Architectural Styles
Fort Wayne’s neighborhoods tell a story. One that is shaped by the homes that line our streets. From early Colonial and Georgian influences to today’s modern rustic designs, each architectural style reflects a moment in time. In Between the Studs Episode 114: Architectural Styles, we explore how these homes came to be and why they continue to shape the way we live today.
Granite Ridge Builders strives to evolve the architectural style of the greater Fort Wayne area by honoring the past while building for the way people live today.
Colonial
Introduced in the 1620s, Colonial homes were typically one story and made with few rooms with function being the main focus. Early in the 1900s, Colonial style homes saw a revival and became prominent in Fort Wayne, where many examples still stand today.
According to Architectural Digest, classic Colonial homes feature symmetry, dormer windows, shutters, chimneys, and more. Our episode talks about the typical rank, the position of the windows running along the front elevation of a house. A typical Colonial home follows a five-over-five layout, with a centered front door, two windows on each side, and five windows aligned across the second story. Other exterior features talked about on the show are projecting eaves, pediments, and wings on the outside of the home.
Architectural Digest also points out a traditional, closed off floor plan, central staircase, long hallways, and more for interior features. A good example of a Colonial style home in Fort Wayne is the Keenan House built in 1919.
Georgian
In Between the Studs Episode 157: American Architectural Styles, we learn that the Georgian style was named after the King Georges of England. According to The Spruce, Georgian architecture appeared between 1714 and 1830 and made its way to America with English colonists.
Like Colonial homes, Georgian houses are known for their symmetry, but they typically feature two full stories, sometimes with a smaller third floor. Exposed brick exteriors were common, along with dormers, pediments, and side wings that added formality and balance.
One interesting detail about Georgian homes is that the design varied by region. Southern Georgian homes often featured two chimneys on the exterior walls, allowing heat to escape more easily in warmer climates. In northern versions, fireplaces were placed centrally to better retain heat during colder months.
According to The Spruce, Georgian interiors leaned more decorative, featuring high ceilings, crown moldings, ceiling roses, and detailed cornices. While Colonial homes prioritized function, Georgian architecture marked a shift toward ornamentation and elegance.
Cape Cod
The Cape Cod, also known as the Capes, were built between 1690 – 1850 and had a revival in the 1920s – 1950s, after the Great Depression due to its economical design, according to The Spruce. This style became nostalgic because it became the post-war solution to the housing boom.
These homes used hardy materials like oak, pine, and brick to stand against the harsh New England winters. The Capes features a steep roof, rectangular elevation, central door, one and a half stories, and more. According to our episode, the Cape Cods have a very similar sister style called the Cape Ann, with the main difference being the roof. The Cape Cods have a gable roof and the Cape Anns have a gambrel (barn style) roof.
According to The Spruce, the Cape Cod style has evolved significantly over time. What began as a small, simple structure gradually expanded in size. The large central chimney was eventually moved to the side as heating technology improved, and dormer windows were added in the 1920s to increase natural light and ventilation. Over time, the style became more detailed while still maintaining its classic charm.
Federal
According to our episode, the Federal style is closely tied to Georgian architecture and rose in popularity as the United States government was taking shape. These homes were typically rectangular or square in form and introduced features like front porches, frieze boards, and hipped roofs, giving the style a refined but restrained appearance.
One of the easiest ways to spot a Federal-style home is the use of eagle motifs. As discussed on the show, the eagle became a symbol of American identity which was an intentional way of saying this is American, not British.
According to the National Park Service, Federal architecture is rooted in balance and symmetry and was most popular between the 1780s and 1840s. While the style was also adopted in Britain, it is most strongly associated with the early United States and its emerging national identity. Interestingly, despite their simple rectangular exteriors, Federal homes often featured octagonal or oval-shaped interior rooms, adding an unexpected layer of elegance inside.
A famous example of a Federal style home is Alexander Hamilton’s home, The Grange, which reflect the style’s connection to early American leadership and design. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.
Greek Revival
Greek Revival became prominent in the mid-1820s to 1860s, according to the show. With Greece being the birthplace of democracy, America looked to Greek architecture for guidance as the young nation evolved.
As it spread from the East Coast to the West Coast, it became the first dominant national style, according to The Spruce. Although the Greek Revival was introduced by British architect James Stuart, this style fully came to fruition in America, according to The Spruce.
This revival moved the gables to the front of the house to create a temple-like facade with Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian pillars painted white to mimic the marble used by the Greeks, according to The Spruce. The exterior also shows a wood, stucco, brick, or brownstone siding, low sloped roofs, front porches, and more.
According to The Spruce, the interiors are simple, open-concept layouts with tall windows and doors, wide plank floors, ornate ceiling mantels, and more. A fun fact about this style: the marble pillars were originally painted in bold primary colors rather than the white columns documented by James Stuart.
Tudor
Tudor architecture was developed in medieval England and Wales in the 1500s, but, according to The Spruce, didn’t become popular in the United States until the 1900s. Tudor adopted both Renaissance and Gothic design to create two-toned manor homes.
