7 House Styles I Only Saw After Moving to America

Hello. Two years ago this week I did something that I never imagined growing up in Britain. I bought my first American house. And it got me thinking about an undeniable fact. American houses are not just larger than British ones, they're a completely different style. From giant mansions to these perfectly symmetrical suburban clones that make me wonder if I'm living in the Truman Show. It's been an architectural tour for the ages. Speaking of the Truman Show, if you're But what exactly makes these homes so uniquely American? Well to answer that, let me tell you all about seven American housing styles that I only encountered after moving to the United States. And trust me, number seven will blow your mind in half. The first one is as American as the word cookie. In that, it began life in the Netherlands. The Dutch colonial house, a throwback to Dutch settlement in America, is a design that screams, we know how to farm and we'll do it with a hat on. I'll be honest, I actually did know America had houses like this, but only because my family had a VHS of the Amateurville Horror. This incredible roofline really tells you that Dutch settlers had extraordinary craftsmanship. And that they took the term barnhouse a bit too literally. Coming from Britain, where we've mastered the art of squeezing entire families into a space the size of an American walking closet, this was a revelation. Because Dutch colonials are quite roomy and with plenty of character, just ask the Lutz family. And then you've got the shutters, which are purely decorative of course. I don't think I've ever seen Americans close them, it's like 17th century colonists only put them there to generate Instagram clicks. But the charm is undeniable. A little weird, a little wonderful, but very, very American. And Dutch. Since moving here, I've come to find that the word ranch is to Americans what the word fit is to British people. A word with many meanings. It can mean a ranch inhabited by farm animals and George Lucas. It can mean a specific type of salad dressing. Or it can mean a very horizontal style of house. Ranch style homes seem designed for people who fear height, or perhaps just really value having their bed and fridge on the same floor, which is fair enough actually. In Britain, the idea of a one-story house screams bungalow, which are predominantly inhabited by the over 65s. And so it is with the American ranch style, as evidenced by the fact that Mandela effect caused me to think that my late grandfather-in-law lived in one. According to my wife, it was actually a double-wide trailer, but I digress. And they're absolutely everywhere. I mean, every time I drive through a neighbourhood filled with them, I can't help but imagine a world where architects were paid by the square foot. Now, as we speak, many of you are probably typing, but Lawrence, you were only able to afford your house because your online business was so successful. Oh, stop it. You're just being so accurate. But don't think for a minute that running a business is easy, even for a YouTube sensation. But it is made easier by today's sponsor, Odoo. Odoo is an all-in-one solution for businesses like mine, which is just as well, because if left to my own devices, my business empire would crumble to the ground. Instead, I can finally keep track of my schedule using Odoo's planning app. In turn, this will make much easier to plan my videos in 2025, just in time for the 10-year anniversary of Lost in the Pond. Apparently, I'm getting the hang of this calendar thing. Furthermore, Odoo has a robust customer relationship management app, not to mention accounting, sales, and inventory management. For people like me who are motivated by a strong aesthetic, I love having all of these apps housed together in one visually appealing menu. Better yet, your first application is free for life. So click the link in the description to get started. And yes, America has bungalows too. And the style with which I'm most familiar is the craftsman bungalow. At first glance, I thought somebody had misplaced a movie set in a very serious neighborhood. But no, this wasn't a lucky one-off, it's a thing. Craftsmen are everywhere in Chicago, and what they lack in size, they make up for in other things, which I personally find very relatable. These houses are like that overachieving kid in school who reminds the teacher about homework. Excuse me, miss, I have exposed rafters, hand-carved brackets, and a porch that the Apparently, the craftsman movement was all about rebelling against the industrial revolution, a return to handcrafted quality and away from low-quality mass production. Ironic, then, that every house feels like it could moonlight as a national park gift shop, but my own European mind always returns to those porches. I haven't confirmed this, but I've heard that if you own a craftsman, you're legally required to have a rocking chair, an iced tea, and an opinion about whose lawn needs mowing. Anyway, superb and soo lives in one. One big surprise was discovering that America has housing styles that were inspired by English architecture. Perhaps