Missouri’s Best-Loved Historic Home Styles For Instant Curb Appeal
Walking through Missouri’s charming neighborhoods feels like stepping into a living architectural museum. From St. Louis to Kansas City, our state showcases some of America’s most beautiful historic homes.
These architectural treasures not only tell stories of our past but also boost property values with their timeless appeal. Let me walk you through five historic home styles that’ll make your Missouri property stand out from the crowd!
1. Victorian Queen Anne: The Fancy Showstopper
Whenever I spot those elaborate turrets and wrap-around porches, my designer heart skips a beat! Queen Anne homes practically scream ‘look at me’ with their asymmetrical shapes and decorative trims.
Though demanding maintenance-wise, these beauties reward owners with stunning details like fish-scale shingles and ornate spindle work. The multi-color paint schemes (sometimes called ‘painted ladies’) turn heads instantly.
However, restoring these 1880s-1910s masterpieces requires patience. Original wooden details often need careful repair rather than replacement to maintain authentic character and value.
2. Craftsman Bungalows: Cozy Character Champions
Nothing says ‘welcome home’ quite like a Craftsman bungalow. These charming homes feature low-pitched roofs, wide eaves, and those signature exposed rafter tails that make architects swoon.
Unlike their Victorian predecessors, Craftsman homes embrace simplicity with natural materials and handcrafted details. The front porch columns, typically tapered and sitting on stone bases, create instant street presence without shouting.
Moreover, their efficient floor plans make them surprisingly spacious inside despite modest footprints. Popular throughout Missouri from 1905-1930, these homes remain sought-after for their warmth and authenticity.
3. Colonial Revival: Symmetrical Sophistication
Ah, the stately Colonial Revival! Where other styles zigzag wildly, these homes stand tall with perfect symmetry and classical proportions that never go out of fashion.
Front doors become focal points with decorative pediments, pilasters, and sometimes fan-shaped windows above. The centered entrance flanked by matching windows creates a formal, balanced facade that communicates stability and refinement.
Furthermore, their rectangular footprints make interior renovations straightforward compared to more complex styles. Especially popular in Missouri’s established neighborhoods, these 1880s-1950s classics maintain their appeal through economic ups and downs.
4. Tudor Revival: Storybook Charm Sellers
Looking for a home that’s straight out of a storybook? Tudor Revivals have got you covered with steep roofs and half-timbered charm that timber-ly steal the spotlight! These medieval-inspired beauties weren’t just houses, they were Missouri’s status symbols in the roaring 20s and 30s.
Tudors don’t just blend in, they brick the mold with their mix of brick, stone, and stucco, topped off by arched doorways that gabled the way to picture-perfect entrances. But the real show-stoppers? Leaded glass windows, chimney pots, and even slate roofs that raise the roof on curb appeal.
Though they’re a bit rarer around here, these homes build serious value and demand top dollar. Talk about a foundation for a great investment!
5. Italianate: The Romantic Trendsetter
Before Victorian styles dominated, Italianate architecture brought European romance to Missouri’s streetscapes. Tall, narrow windows crowned with elaborate hoods create a vertical emphasis that makes these homes appear larger.
Where other styles might whisper, Italianate homes announce themselves with decorative brackets supporting wide, overhanging eaves. The low-pitched roofs typically top either square, symmetrical forms or more complicated asymmetrical layouts.
Interestingly, many of Missouri’s oldest commercial buildings share these same Italianate features. Built primarily between 1850-1880, these structures represent some of our state’s earliest high-style architecture and offer remarkable investment potential for preservation-minded buyers.
6. Prairie Style: Horizontal Masterpieces Of The Midwest
Born in America’s heartland, Prairie Style homes sprawl across Missouri landscapes with their signature low-pitched roofs and strong horizontal lines that seem to embrace the earth. Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence shines through in these distinctive structures that celebrate the vast openness of Missouri’s prairies.
The wide eaves create dramatic shadows while bands of windows invite natural light to dance across interior spaces. Many feature stunning art glass that transforms ordinary sunlight into rainbow-hued magic.
Fun fact, unlike many historic styles imported from Europe, Prairie Style is purely American, as authentically Midwestern as a summer barbecue! Their built-in furniture and open floor plans were revolutionary when they first appeared in the early 1900s.
7. Greek Revival: Southern Elegance With Classical Roots
Want to feel like you’re stepping into ancient Greece without leaving Missouri? Greek Revival homes bring majestic columns that stand tall like guardians of classical charm! Their crisp white exteriors shine bright against Missouri’s greenery, creating a scene straight from the Acropolis.
Symmetry is the name of the game here, with grand entryways, heavy doors, sidelights, and transom windows that open the door to elegance and warmth. Those pitched gable roofs don’t just look temple-worthy, they weather Missouri’s storms like champs.
These architectural power players thrived in Missouri’s river towns during the 1830s-60s, where prosperity met style in a way that still commands respect today. Talk about a home that truly rocks history and curb appeal!
8. Octagon Houses: Eight-Sided Wonders Of Innovation
Quirky and unexpected, octagon houses break all the rules with their eight-sided geometry that stops traffic and starts conversations. These rare architectural gems scattered throughout Missouri represent a brief but fascinating experiment in residential design during the 1850s.
Promoter Orson Squire Fowler championed these unusual homes, claiming their shape maximized sunlight and improved ventilation, practical benefits for Missouri’s climate extremes. The central spiral staircase typically serves as the home’s dramatic focal point.
Most surprising feature? Those odd-angled corners create pie-shaped rooms that challenge furniture arrangement but reward homeowners with truly unique living spaces. With fewer than two dozen remaining in Missouri, owning an octagon house means possessing a genuine architectural treasure!
