German houses cannot be confused with buildings in other styles. They look like 3D illustrations of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, Ernest Hoffmann or Wilhelm Hauff with neat courtyards and neatly trimmed ornamental plants in front of the porch:
Stylish and modern design of houses in the German style (half-timbered) in the photo
The general features inherent in the German style can be defined as follows:
- lack of pretentious decorative elements and sculptural decorations;
- simplicity and rigor of details;
- practicality, efficiency and rationality of construction projects, materials and design;
- adherence to the traditionalism of Western European architecture;
- limited color range of facade design.
Half-timbered houses
Fachwerk is one of the ancient styles of architecture in Germany, which is still popular today. Half-timbered houses are characterized by a vertical frame structure with horizontal beams and diagonal braces:
To achieve a special ambience of the German style in the exterior of the house, you can use curved or curved beam structures in contrasting shades with the main wall covering of the facade:
Stone trim in combination with half-timbered elements will look original. You can create decorative masonry on a large part of the façade, alternating areas with stone, wood, or plastered spaces:
Germany is one of the heirs of the architectural Gothic. Today, houses built with Gothic elements look extraordinary and catchy. Buildings in the style of Germanic Gothic are elongated upward, architectural decorations are unacceptable for them. You can make brickwork in combination with stone or construct a pointed lancet roof and vertically elongated windows. Such houses will resemble medieval castles:
Columns can support the atmosphere of Gothic antiquity. In addition to the original design of the house, they serve as a solid foundation for the roof of the veranda:
Features of the German roof
In the construction of houses in Germany, special attention is paid to roofs: with the general discreet decor of the facade, the roof is an original decoration. Basically, tiles are used for decoration. You can apply several of its shades. This will create a special accent on the exterior of the house:
Roofing slate (natural slate) is one of the common materials. Thanks to the natural properties of slate, it can be used to cover smooth, convex or pointed surfaces:
Most roofs in German houses are multi-pitched and multi-level, because perform several practical functions. The best option for increasing living space would be a mansard roof: the attic space can be equipped into a living space:
Another common feature of German-style houses is bay windows – part of the house protruding from the wall, expanding the living space. The bay windows glazed around the entire perimeter and height look great:
If the layout or area of the house does not allow building a bay window over two floors, you can build a small covered balcony on only one of them.
The general typological features of the German flavor are expressed in the elements of decor, structure, and layout of the house, despite the fact that the appearance and building materials can be completely different. Therefore, German-style houses are so recognizable and unique at the same time..