John Milnes Baker is an architect specializing in residential design. He is also the author of How to Build
a House with an Architect.
Summary
A guided tour of the variety of architectural home styles that have developed throughout America's history.
America has an abundance of fascinating and varied house styles, as diverse as its people. This unique book will
allow readers to recognize the architectural features of virtually any house they encounter.
John Milnes Baker designed a simple four-bedroom house, and then developed a basic plan for each historical style.
Starting each drawing with the same plan and adding essential characteristics, Baker leads the reader through a
series of additions. Each section of American House Styles begins with a historical overview of the period, followed
by commentary. The author shows how different styles developed and what influenced their development. His elevation
drawings, each with a floor plan, illustrate the details and embellishments of each style.
Through an understanding of earlier styles, we develop insights into the architecture of our own era. Thus the
study of architecture allows us to make informed judgments about what is being built today.
