Explore 91+ Beautiful 19 70 House Plan Most Outstanding In 2023

The 1970s experienced an abrupt change in house designs, thanks to new materials and advanced engineering concepts. This decade saw the introduction of Case Study Houses, a series of modernist residences in California that where inspired by noted architect Richard Neutra and commissioned by John Entenza of Arts & Architecture magazine. These houses highlighted the use of new construction technologies and some of them even predicted early trends of sustainable design.

Modern houses weren’t necessarily built in the style of Casa Study houses and could range from A-frame and split level designs to Art Deco and Mediterranean inspired projects. Common materials included slab foundations, large glass windows and walls, lightweight cellulose panels, waterproof plywood framing, monolithic slabs, and aluminum frames.

The 1970s presented modern architects with a wide range of options for Art Deco influenced house designs. No matter the style, the emphasis remained on a seemingly simple aesthetic that could take advantage of the new technological advances.

As modern architecture gained in popularity and acceptance in the 1970s, more people gravitated towards Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic approach to design. Mid-century modernism influenced Wright’s vision, resulting in a unified combination of classic details, organic shapes, and modern elements. The style focused on the use of stone and wood instead of modern materials.

Due to its uniqueness and avant-garde nature, Frank Lloyd Wright inspired designs quickly became popular in the 1970s. Architects strived to recreate some of his famous designs, including the Prairie house, the Imperial Hotel, and the Falling Water house. Unlike the Case Study Houses, Wright’s house designs featured a wide range of colors and textures, as well as curved rooflines and terraces.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s house designs managed to combine organic and modern elements in the late 1970s, inspiring many Architects to replicate his style during their projects. Inside these homes, the use of wood and stone was common, while the interior décor was inspired by minimalist designs.

By the turn of the 1970s, the ranch house had firmly established itself as a popular architectural style in America. Commonly built in the suburbs, these homes favored a single story layout with a low-pitched roof and an asymmetrical facade that integrated many of the modern concepts seen during the era. The use of late modern elements like steel frames, large glass walls, and extended rooflines further enhanced these houses.

Ranch homes from the 1970s featured single-story layouts, low-pitched roofs, and extended rooflines in order to create a modern look. Thanks to the large amounts of windows they usually employed, natural lighting and ventilation was simpler to achieve in these buildings.

Ranch-style homes began to trend during the 1950s and by the end of the 1970s these types of residence were already popping up all over North America. Architects sought to make the most of the new materials and build sophisticated homes that incorporated the modern elements of the era. Some of these houses included energy-saving technologies, like passive solar systems, providing an early look at efficient and comfortable home designs.

An interesting feature in ranch home plans from the 1970s was the open floor plan. By removing walls and openings, the ranch style was able to create an atmosphere of open spaces and better communicate with the exterior landscape.

Ranch home plans from the 1970s featured open floor plans, large windows, and an addition of energy-saving technologies. The use of natural materials and minimalist interior design also had an important role in the construction of these stylish buildings.

Colonial house plans from the 1970s featured a wide range of traditional elements, such as symmetrical facades, two-story layouts, and steeply pitched roofs. These homes were usually constructed with frame materials, while the interior featured plenty of wood paneling and moldings. Some variations included a second entrance in the center, garages in the side, and dormer windows.

During this decade, architects attempted to replicate the colonial style by employing some modern elements. New materials, like the ones used in Ranch homes, replaced the traditional structure of these houses, while the large amount of glass used became one of the aspects that distinguished colonial homes from the 1950s residences.

Colonial house plans from the 1970s featured traditional elements combined with modern materials and glass elements. These buildings usually featured two-story layouts with symmetrical facades and a steeply pitched roof. Dormer windows and garages in the side were usually employed to further enhance the aesthetics of these houses.

Inspired by the architecture of homes from New England, Cape Cod homes were once popular in North America during the 1930s. By the 1970s, however, the style had shifted to a more modernized version. Cape Cod homes of the 1970s featured clapboard siding, large gable roofs, 1-1/2 stories, a symmetrical facade, simple frames, light colors, and small windows.

