Posted on October 3, 2024 by Miller and Smith Blog Team
When you search for your new home, you look at a lot of floor plans to find just the right layout for you.
And when you find some you like, you then expand your comparisons into the third dimension by looking at different elevations.
Elevations are drawings that show the home in three dimensions, but they also are a term that means the homes architectural style.
At Miller & Smith, we’ve been perfecting the art of homebuilding since 1964, and our home elevations are a testament to that expertise. Our award-winning designs are thoughtfully crafted to offer a perfect blend of architectural beauty and modern functionality. From rich materials to architectural integrity, our homes are designed to impress today and remain timeless tomorrow. With decades of experience and a wide range of styles, you can trust Miller & Smith to deliver a home elevation that will truly stand out—both inside and out.
So, to help you with your new-home search, we put together a little introductory primer to some of the most popular elevations and their characteristics.
Almost every home style is a reaction to or evolution from a previous style, and Craftsman (sometimes called American Craftsman) is no exception. In the 1800s, the Victorian elevation became popular. Victorian homes are ornate, with turrets and towers. They emphasize the look of a home, making it more important than the function. Not everyone liked this architectural attitude, and so the Craftsman style was born.
Named by Gustave Stickley, a furniture maker and publisher of The Craftsman magazine, the Craftsman style does away with all the fancy-for-fancy’s-sake ornamentation. It has a large, covered front porch supported by tapered, square columns. It’s a comfortable, functional home that has all the feeling of a place you want to return to once you’re grown for a dinner with your parents. The Craftsman elevation has become quintessentially American, and has influenced many new designs ever since.
Transitional elevations look at classical architecture on one side and contemporary on the other and decide to pick and choose bits from each. It is a blended style, that paints with many colors to form elevations that are wholly a thing unto themselves. Like Craftsman, however, Transitional elevations stay away from many of the excessive ornamentations of the past, opting for more practical lines and features.
One other thing about Transitional style is that comfort is a key component in making sure the home supports your lifestyle. And by being a little bit old school and a little bit new, this elevation puts a face on your new home that matches with your unique style. And by being a blended elevation, it adds wide-ranging curb appeal.
The Modern Farmhouse elevation also prefers function over form, but that doesn’t mean it’s an eyesore. It’s an updated take on the classic homes found on farms all over the historic American countryside. Modern Farmhouse elevations are normally very rectangular, simple, and humble. They also have long porches in the front (and often the back) that provide ample space to sit and watch the metaphorical cows come home.
Modern Farmhouse elevations have a similar classic home feel to a Craftsman home. One thing you can expect with a Modern Farmhouse home vs. a regular Farmhouse is more space! In the past, the Farmhouse style was about only having what you needed without any excess. But Modern Farmhouse elevations have spacious interiors ready to provide room for your family to spread out, enjoy life, and grow.
Once a tiny home with a tiny garden in medieval England, the Cottage elevation we know today maintains some of the same characteristics minus the diminutive size. Cottage homes feature asymmetrical designs, steeply arched roofs, and a peak over the front door. This gives them a more whimsical feel, which is only highlighted more by the front door which often has a rounded top.
Cottage elevations also make good use of brick and/or stone work, and often have large chimneys for their must-have fireplaces (sitting in front of a fire is imperative to the Cottage aesthetic). In short, these are somewhat magical, storybook-looking homes that have all the innovations that modern technology can offer.
Since Miller & Smith builds in the D.C. Metro area, the Federal elevation is something that we see often. Monticello and The White House are two shining examples of this architectural style. Federal is an elevation that developed in the colonies before we were a country to differentiate us from the monarchy of England. Classical Greek and Roman architecture were looked to for inspiration because of their democratic and republican (the old sense of the word, not the political party) values.
Federal elevation can be recognized by its angular, rectangular shape, normally with a flat front. With little ornamentation, save for the occasional bald eagle and austere-looking column, this home style is grand without being too ostentatious.
Ranch elevations are normally very easy to spot based on their most common single-story design. This design was originally practical, as the homes were primarily built in the south and needed to keep low to the ground to prevent excess heat. Large front porches were also a key feature of this elevation as a place for families to gather and relax as the sun set.
Ranch homes saw a popularity boom in the mid-1900s, as it became the poster child, so to speak, for the average American home. Today, Ranch elevations tend to keep its single level (or, at least, main-level living) characteristic, while adding space for the family of the future. Expect the porch, an attached garage, and vaulted ceilings to add height. Ranch homes are also excellent choices for those who want a home without stairs.
Tudor, Greek, Gothic. All these home elevations have one thing in common: They are all so popular that they have been revived at some point. Sometimes fashions and trends are cyclical, with architects looking to the past for inspiration in how to move forward.
Revival elevations aren’t just carbon copies of past styles, though. They take elements that define a style and then work those into a new, more contemporary elevation. So, you might have some half-timbered, Tudor decorations (Tudor Revival) or a Gothic gargoyles here and there (Gothic Revival), all blended into a modern new home.
Your new home’s elevation plays a crucial role in shaping the aesthetic appeal and, sometimes, the functionality of your home. Miller & Smith’s new homes embrace a wide range of these popular elevation styles, blending classic architectural elements with contemporary innovation. Our designs cater to diverse tastes and preferences, thoughtfully crafted to suit both traditional neighborhoods and more modern communities. Whether it’s the classic charm of a Craftsman or Cottage, the sleek sophistication of a Modern Farmhouse or Transitional style, or the timeless elegance of Federal or Ranch homes, every elevation reflects our commitment to quality and attention to detail.