trinkets and elegant figurines, flowers, fruits in baskets or vases.
Modern color accents in a traditional living room Source hr.aviarydecor.com
Furniture. To maintain style, you need massive, high-quality furniture, without pretentious decoration. The finish, depending on the direction (classic or country), is chosen to be plain, with a small pattern or leather.
Textiles and carpets. All fabrics, from curtains and sofa upholstery to blankets and tablecloths, should be light. Carpets should not completely cover the floor: a small cream or beige carpet looks stylish on dark parquet.
Lighting. Properly selected lighting fixtures will create the right atmosphere and help zone a large room. For the central part of the house, the living room, a large formal chandelier and additional lamps, floor lamps and table lamps are suitable.
Video description
About the tour of the American house in the following video:
On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer house design services. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
Decorating rooms in an American cottage
When developing American-style house projects, architects and designers use ready-made style developments in the design of various rooms:
Living room. They try to place furniture in the recreation area near the fireplace and away from the walls to emphasize the volume of the room. Select sofas and armchairs that are comfortable; the atmosphere is well complemented by low coffee table, display cabinet with glass front door or bookcase. Usually in the living room there is a place for modern consumer electronics- TV and audio system.
The fireplace takes center stage in the living room Source houzz.com
Kitchen. As part of the common space, the kitchen repeats the style and color scheme of the living room. It is spacious, most often furnished with wooden furniture. An indispensable attribute - Appliances, from hob to the latest model coffee maker. Since there is no partition between the kitchen and other rooms, great importance acquires a powerful hood and ventilation system. The kitchen area can be decorated with a still life, landscape or decorative fruit basket.
American style recipe Source psyholog.club
Bedroom. Bright, cozy with a high double bed, chest of drawers and dressing table. Blinds on the window protect from bright sunlight in the morning.
Traditional palette in bedroom design Source pinterest.com
Bathroom. In a spacious house, the bathroom is not reduced in size. It is large enough to easily accommodate a bathtub, shower stall, sink (often two), many hanging shelves and large mirrors framed by lamps. A characteristic feature of an American-style bathroom is a full-fledged window equipped with blinds or roller blinds. The bath is decorated in light colors. Often the size of the home allows for a separate laundry room, usually next to the kitchen or in the basement.
The bathroom is subject to the requirements of functionality and comfort Source br.pinterest.com
Children's. The only place in a classic American home where style is allowed to break. The color design can be anything - from delicate beige and pink shades for girls to rich red and blue for boys. Furniture is placed along the walls, this frees up space for games. To maintain functionality, comfortable racks for toys and a spacious chest of drawers for clothes are selected for the nursery. The room is decorated with paintings drawn by its owner, posters, original chandeliers, bedside lamps and table lamps.
Colonial style in the design of a nursery Source yandex.uz
Basement (ground floor). Although the typical American home's foundation is low, its basement is designed to a considerable depth. This area can be used as a storage place, or a workshop, laundry room or gym.
There is enough space in the house for a separate laundry room Source makemone.ru
American style cottage projects
Squat and spacious houses are optimal for large plots of land. Construction and design companies have extensive catalogs of American designs for houses and cottages, one- and two-story, as well as with an attic floor. If the future owner is not suitable standard solutions, at his service are professional architects and design engineers who are ready to modify an existing option or create a new one. In Russian conditions, such projects have some features:
Quality of construction. Frame technology was developed as energy efficient, so the house will be warm even in regions with prolonged frosts. The quality of housing will be ensured by a reliable development company with solid professional experience. When choosing a company, it is worth getting acquainted not only with its portfolio (which can be very impressive), but also with the objects it has actually delivered and their happy owners.
Modern American frame house project Source jonesgroupswf.com
Ground floor. Due to the characteristics of the soil and frost heaving, it is not possible to implement a project with a basement in all regions. A smart solution would be to organize a residential attic.
Many recognizable features of the American style resonate well with the Russian customer and are present in the projects:
Open plan and spacious premises (including utility rooms).
Availability of wide porch, terrace or veranda with a variety of use cases.
Attached garage, which you can get into without leaving your home (especially valuable in winter).
Attic. Original space for the owners' private rooms.
Project Features. Exit on two sides, a basement for utility purposes, built-in wardrobes and storage rooms increase the comfort and functionality of the home.
Project with an attic balcony and a small porch Source: bostoncondoloft.com
Types of American house projects
In addition to the classic one, there are other types of style:
Ranch. Such houses are often one-story, have an asymmetrical facade, an attached garage and large panoramic windows (sometimes sliding glass doors leading from the living room to the garden). The ranch can be brick or frame, with a roof with low slopes. Shades of gray, blue and brown are used to decorate the façade.
Classic American ranch Source set-travel.com
Southwestern. A type of ranch style that mixes cowboy and Indian traditions. Such buildings are characterized by a stone or plastered facade of red or sand color; The roof is always flat and tiled.
Ranch style with a modern twist Source coolhouses.ru
Such buildings are common closer to the border with Mexico. They are smaller in area than classic American houses and are finished with plaster (usually white, beige or ocher). The style is characterized by a flat or low roof under red tiles, arched windows and passages. Decorations include carved wooden doors, forged grilles and tile ornaments.