In the U.S., The Spruce mentions that Tudor homes are mostly found in the Northern states because the steep gables and roofs make it ideal for colder weather. According to the show, one of the most recognizable features of Tudor architecture is its use of stucco paired with decorative exposed wood, known as half-timbering. Combined with the flared roof and steep pitch, this house is hard to miss.
The Spruce mentions the exterior having red brick detailing, grouped windows, a decorative front door, and masonry chimneys. The interior is just as unique, according to The Spruce, with its ceiling beams, dark wood panel walls, tile, brick, or wood floors, and sweeping staircases.
Because of their complex designs and custom floor plans, Tudor homes were more expensive to build and typically required larger lots. Tudor homes became less popular after World War II because of the price and were replaced with more affordable styles like the Cape Cods.
Craftsman
The Craftsman home is a newer style that’s still widely seen today, as discussed on the show. Emerging in the early 20th century from the American Craftsman movement, an offshoot of the British Arts and Crafts movement, this style emphasized decorative arts, landscape integration, and quality over mass production. Thanks in large part to American furniture designer Gustav Stickley, Craftsman homes quickly spread across the country, according to The Spruce.
As highlighted on the show, Craftsman homes are known for their welcoming front porches, decorative brackets, dormers, and projecting eaves that add visual interest to the roofline. One of the defining aspects of the style is how easily it allows homeowners to personalize their space.
According to The Spruce, Craftsman homes are typically small to medium in size, with more intimate interior spaces, extensive woodwork, nature-inspired color palettes, and an enduring appreciation for artisanal craftsmanship. Common features also include large bay windows, painted wood siding, and built-in interior elements such as bookcases, window seats, and cabinetry.
Ranch
Ranch homes are one-story home, as discussed in the show, and became popular after World War II as soldiers returned. This period also marked the rise of the open-concept floor plan, which became a defining feature of the Ranch style.
According to The Spruce, these homes are often built on a slab foundation and feature large windows, low-pitched roofs, occasional front porches, and sliding glass doors that open to the outdoors. The style’s straightforward design also makes Ranch homes easier to expand, contributing to their long-lasting popularity with homeowners.
Key characteristics of Ranch homes, according to The Spruce, include large windows, ground-level entryways that create a natural connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, overhanging eaves, and, sometimes included attached garages.
The Ranch style originated in California in the 1930s, led by architect Clifford May, who sought to create an open-concept layout that contrasted with the more closed-off interiors of Craftsman homes. Drawing inspiration from Spanish Colonial architecture, the style quickly gained traction and evolved into several variations, including the California Ranch, Suburban Ranch, Split-Level Ranch, Storybook Ranch, and Raised Ranch, according to The Spruce.
Prairie
The Prairie style is considered to be the first true American style as stated in episode 157. In the 1910s, architect Frank Lloyd Wright wanted to make homes that felt part of the earth by using low-sloped roofs and long projecting eaves, according to episode 114.
These homes also feature front porches with big piers and simple exteriors with contrasting colors and stucco. The show also mentions the Franke Home, built in 1914, built by architects Barry Byrne and Walter Griffin, who both studied under Wright. Other famous houses include the Robie House in Chicago and the Fallingwater House in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.
The Prairie style emerged after Wright and a group of architects were underwhelmed with the styles presented at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, according to The Spruce. They wanted to create a new style that would be an unconventional reflection of life in the American Midwest by drawing inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement, according to The Spruce. For about 15 years, the Prairie style home was in the public eye.
With the horizontal lines, open-concept floor plan, and massive walls of windows, the Prairie style home was one of the first styles that used modern architecture, according to The Spruce. Unlike the modernist movement, Prairie homes include handmade craftsmanship, simple and natural woodwork, flow from inside to outside, and natural materials to really combine the earth and the home.
Modern Rustic
Granite Ridge Builders is adding to the rich architectural landscape of the greater Fort Wayne area with our new modern rustic model home in Simon Lake Estates: The Breckenridge Lodge.
According to Vera Iconica, rustic homes are designed to reconnect with nature and are often associated with mountain or rural living rather than a specific location or historical period. This style is defined by elements such as rough-sawn and hand-hewn wood, rubble masonry, and materials shaped by low-tech tools, along with exposed structural elements, layered textures, simplicity, and functionality. Rustic design also reflects a growing desire for health, wellness, and a slower and more simple lifestyle.
While “rustic” and “modern” may sound contradictory, the two styles can be thoughtfully blended. Vera Iconica notes that balance is achieved by pairing reclaimed wood and natural textures with modern open spaces, clean rooflines, and contemporary lighting and furnishings. With the Breckenridge Lodge, Granite Ridge Builders brings these ideas together seamlessly, incorporating reclaimed wood from the barns at Simon Farm to honor the Simon family while creating a warm, modern luxury home that feels connected to its surroundings.
Granite Ridge Builders strives to evolve the architectural style of the greater Fort Wayne area by honoring the past while building for the way people live today.
