We looked at a home this weekend and were wondering what style it is.  The agent called it a two-story Colonial, but it’s listed as less than 100 years old.  It has a rear one-story addition, but the original house looks like a big square box with a pyramid for a roof.  The front porch looks original.  It’s very large with square columns supporting the porch roof.  If you have any info on this type of house, we would appreciate it.

I’m frequently presented with opportunities to tease some real estate sales folks about their knowledge of architectural terms and styles. Any home that is two stories and is somewhat lacking in decorative elements is usually listed as a Colonial. The home you describe has some splendid details that are consistent with a unique type of family home that was most popular during the first third of the 20th century.

The American Foursquare

The American Foursquare appears throughout the U.S. in mostly urban neighborhoods.  That’s not to say that you won’t find them in rural areas–some are even farmhouses. A large majority were built between 1895 and the late 1930s. I call it a type of house rather than a particular style.  The basic form of the structure of the house classifies it as an American Foursquare. The style used on the other details can vary greatly.

The early models might have a box bay or angle bay extension on one side. Occasionally a bay pops out of the front of the second floor. I don’t think I’ve never seen a Foursquare without a covered front porch.

One other thing–they’re square.

I find very few that have had major structural changes from the original floor plan, proving the original design to still be functional for today’s modest families. The most common changes are a rear one story addition–to accommodate a larger eat-in kitchen–and finishing the attic into an office, studio, or bedroom.