Video:Characteristics of a Pueblo Style Home

Transcript:Characteristics of a Pueblo Style Home

Hi, I'm Fred Abler, Graduate Architect and CEO of FormFonts.com. I'm here today for About.com to talk with you about the characteristics of a Pueblo style home.

Pueblo Homes are Prominent in the Southwest

Pueblos, or Adobes, originated with ancient Native Americans and have become a revival style since the early 1900s. You'll commonly find the modern versions of these eco-friendly dwellings in California and throughout the Southwest.

As clay is the only indigenous building material in the American Southwest, the walls of the traditional Pueblo style homes are constructed with this stiff mud and straw that is baked by the sun. These thick adobe walls, in fact, are the most defining characteristic of the style. A huge bonus of adobe is that it absorbs the sun's energy, and efficiently releases the heat later when needed. In other words, Pueblo interiors remain very cool when it's hot, and warm when it's cold, without the assistance of central heating and air.

Variations of Pueblo Style Homes

There are several variations of Pueblo revival style homes. The Dallidet Adobe in San Luis Obispo, California is a Territorial Pueblo with square corners, and framed windows with straight wooden moldings. Most other traditional Pueblo variations have rounded corners, deep-set, simple windows without framing, and flat roofs with no overhangs. Adobe homes have also absorbed Spanish influences; many have porches held up with posts, as seen here on the Dallidet Adobe.

Additional features of Pueblo style homes may include, but are not limited to: heavy wooden doors; stepped levels; vigas, or heavy wooden beams extending through the walls for roof support; beehive corner fireplaces; brick, wood, or flagstone flooring; benches that protrude from the walls, also known as bancos; and niches carved into the interior walls for display purposes. Ancient Native Americans built Pueblos originally as multi-family homes, but modern versions of this historic style vary greatly in interior size and layout.

Real Estate Market Value of Pueblo Homes Can Vary

The homes tend to stand alone in their present neighborhoods and landscapes, which can affect their market value in a number of ways, both good and bad. Pueblo style homes offer unique architectural features that borrow from the wisdom of ancient peoples. Their eclectic and unique features, by today's standards, make them both functional and beautiful.

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