ranchstyle

Ranchstyle refers to the ranch-style house and its associated aesthetic. The term is commonly written as ranch-style or ranch house, and occasionally as ranchstyle in branding or shorthand. The style originated in the United States, gaining prominence in Southern California in the 1920s and 1930s and becoming a dominant form of suburban housing in the postwar era.

Design characteristics include a single-story footprint, a long, low profile, and an open floor plan that combines living, dining, and kitchen spaces. Exterior materials commonly include wood siding or brick, with low-pitched or hipped roofs and wide eaves. Large windows, sometimes paired with sliding glass doors, connect interior spaces to patios or yards. Garages are typically integrated into the main mass or attached to the side.

Origins and evolution: Cliff May and other architects helped standardize the look; the style borrowed from ranching or farmhouses and emphasized informal living and indoor-outdoor flow. In the 1950s–1960s it spread across the U.S. into tract housing, with variations such as the split-bedroom ranch, the raised ranch, and later neo-ranch remodels.

Legacy and reception: The ranchhouse became iconic of mid-century modern suburban life but has also been criticized for sprawling footprints and uniformity. In recent decades, many ranch-style homes have been renovated to preserve historic lines while updating insulation, windows, and layouts.

See also: Ranch house; Mid-century modern; Suburban architecture.