1945 - 1980s: Split-Level Ranch Style

A Split-Level Ranch is a Ranch Style house that is divided into several parts. One section is lowered and one section is raised.

Popular Split-Level Floor Plans:

1. The front door opens to a landing. Facing the door, one short flight of stairs leads down. A parallel flight of stairs leads up.
2. The front door opens into an entry wing or foyer apart from the main house. To one side, a short flight of stairs leads down. To the other side, a short flight of stairs leads up.
3. The front door opens directly into the main living area. Elsewhere in the room, a short flight of stairs leads down and a parallel short flight of stairs leads up.
4. The front door opens on the lowest level, entering a garage or mudroom. A short flight of stairs leads up to the main living area. From there, another short flight of stairs leads up to the bedrooms.

Regardless of the floor plan, split-level houses always have three or more levels. The main entrance is usually (although not always) on the center level.

More About Split-Level Houses:

Split-level design reflects an approach popularized by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright believed that houses with "half floors" would blend naturally with the landscape. Living areas could be separated from private areas by just a few steps, rather than a single long staircase. For facts about split-level architecture along with photos and diagrams, an excellent resource is the Web site SplitLevel.net.

Learn More About Ranch Style Houses:

• The Ranch Style
• The Raised Ranch Style
• Remodeling Ideas for a Ho-Hum Raised Ranch Home
• The Modernist Homes of Joseph Eichler
• Western Ranch Houses by Cliff May
  The architect of the first Ranch Style home shares a variety of Ranch home designs with floor plans. Cliff May and Paul C. Johnson. (Compare Prices)