American interpretation leaves Spanish colonial house virtually unchanged Source pinterest.com
Craftsman (craftsman's house). One of the most common styles. Recognizable by its low pitched roof, columns supporting the roof over the porch, stained glass in the doors and windows, and exterior stone chimneys. The interior is characterized by ceilings with exposed beams and an abundance of wood in decoration, decoration and furniture.
Popular style country design- craftsman Source cluesarena.com
Turnkey construction of American-style cottages
An American-style frame house is an economical, fast and practical way to acquire your own home. Many construction companies in Moscow and the Moscow region carry out turnkey construction of houses, which means full cycle works, preparatory and construction. The company undertakes:
Inspection land plot and drawing up a topographic plan.
Finalization of the project or design from scratch.
Budgeting and paperwork.
Purchase and delivery of materials to the construction site.
Carrying out construction work in compliance with all standards and quality control.
Handing over the keys to the owner.
Project for a young family Source lestorg32.ru
The customer gets the opportunity:
Make changes into a standard project.
Explore and evaluate preliminary estimate, and after its approval enter into an agreement with the company.
Get significant savings on building materials (as a rule, companies have permanent reliable suppliers).
Supervise construction(by visiting in person or online).
Pay for construction in stages or in installments.
Get a guarantee for the work performed, and often for materials.
Celebrate housewarming in 5-7 months after the start of construction work.
It will take six months from idea to implementation Source laifgame.ru
Conclusion
Generations of immigrants who left Europe and settled vast spaces North America, managed to create an original architectural style that has not lost its relevance to this day. Despite the qualitatively new trends in private housing construction that have emerged over the past 50 years, American cottage projects invariably attract the attention of future homeowners. They are a tempting option for many reasons, including functionality, smart layout and presentable appearance. If you decide to become the owner of an American-style house, projects and photos of the future structure can be viewed in different variations, but they will all have common features.How strong are the differences between the home life of native American New Yorkers and our “newcomers”? Two apartments in Brooklyn, just 7 miles apart. But these are different worlds, as it turned out...
My reader Alexander kremlin_curant
kindly agreed to show me his apartment in the Sheepshead Bay area, not far from the legendary Brighton Beach. In the evening we stopped by to see him for a thorough inspection and a tea and candy program. We drove up to the house in his BMW with criminal plates.
2.
Ordinary Americans are wondering what kind of “ubabobo” this is, which Indian reservation it is located in)) And his house is quite good, everything around is clean and cozy. At the entrance too.
3.
I compare it with an apartment we rented through the AirBnB service. Here in New York, prices are much higher than in Moscow. Three people were planned, and the hotels put crazy price tags on the room where they invited me, Nemikhail and beautiful woman named Love.
4.
As a result, having lost Nemikhail along the way, we settled into an excellent two-room apartment in Brooklyn - it was one of the most budget options. Classical brick house 1898.
5.
The stairs, of course, are creaky wood, you feel like you’re in a Harry Potter movie. This is an unforgettable experience. Upon check-in, the hostess was waiting for us right on the porch - a beautiful mulatto woman named Shanna, a flight attendant for Delta airlines.
6.
Yes, these are the flimsy doors in the black neighborhood of Brooklyn. Nobody even thinks about installing armor like in Moscow. The cost of a two-room apartment (1-bedroom) is from $85 per day for two ($90 for three people). Together with the service, it came out to $760 for a week, a little more than a hundred a day. Twice cheaper than the most modest 2* hotels, and twice as interesting!
7.
This is the living room. According to estimates, the area is 18-20 meters. From there there is a door to the fire escape and a courtyard with a small outdoor pool. Now it's locked, out of harm's way.
8.
With Alexander everything is different, the layout is very similar to Soviet apartments with a separate small kitchen. Sometimes it seems that you are in a private house somewhere near Poltava.
9.
The refrigerator is made with magnets, like mine.
10.
And only the proud American flag in the photo reminds us that the owners are almost real Americans.
11.
In Shanna's kitchen, everything is much more minimalistic, but everything you need is there. It’s unlikely that they cook here every day, because at the next intersection there are several cafes where black people, and even “snowballs” like us, have a snack in the morning. The atmosphere in the quarter is calm and relaxed.
12.
The hall of our emigrants also resembles domestic models. You'll never know if it was filmed in Alabino or Alabama.
13.
And Shanna has it in her living room corner sofa where all American life takes place. Now a long-legged blonde from Russia is lying on it. For New York, this is a very valuable species, here they are literally hunted by gentlemen of all stripes and incomes.
14.
And what about the bedrooms, if we're talking about blondes? The emigrants have our indestructible classics. A person, even going overseas, takes with him a world of dreams and relaxation.
15.
16.
Shanna's bedroom is the exact opposite. Minimum furnishings, more light. And the area is much larger. Completely different priorities.
17.
There are candles in the bathroom, light comes from the ceiling, a rare faucet reminds of another civilization.
18.
19.
I finish my visit to Alexander and go out into the corridor. Hospitable hosts load you up with sweets for the journey. It was as if he had never left Russia. The mailboxes clearly indicate the composition of the residents.
20.
Emigrants Alexander and Stas for car trips around Harlem and Atlantic City, the late Transaero - for fabulous chip flights, State Department Agent Shannon MacKeon peacetraveler22 - for delicious steaks and accommodation in Washington. Well, and my favorite AirBnB - for inexpensive housing in a terribly expensive city, which I will remember for the rest of my life, and where I will definitely return, and more than once. To one of his apartments, where the lights are on especially for me and gorgeous women from Russia...
