Homes have many different styles, a prairie-style house is one of them, which has a unique charm. In short, Prairie house style characteristics are low to the ground with distinct roof lines, often using earth tones and natural materials. They have a lot of horizontal lines emphasized by the roof.
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What Is Prairie House Style?
Houses on the Prairie began to be introduced in the Chicago area in the 1890’s and originated from architect Frank Lloyd Wright. For instance, during that period there were Victorian style buildings which are highly detailed and ornamented. Whereas the Prairie homes were a little more elaborate but made more humble to complement the style of its surrounding environment.
By 1893, Frank Lloyd Wright joined independent practice at the budding village of Oak Park near Chicago. During the early years of the 1900’s he established the Oak Park Studio and developed a new concept in home design known as the Prairie style. There was Foursquare style was derived from the Great Plains flat Midwestern areas and perhaps can be termed the first American architectural style of the twentieth century. Wright, who is an expert in design, provides another kind of perceiving space and form, which is free from the concept of designing a house. Tiidal and large, prairie-style buildings depicted the horizontality of the Midwestern regions and the shapes of the Prairie style buildings. This style was popularized in the Midwest up to the 1920’s.
Prairie House Style characteristics
While each prairie home is unique, they share common features inside and out. Here are some typical Prairie house style characteristics:
Exterior
Prairie house styles are known for their low profile, often with low-pitched, hipped roofs. They are usually one story and have overhanging eaves and broad chimneys. The flat, wide roofs are meant to reflect the openness of the American prairie. These homes often have large, deep porches created by the overhanging roofs, providing a transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Tall, thin windows arranged in rows give the appearance of a wall of glass, bringing the outside in and giving the homes a distinctive look. Sometimes, upper floors have overhangs that extend over the first floor.
Interior
Inside, prairie-style homes focus on open floor plans rather than small, separate rooms. They often feature large living and dining areas that are perfect for entertaining. Built-ins, such as cabinetry, nooks, or seating, are common and help create defined zones within the open space. These built-ins are usually made of wood and stained in natural colors, giving each home a custom feel.
Prairie House Style Characteristics: Exterior
Flat and wide horizontal lines are the obvious aspects of a Prairie House style characteristic. The structure remains relatively closer to the ground and possesses a wide horizontal shape that resembles the vast prairies for which it is designed. The wide eaves that extend from the structure and the flat or slightly pitched roofs only serve to enhance this horizontal impression, making the structure appear low seated and blend with the surrounding landscape.
Strong geometry and massing of prairie style houses make it unique and help to blend in nature. Large central chimneys were placed to heat up the spaces during harsh winter.The geometry supports the massing to make it horizontally spread so that the natural landscape is complemented without having any disturbance.
Brick exteriors have another unique characteristic of prairie style homes .The bricks are longer horizontally compared to the typical ones. This also supports the horizontally spread geometry. Also the bricks are less taller then usual ones to make it look more wider.
Open, asymmetric floor plans are some unique characteristics of prairie style homes. Most of the common spaces are open and well lit and ventilated naturally.This function allows large family gatherings and relaxation of the occupants.
The relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces is another significant characteristic of prairie style homes.The extended eaves creates a semi outdoor space that is connected to the interior space by the louver windows.
Interior wood composition style defines another way to describe characteristics of prairie style homes.The horizontally spread wood bandings describe its intent to blend with nature.The tall dining wood chairs make a perpendicular composition with horizontal lines of the interior elements.
Restricted use of ornamental designs makes the prairie houses more unique. As mentioned earlier, Victorian house was most detailed ornamented designs rather than playing with function and space, but in the modern realm, the prairie style replaced the ornamental design by using very minimal and focusing more on functionality and space play that improved the interior space aesthetics and eye soothing exterior finish.
Open, functional, large, hospitable porches and verandas. Such features are not purely ornamental, as they serve the purpose of providing a resting space with a view. The porch also acts as a part of the house; at the same time, it supports the idea of bringing the outdoors ‘in’.
Prairie House Style Characteristics: Interior
Open, asymmetric floor plan is one of the major interior characteristics of prairie house style. Most of the common spaces are open and well lit and ventilated naturally. Wright approved of a design that allowed the spaces to be connected without building permanent barriers separating one section of the house from the other. For example, large lounge areas may open to the dining areas, which then open up to other portions of the house, thus creating some continuity within the spaces. Few walls or doors were used to enhance the feeling of roominess. This function allows large family gatherings and relaxation of the occupants.
Low-height ceilings and built-in furnishing are another major prairie house style characteristic. this make an intimate and cozy atmosphere inside, in contrast to the sharp and spready exterior.In order to offset this cozy feeling, furnishings in Prairie Houses are usually incorporated into the walls. For instance, custom woodworking, desk, and bookshelf recesses or nooks and crannies made for sitting. Such attachments serve to enhance the order of the space.
The relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces is another significant characteristic of prairie style homes. The extended eaves create a semi outdoor space that is connected to the interior space by the louver windows.
Interior wood composition style defines another way to describe characteristics of prairie style homes.The horizontally spread wood bandings describe its intent to blend with nature.The tall dining wood chairs make a perpendicular composition with horizontal lines of the interior elements.Such materials make the place feel warmer and cozier. Tones are usually very soft and understated, with earth based and landscape colors like brown, orange, and green being the most predominant as they are in the environment outside.
With larger overhanging eaves, the windows are protected from sunlight, and soft, warm light fills the room within. The windows are most often casement windows divided into small glass panes or a horizontal arrangement of several windows, usually in shallow depth. These types of structures were designed to achieve the feeling of openness in the house and keep the inside and outside of the house connected.
Conclusive Thoughts
The Prairie House style is an expression of organic architecture where the inside merges well with the outside. Together with the other distinctive features of the style—low, horizontally drawn lines, usage of natural material, and expansive interiors—one is afforded a dwelling that resonates with the landscape and the environment. Looking at the wide overhanging eaves and the stone cladding of the house, or inside to the expansive floor plan with wooden finishing, the Prairie House maintains an enduring functional design. For those looking for a dwelling that is both beautiful and stripped of excess frills, the Prairie aesthetic offers a long lasting motivation.