It is impossible to understand and appreciate Los Angeles’ history and development without first understanding the city’s architecture. Los Angeles was founded in 1850. Then, it was little more than a collection of pioneer encampments along the Los Angeles River and a place where the law was often ignored. Bankers and industrialists erected huge Victorian mansions in downtown San Francisco and Angelino Heights (perhaps the city’s first suburb, just a few steps from the city center) as the city expanded into a central West Coast trading hub. However, there was not much variety in residential architecture. Yet, that changed rapidly later in the years, and now there are many popular home architecture styles in Los Angeles. Here are some of them.
Bungalow courts
Pasadena architect Sylvanus Marston built the first Bungalow courts in 1909. These apartment buildings are actually several small, separate homes arranged around a shared courtyard. Nowadays, there aren’t many examples of this ancient building type left, making it an endangered architectural style. So, keep this in mind if you want to purchase – you’ll be an owner of a rare type of home! They are one story tall and include red tiles, stucco, gates, and arches. Smaller and more common in established suburbs, these homes stand out from their Mission Revival counterparts.
Mediterranean
One of the most popular home architecture styles in Los Angeles is the Mediterranean. Most of the structures in the state’s southern regions were built in a style that echoes the classic Spanish style.
In this vein, if you are thinking about making Los Angeles your permanent home, you should definitely check out the county’s gorgeous Mediterranean low-pitched-roof houses and breathtaking Vista California apartments. Aesthetic touches abound in these houses, from balconies to hefty oak doors and colorful tilework.
Victorian
You’ll frequently see Victorian architecture in older American cities like Boston and Philadelphia. Through the 1800s and into the 1900s, the wealthy elite of Los Angeles supported building several mansions in this style, contributing to the style’s rise to prominence in the city.
There is a wide variety of architectural types and housing sizes available in Los Angeles, so homebuyers may choose something that fits their budget. If you want to move into a Victorian-style home, you should reach out to a reliable team that will help you with long-distance moving to LA. Hiring movers is always a good call when making a more extended move.
Victorian is the most ostentatious and costly architectural style. The porches of these mansions have carved wood scrollwork and ornate woodwork, while the towers reach many stories into the air. Affordable Victorian two-bedroom houses with symmetrical gables may be found in the Folks style in both Pasadena and Boyle Heights.
The Echo Park, University Park, and Montecito Heights neighborhoods all have chances for homebuyers looking for one of these highly sought-after historic properties.
Cape cod
Among the most recognizable of all American architectural styles is Cape cod. Although it was given its current name because of its prevalence along the coast of Massachusetts, the type of architecture it derived from dates back to the 18th century and was developed in Britain. Then the design adapted to colonial America’s materials and environment.
The winters in Cape Cod may be brisk, damp, and windy. The rapid proliferation of its building style across the rest of New England reflects that environment. These dwellings are protected from the elements by their low eaves and ceilings, as well as a massive central chimney made of brick. One-and-a-half-story homes without dormers are prevalent, as are unpainted clapboard or cedar siding, window shutters, and side shingles.
Ranch
Ranch-style houses are loosely based on a Western frontier home and combine the modular simplicity of modernist dwellings with the “down-home” atmosphere of a conventional 19th-century farmhouse. It’s an American look that first appeared in the 1920s and peaked in the 1940s and ’70s. The postwar baby boom necessitated the rapid construction of a large number of new dwellings, and the simplicity of their building and the warmth of their interior design won over many new buyers.
Ranch-style houses are famous for their wide, low profile and their flat or gently sloping roofs. It’s not uncommon for them to have a brick base and a wood-paneled or painted masonry upper part. Extending beyond the walls, eaves provide shelter from precipitation. Smaller homes may have porches or doors that require a step-up. Although the ceilings may be lower, the room sizes are sometimes rather substantial, and the floor designs can be either rectangular, L-shaped or U-shaped to accommodate a range of prices. Fashion is quite adaptable, and people often make changes to it.
These houses typically have open floor plans inside and extras like basements and attached garages. Sometimes the otherwise straight lines of this design are broken up by triangular gables protruding toward the street. Furthermore, the majority of them have front yards and driveway space. This makes them ideal for luxury home exterior additions. If you like spending time outside, this is the style for you!
Contemporary
Modernist principles and drawing inspiration from previous architectural eras make contemporary houses very popular in LA. They often use cutting-edge design and materials with cutting-edge security, entertainment, and communication systems. Many of these homes are so-called smart homes with luxurious features that add value to the property.
While they share important aspects like open floor plans, blocky construction, flat roofs, and discreet landscaping with certain conventionally modernist buildings, these residences tend to be less harsh in their design. Metal, wood, and painted stucco are common external materials for these types of houses. Homeowners with this style embrace eclecticism and carefully organize their indoor and outdoor spaces.
Many of these houses have a significantly smaller carbon footprint. They can also have optimal energy use. Beverly Hills, Pasadena, and Hollywood Hills are typical places for these kinds of homes since they cater to high-income people They might be as little as a closet or as large as a palace.
In Conclusion
Many homes in California are really pieces of art, and the state itself is a work of art. In addition to the pleasant weather and palm-lined streets, the popular home architecture styles in Los Angeles truly make it stand out. Take a stroll down the many neighborhoods and take in the sights. Maybe you’ll find a perfect home for yourself.