The interior of these buildings usually featured a central hall with other rooms distributed around it. Some of the other common elements included wainscoting, fireplace mantles, pegged floors, and multiple wing rooms. Some of the homes featured an open plan with living and dining spaces within the same space.

Cape Cod home plans during the 1970s featured clapboard siding, large gable roofs, 1-1/2 stories, and a symmetrical facade. Inside these buildings, a traditional layout was employed, with a central hall and other rooms competing the interior design. Multiple wing rooms and pegged floors were also common in these residences.

Contemporary home plans from the 1970s were among the most popular styles during this decade. These buildings featured asymmetrical shapes, large pitched roofs, flat-style doors and windows, and smooth exteriors. A major difference between contemporary homes of the 1950s and the ones from the 1970s were the materials used in the constructions. By the turn of the decade, metal frames and lightweight cellulose had been employed in many of these projects.

The interiors of contemporary homes favored an open plan, low-profile furniture, and minimal decorations. Natural lighting was also favored over artificial solutions, so large windows and skylights were common in these buildings. Certain contemporary plans even featured an outdoor living space, bringing the concept of indoor-outdoor living to life.

Contemporary home plans from the 1970s featured asymmetrical shapes, large pitched roofs, metal frames, and lightweight cellulose. The interiors favored an open plan, natural lighting, low-profile furniture, and minimal decorations. Certain plans even featured outdoor living spaces, allowing homeowners to take advantage of the interior-exterior design trend.

Tudor house plans from the 1970s featured elements from English architecture of the medieval and renaissance eras. The exterior of these buildings usually included false chimneys, gable roofs, multi-paneled windows, and lighter colors. While many of these houses featured timber framing in the walls, the facades were usually composed out of stucco.

The interior of these buildings employed an open plan or two-story hallways. Lower ceilings were favored, as well as exposed beams. Torrent arches were also commonly found in these residences.

Tudor house plans from the 1970s featured elements from English architecture, such as false chimneys, gable roofs, multi-paneled windows, and lighter colors. The interiors employed an open plan or two-story hallways, and featured lower ceilings, exposed beams, and torrent arches.

Bi-level homes from the 1970s became an interesting mix between traditional and modern styles. These building usually had a one-story layout in the front but then split into two-stories in the rear. Many of these houses featured overlapping gables that could often be seen from the front, as well as a split entry and many other characteristics associated with the traditional style.

The interior of bi-level homes favored an open plan, while garages and carports became more popular than in the past. One of the most interesting aspects of these house designs was their ability to include energy-saving technologies thanks to the two-story layout.

Bi-level home plans from the 1970s favored an open plan with overlapping gables in front, a split entry, and a two-story layout in the rear. Garages and carports became popular elements, while energy-saving technologies were also integrated in these buildings.

A-frame and split level homes emerged as two very different alternatives during the 1970s. A-frame buildings featured roofs that resembled the triangle shape of an A and could often be seen in both the mountains and the beach. They usually had two or three stories with a balcony in the second level and a covered terrace in the front and back.

Split level houses on the other hand featured three different levels connected by stairs in the front. These homes were usually one or two-stories tall and served as an interesting alternative to single-story buildings. The open plan of these homes helped architects to include energy-saving technologies without sacrificing style.

A-frame and split level home designs from the 1970s featured dual and three-story layouts respectively. A-frame homes favored a two or three-story layout with balconies and terraces, while split level houses usually had one or two-story options with stairs in the front. Both styles allowed Architects to include energy-saving technologies in their designs.

While modern design from the 1970s was mostly about avant-garde houses and energy-efficient structures, some Architects looked towards solar energy as an alternative for their designs. The concept of passive solar homes was gaining steam in the U.S. and by the end of the decade, some houses were constructed with this idea in mind.

For instance, the homes designed by California-based Architects Jan and Kenyon Henley featured specially designed window placements that could take advantage of the natural sunlight during the day. Other technologies included vents and water tanks that could store the energy gained in order to heat the house during the night.

Passive solar home plans and ideas gained traction during the 1970s, with some Architects employing specially designed window placements in order to take advantage of the natural sunlight. Vents and water tanks were also employed in order to store the energy gained during the day, providing an efficient and comfortable environment in these buildings.