Video:Characteristics of a Shingle Style Home

Transcript:Characteristics of a Shingle Style Home

Hi, My name is Anita Cordell and I am a real estate agent in the Kansas City area and I am here to day to talk about shingle style homes for About.com.

Shingle Style Homes Have Asymmetrical Designs

One of the most important characteristics of this style is it represents and shift from the more elaborate buildings of the American Victoria era to a more simple, casual style that you will later see in the craftsman style home.  The first ones that were built were made to give the feelings of a lodge and became popular in the eastern united states as seaside vacation homes for the wealthy.

Some common features that a shingle style will offer.  They usually have curved porches or towers on them. One of the common features also is that they have irregular shapes to the homes, so they don't necessarily flow with the floor plan. They have protruding gables, they have complex roof lines and one of the things that makes them different from the Victorian style is that there is not a lot of decoration on the outside.  

The sizes of these are usually two to three stories, they are usually built on large lots., and this will make room for the rambling floor plan that is so popular with this style. 

There are a lot of asymmetrical lines that make up the architectural design of the property.  Another common feature is that they will tuck away the bedrooms upstairs so that the main floor can be used for the main living.  Such as the dining room, living room and kitchen, and even the extended porch that is so popular.

The Front Porch is Trademark in Shingle Style Homes

One of the trademark features of the shingle style is the use of a front porch to extend the living space on the main floor. 

When you are out considering this style of home you may want to consider things such as the floor plan. Due to the fact the the floor plan is irregular, you will have to walk through it to make sure the flow of the floor plan coincides with the needs of your family.  Are you going to mind it not being box-y? Are you going to want a little bit of diversity in the floor plan? Or is the decoration going to be a little more simple than what you would like versus a Victorian style.

Consider Potential Upgrades Needed for Shingle Style Homes

If you are looking for one of the original shingle style properties built in the early 1900's you might want to take into consideration if anything has been modernized or upgraded, things such as safety features, including things like electricity and wiring or HVAC systems, things such as that.  Those things can get a little bit pricey when you are updating some of the larger homes, but if it works with your family, upgrades are always worth it to make you happy. 

From my experience a shingle style home has many great features including a rambling floor plan.  If your in a good neighborhood it going to be a great buy and you should have no problem selling it in the future.

Thanks for watching, for more information, check us out on the web, at homegarden.about.com.