THE

NEWSLETTER
TEXAS REGIONAL
VERNACULAR

ORIGINS OF THE STYLE

Influenced by Prairie, Bungalow, and modern styles,
Texas Regional architecture began to grow in popu-
larity by the late 20th century. It started and grew as
the desire for a regional architecture that reflected lo-
cal traditions and building materials.
Standard materials for a Texas home include colorful
limestone combined with standing seam metal roofs,
granite and other solid masonry. This style has limited
ornamentation usually relying on woodwork and
beams to adorn the elevations.
With homes usually being one room in depth this
style lends itself to more simple shapes and massing.
They are more likely to include wings off the main
body of the structure giving them a low yet expansive
elevation. These wings give the overall floor plan a
C or H shape.
This style is typically characterized with wide porches
mostly wrapping around the main body of the home
to allow shade and breezes through open windows.
These homes reflect the adaptation of architecture to
the warmer southern climate. While not exclusively
one story, the majority of homes in this style will be
single level. When these homes have a second level,
the main structure will consist two levels with the
wings having just one.
The more recent growth of this type of home can be
attributed to how well-suited it is to a wide range of
stylistic possibilities. Texas Vernacular can easily
adapt from its more traditional roots to create a transi-
tional Texas home, and even can be done magnifi-
cently in a more contemporary rendition.

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 THE
Heritage Design Studio is pleased to present these
original Texas Regional Vernacular homes for this
issue of The Design Guide.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES OF TEXAS REGIONAL VERNACULAR HOMES:

Traditional versions of this style tend to be one story with more rustic building materials.

Low pitched roofs Consistent building material

Lower glass to wall ratio Heavy wood details

Transitional Texas designs manage to incorporate more glass on the elevations while using a blend of clean
cut masonry and rougher native Texas stones.
Typically standing seam
Mixed rough and cut stone metal roof
building materials
Higher glass-to-wall
ratio

Contemporary designs will explore incorporation of geometric shapes and strong asymmetry while using the
most up to date building materials.
Geometric shapes
Multiple building incorporated to
materials on the same elevations
surfaces

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