the most obvious example I can think of is the Cape Cod style. English settlers brought it to Massachusetts in the late 17th century but realised that, like me, it wasn't compatible with North American winters, so they adapted it. The roof was given a steeper pitch so that the snow could easily be transferred from the roof above to the ground below, possibly taking out a tax collector or two. Historically tied to Massachusetts, Cape Cods are quaint, snug, and with more charm than a teapot collection on a vintage-laced doily. They also have this delightful habit of looking like they've been designed specifically for an autumn photo shoot. Crisp leaves, a wreath on the door, and maybe a pumpkin on the stoop. But run a Google search for the interior and it becomes clear that the designers were going for that light and airy look, which I'm sure was a welcome respite from, you know, typhoid. People who don't know any better say America is a young country with no history. Well, it has enough history to have old house styles that were based on even older house styles that were based on even older house styles from England. Enter the Colonial Revival, a style that feels like it was only created so that it could be the backdrop in a revolutionary war reenactment. You know the type. Symmetrical facade, centred front door, neatly aligned windows. Die hard fans of Lost in the Pond might remember seeing an example in my Thanksgiving video, Steve Martin's house in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. But when I think of these houses, I always picture the columns. Before I moved here, I thought America just reserved columns for the White House, but they're everywhere. It's as if early Americans didn't yet have any culture of their own, so they imported architectural elements from the Greeks to create a sense of grandeur, opulence and power. Actually, that's exactly what happened. As for the interior, it's also about recreating the past with cosy fireplaces and walls practically begging for a creepy bust of George Washington. Over the 16 years that I've lived here, I've often imagined that if I ever became a super wealthy YouTube sensation, I could see myself living in one of these, so keep binge watching. Of course, it wasn't just Northern Europe that made its mark on the American neighbourhood. Whenever I end up in California, it's like I'm visiting Spain all over again, but with worse traffic. This is in no small part because of Spanish colonial revival houses. If you've never seen them, how best to describe? Imagine if your house decided it was auditioning to be the backdrop of a romantic telenovela. That's basically the vibe. Now, as a Brit, I find these homes utterly fascinating, because in Britain, if you plastered the outside of your house in warm stucco and paved your roof in red terracotta tile, people would assume it's either a very niche theme park or a pop-up tapas bar. But Spanish revival is all about arches, intricate ironwork and those fabulous courtyards where I assume Americans sip sangria while a guitarist strums in the background, and if not, what even is the point of stereotypes? To that end, I often imagine that living in one would always feel like a never-ending holiday, but that's probably because I only ever see Spanish architecture when I'm on holiday. Anyway, I think they're absolutely charming. Sort of the exact opposite of these. Over the years, I've come to realize that American excess is often weirdly tied to names that sound Scottish. McDonald's, the MacBook Pro, and yes, McMansions. If you're not familiar with this architectural madness, imagine a house that looks like it was designed by someone who couldn't decide between a Tuscan villa, a gothic castle, and a standard hotel lobby. In Britain, homes tend to be, shall we say, more reserved. You've got your brick semi-detached houses, your quaint terraces, and even the occasional mansion. But nowhere in Britain would you find this. I say that as somebody who lives down the street from several McMansions and who once spent a weekend in one. It was about four British homes in one. I mean, just walking from the ground floor toilet to the linen closet, I was sweating buckets. So it was a good job that I was heading to the linen closet. But don't be fooled, it's not just the space that's bewildering, it's the sheer amount of completely unnecessary features. A foyer so big you could land a helicopter in it but somehow no storage for actual shoes or coats. A room labelled the sitting room that no one has ever in fact sat in. And what's going on with the windows? Some McMansions have windows that are purely decorative. Literal glass rectangles leading nowhere like the architectural equivalent of false promises. And Google, what kind of decade could possibly have thrown up these over-the-top love letters to American excess? The 80s. Surprise, surprise. So there you have it, seven uniquely American housing styles. Let me know in the comments which one I should move into next. And if you liked this video, there's absolutely no helping you. But if you did, you'll watch this video immediately. Until the next time, Merry Christmas.