The Many House Styles in Bergen County

The completion of the West Shore Railroad in the second half of the 1800s encouraged the building of many Victorian era homes for use in the summer months by prosperous middle class families seeking to escape New York City’s hot summers. Many fine examples of Queen Anne, Shingle and Folk Victorians can be found even today.

After the George Washington Bridge was built in the 1930s, Bergen County developed rapidly. Homes in the Colonial Revival and Tudor Style were fashionable beginning in the 1920s, as were Cape Cods, both large and small. After World War II, Modern Style houses, the Ranch, Split-Level, Bi-Level and Contemporary, were popular choices for young families.

Homes built today of modern building materials borrow and mix and match details from every period and style. Included below are just a few examples of the varied housing styles available.

Cape Cod: a one-story or one-and-a–half story home

Colonial Cape: A larger home; typically has a formal dining room not found in smaller versions.

Colonials: A two-story home with a basement.

Center Hall / Side Hall:

Dutch: Homes built of stone or brick, which feature gambrel roofs with overhanging eaves.

Georgian: Symmetrical, boxy homes with door centrally located and flanked by equal number of windows. Windows were never paired, and could have shutters. Details and ornamentation differ.

Tudor: Inspired by medieval building techniques, homes have a dominant brick or stone chimney, multi-paned casement windows and steeply pitched roofs. The first story is stone or brick; decorative half timbering accents the second floor.

Victorian: First built in the latter half of the nineteenth century. New building techniques freed builders from the traditional “boxy” shape and factories produced elaborate decorative woodwork. Featured asymmetrical designs, porches, and lots of details.

Ranch: a one-story house with a low pitched roof.

Classic: frontage may emphasize the horizontal lines or have detailing (e.g. shutters, paneled door, window boxes) that mimic colonial style homes.

Raised: two-story built on a concrete slab. Door on first floor with garage; living area up a full flight of stairs.

Split-Level: multi-level with an attached garage; basement under living level only, rest of home on slab. multi-level with an attached garage; basement under living level only, rest of home on slab.

Standard: door is on the main living level, one level down is the family room or den and garage; up one level from the living area is the bedroom area.

Tri-level: additional bedrooms built over the living level.

Sugar Maple: door is on ground level with the garage and den; main living area is up one level and the bedrooms up another level.

Bi-level: a two-story home built on a concrete slab. Door is located between the first and second stories. One level up is the living area level; the lower level has a family room and garage.