Architectural Designs and Ideas For Any 21st Century Custom Home

The 21st century has certainly seen a resurgence of custom homes. Today, homeowners have an incredible amount of control over the design of the home and also the wide array of interior and exterior features that are possible. For many people, the Southwest has its own unique characteristics in the home. Being so close to  New Mexico, many people like the stucco style/ adobe-style home and even taking a few elements of this into their custom home can really make their home design stand out. 

Famous Architectural Styles Past and Present 

• Cape Cod. You’ll know one when you see one. This traditional-style home has very symmetrical features and a clean look. They are inspired by Britain’s thatched cottages but Northeastern U.S style, meaning they were able to withstand the cold winters. 
• Art Deco. We don’t see much of this in the Southwest either, but the style is often utilized by hip urban office buildings and more. These will normally have flat roofs, smooth stucco walls, rounded corners. Think Miami in the eighties, Scarface era. 
• Colonial. This is another very recognizable style. When you see a colonial style home or building, you will likely think about classic New England homes. The exterior is very symmetrical, will typically be a two-story home, and have plenty of windows. 
• Mediterranean. This style is used often in California and many coastal areas but can also be seen all across the country. The architecture is quite charming, as it evokes an exotic vibe of the seaside villas with a little bit of suburban mixed in. 
• Modern. After World War II, many new homes rejected the traditional neoclassical style that preceded it. Experiments in construction, thanks to the advent of a lot more building materials, became quite common and home designs began to add a little flare to the homes. The modernist art movement inspired the architecture style and brought about concepts like the open floor concept.
• Transitional Home. This is quite common today, as a transitional home is a mixture of many different styles and will keep the design simple and minimal. These homes will utilize a neutral color palette. 
• Victorian. You will likely recognize this type of architecture as well. The Victorian era of building had a lot of ornamental architecture and far more decorative features in the home and buildings. There were a lot of romantic elements, a lot of rooms, and beauty over functionality. 
• Contemporary. While often confused with modern, the contemporary style uses some modern elements but is also a mix and match of a lot of different styles. The contemporary home has a lot of environmentally friendly elements, energy-efficient features, and a sleek design with an open floor concept. 
• Pueblo revival. This type of home is seen a lot in the Southwest and is inspired by the homes of the Pueblo Indians. This style uses very earthy materials such as adobe, stucco, concrete, mortar, and plenty of wood and wooden features as well.  

Today’s custom home builders will have an in-house design team or specialist that helps you choose some of the details that better suit your home. If you’re looking to have your home be inspired by a particular style or want to see elements of a certain style of home, the custom is the way to go. 

Other Ways To Make Your Home Stand Out

There is no limit to what architecture can do. After all, with hundreds of architectural backgrounds and styles, a home will typically take from various design concepts. At the same time, a traditional floor plan can be revitalized with a slight change in one or two design elements. This means that your custom home can still be affordable and evoke luxurious styles and modern characteristics that draw the eye. 

One example of this is bold exterior color that enhances your home. It might seem like a minor detail, but a fresh color can really go a long way. There are many colors that are trending right now for new homes including bolder richer colors. If you’re looking to have the house that stands out or really spells out your personality and defines the atmosphere, consider red, green, and browns which come from traditional hues but are a lot bolder. Also, dark saturated colors are also popular and you might see people using stronger blues or orange in their exterior. 

Get The Style You Want With Cullers Homes 

Here in El Paso, people favor a lot of modern and earthy materials. Because we are in the Southwest and see our fair share of sunlight, there are a lot of common features in homes that people are looking for. That is not to say, however, that there is one right answer. A custom build means that a designer will work with you to get a floorplan and style that you are happy with. Here at Cullers Homes, the design process is pretty straightforward and allows clients to work with a designer and tap into new ideas or use some of our past floor plans.