The ranch house was one of the more popular home styles after the end of World War II. As more and more people built houses in the suburbs, the simple, low cost lines of ranch houses were appealing not only economically, but visually. Today, ranch houses, whether built in the past or built as a variation on the theme today, continue to be popular to home buyers.

Traditional Ranch Style Architecture Layouts
Traditional ranch style houses were one story homes built to either sprawl over a large lot or fit into a smaller lot, depending on what the buyer could afford. The purpose was to have not only a house, but a yard to enjoy. In fact, having a yard for leisure time was an important attraction of this type of home design.

The traditional design of ranch homes was simple. The living areas, such as the kitchen and living room, were placed in front of the house. One of the living areas, perhaps the family room, faced the backyard. The bedrooms were also placed in the back of the house. Garages were usually attached to the main house. This resulted in a home with a rectangular design rather than a square layout.

Typical ranch homes had picture windows in the front, so that you could observe the neighborhood and your front yard. The family room on the back of the house usually had sliding glass doors. These doors often opened to a patio, and, of course, to the backyard.

The simplicity in design also carried over to the façade of the house. The façade of these homes were typically built with wood or brick without any of the “frills” of other types of homes. For example, you wouldn’t find the gingerbread decorations of Victorian homes on a ranch home.

If you buy an older ranch home, you may find it easier to increase your floor space than with other types of homes, such a second story to your home, depending on the house’s structure. In addition, you can add onto the sides of you house in a straight line, if you have the room on your property, or turn your ranch home into a “U” or “L” shaped house and stay within the original one story design.