Shingle Style House Plans

Native to New England but found across the United States – indeed the world – shingle style house plans evoke the warmth and comfort of cottage or rustic living. Introduced in the late 1880s, the Shingle style was intended to hark back to the simplicity of Colonial architecture and eschew the ornamentation, adornments, and embellishments of Queen Anne and Victorian home plan architecture, opting instead to be more rustic home plans.

The use of shingles, which weather to a gray hue the longer they are exposed to the elements, was intended to indicate the passage of time. The style is seen in many seaside communities because the salt air gives the shingles a beautiful patina. Shingle home plans may range from small cottage or bungalow home plans to large luxury house plans. The simplicity of design and clean lines are key to the style.

The most distinguishing features of these homes, aside from being covered in shingles on the outside, are the long, sweeping rooflines with curved portions, known as a gambrel roofs. It is common to find turrets and bay windows in Shingle house plans, which add to their unique appearance and provide a distinct type of charm that calls to mind in older times. Some Shingle style homes also incorporate these classical designs into the roofline, which makes each home stand out as a unique and distinct building.

Traditionally, Shingle style home plans are covered in wooden shingles on the entirety of the exterior, as their small size allows for seamless coverage over rounded edges. However, some plans include other materials, such as brick, stone, or even wooden lap siding, on portions of the exterior, depending on the overall design as well as any special requirements based on the location of the home.

Most Shingle style floor plans feature at least three bedrooms and two full baths, though some may include up to five bedrooms and additional half baths. The size of these homes can vary significantly, starting at less than 1,500 square feet on the smaller side. While many Shingle homes are two stories, which allow for additional elements such as towers or dormers, some are available as single-story homes that spread the rooms out over a larger area.