Here’s How to Tell What an American Foursquare House Looks Like

You’ve likely seen American Foursquare homes everywhere from your television to your history books — both Presidents Eisenhower and Clinton called this type of structure home at one point. While each American Foursquare is unique, most of them typically share the same characteristics that made them so popular in suburban towns from the 1890s to the 1930s.

Foursquares were also an affordable model that helped hopeful homeowners to build their dream homes, but they’d put IKEA to shame with how many pieces they arrived in. (Yes, these homes arrived almost exactly like your KALLAX shelves, but with infinitely more parts). Here’s what you need to know about the architectural marvel, and how you can spot one.

Also known as a Prairie Box, American Foursquare houses were homes that could be built using mail-order kits (something that would be hugely beneficial in today’s ultra-hot real estate market). They arrived via boxcar and each kit contained detailed directions and numbered, pre-cut pieces. These buildings were specially designed to fit on suburban lots, and made the most out of space by relying on an efficient and vertical layout. 

Because they were mass produced, many foursquare homes follow a similar design. They typically have two or two-and-a-half stories, with a living room and an entryway greeting you as soon as you enter. The rear of the first floor is where you can find the dining room and kitchen. In the center of the home is a set of stairs, which lead you up to the second floor. This is where you’d typically find four bedrooms (each with a closet) and a single bathroom. The bathroom is normally in the center of the four bedrooms, with each bedroom occupying a corner of the second story. 

Although they can look similar from the outside, thanks to their post-Victorian focus on the Arts and Crafts style of architecture, foursquare homes are vastly different from bungalows. While bungalows tend to boast exposed beams and decorative and distinct gables, the foursquare home is generally more spacious. Foursquare homes also tend to stick more to their namesake feature (a square!) while bungalows have a little more freedom and can sprawl further out, making them more rectangular in shape. 

Once you take a look at a foursquare home, it’s easy to see where it gets its name: from that boxy, square-shaped layout. Anecdotally, I’d also imagine that the four rooms on each floor (although not always perfectly square), account for the terminology as well. 

Because they arrived by train, foursquare homes are most commonly found in areas that are close to the rail lines that existed back in late 1890s. They can be found in cities across the country, such as Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. But that doesn’t mean they’re limited to those areas. You can find this style of architecture in plenty of cities and states if you know to look for them.