15 Different Types To Know

Indian house style depends upon its diversity and versatility, which is proportional to its population growth. Knowing that people here dwell in different geographies with climate and cultural changes, Indian house styles have evolved in multiple ways. For example, starting from mud houses and ending at skyscrapers, we have developed all types of Indian house styles. Here is the list of 15 such Indian house styles and their pros and cons for one to know before building their own house.

1. Flats or Apartments

In the hustle of the Indian economy, flats or apartments are the most important Indian house styles. These multistorey structures can cater to all kinds of lifestyles, from modest one-bedroom units for individuals to three-bedroom suites for larger families. 

Pros:

• Emphasize convenience and efficiency
• Offers group or community living
• Being a part of a larger building
• Offers amenities, like security, power backup, and leisure spaces. 

Cons:

• Common amenities
• Maintenance charges
• No customized planning or design

2. Studio Apartments

It is an Indian house style type adopted by singles or couples who want an affordable, low-cost living. With low maintenance, this house style is a combination of bedroom, living room, and kitchen into a single space.

Pros: 

• You can get an open plan area where nothing is divided
• It is cost-effective
• Maximizes the use of limited spaces

Cons:

• Less amount of privacy
• Very compact spaces

3. Builder floor or Low-rise buildings

This Indian house style is a residential unit in low-rise buildings. They are one separate unit on each floor, which sometimes even has different utilities. These kinds of homes are affordable at a low costing and with large spaces. 

Pros: 

• Offers privacy within the urban living concept
• It is affordable and cost-effective
• Has street accessibility in the community building 
• Wider user group

Cons: 

• More utilities will have to be maintained

4. Service Apartments

These apartments are fully furnished houses offering short-term or long-term accommodation to travelers, businessmen, and employees. People who seek a home-like atmosphere with hotel-like amenities such as room service, laundry. 

Pros: 

• They are convenient and comfortable
• Offers private spaces for a short time

Cons: 

• They are not that cost-effective 
• Lack of on-site facilities
• Maintenance issues

5. Kothi house

It is an Indian house style that shows luxury and grandeur in its structure. Usually, it is a multi-storey structure that has large gardens and spacious rooms. These types of houses are traditional, have ornate details, and luxurious interiors. Also, they are grand and have courtyards within them.  

Pros: 

• They have traditional architectural elements such as ornate facades, high ceilings, and intricate detailing. 
• They offer luxury and sophistication
• They reflect the region’s cultural heritage with architectural design and details.

Cons:

• They are expensive to make
• They consume more labor and materials

6. Penthouse

Penthouses are the ones that are located at the top of any high-rise building with exclusive features like private gardens, high ceilings, and terraces. For people who are fascinated by the city view and heights, buy these kinds of houses by paying extra money. 

Pros: 

• They offer good views and extra private spaces that enlarge the overall house
• They offer higher security 
• They have luxurious amenities

Cons:

• They have high maintenance costs
• They offer limited outdoor spaces
• They can have accessibility issues 

7. Villas

Villas are high-end homes that come with a private plot of land. They offer modern designs with luxury and comfort. These types of homes have abundant amenities within the house that including a gym, home theatre, private pools, and play areas. Such houses are a perfect example of modern Indian house style. 

Pros:

• They offer privacy and spacious living
• They have higher resale values
• They offer you more amount of private spaces

Cons:

• They have higher initial values
• To find a convenient location is not easy
• Their maintenance cost is higher

8. Condos or Condominiums

This type of Indian house style is popular among people who are middle-class in urban areas, offering a balanced lifestyle with both private residences and community living. Condos provide private houses for individuals with common amenities such as gyms, pools, gardens, and leisure spaces. 

Pros: 

• They offer affordable houses with good security
• They have predictable expenses
• They have low maintenance

Cons:

• As they are managed by Home Owners Association (HOA), their rules govern them for construction
• Monthly fees can be expensive
• There is mismanagement due to the system

9. Row Houses

This Indian house style is popular from colonial times in the Indian cities, as they are medium-sized and require less space. Two row houses share the same wall by decreasing the space an individual house requires. They offer more privacy than apartments without the excessive maintenance of a detached house. 

Pros: 

• They have higher affordability with efficient use of space
• They offer a sense of community
• They have potential for resale value

Cons:

• They have smaller outdoor spaces
• They have more noise disturbances

10. Cottages

This Indian house style is seen in rural and semi-rural areas of India. They reflect the past culture of the country and the scenic atmosphere of homes. These houses typically have one or two floors in the house. Such houses are eco-friendly, having a gable roof and wooden beams.

Pros: 

• They are more affordable as they use less land space
• Due to their small size, they have simpler designs 
• They have a connection to nature
• They give more privacy 

Cons:

• They can feel more isolated
• Heating and other utilities can be more expensive in colder regions
• They would need more security and more maintenance

11. Duplex

This Indian house style is a single house divided into two floors, both having separate entries. Duplex has the opportunity of maintaining privacy while living together in the same house. The investors have a higher scope of income by renting the house to two different families. These houses have separate functional spaces on both floors, offering the same space benefits. 

Pros: 

• It offers the sharing of the cost of the property, making it affordable
• Flexibility of dividing the functions of the house, living in one while having an office on another floor
• They can be energy efficient

Cons:

• If two different families live in the same house, then privacy can be an issue

12. Farmhouse

1. A farmhouse is usually an Indian house style that is made for leisure or investment in areas far away from the city. The designs of the farmhouse can be various in terms of their functional space planning and construction techniques. As there are no formal restrictions for the design, it can have luxurious interiors with abundant spaces. 

Pros: 

• They offer an informal living experience 
• They have unique architectural styles
• They offer versatility

Cons:

• Higher maintenance cost as it is not used that frequently 
• As they are far away from the center of the city, accessibility can be an issue
• Can feel isolated in certain spaces

13. Treehouse

These houses are found in the forest regions of India and are related to some tribal culture in India. They are affiliated with nature in the most raw form of materials while providing functional stability. These houses are made with natural materials such as wood and bamboo. They are also now used as tourist houses and vacation spots. 

Pros: 

• Eco-friendly solution to a modern home
• It creates a different lifestyle than the regular one, which is connected more to nature. 

Cons:

• They cannot be easily hooked up to the electricity lines
• There will be difficulty with the water plumbing lines
• They are not prone to every weather condition

14. Kutcha house or Mud House

A mud house is a traditional Indian house style that is found in most of the rural areas of the country. The construction of these houses often reflects the cultural and regional significance in their aesthetics and space planning. Mostly, these houses are built near each other by people of the same community in a specific area. They are made with the locally available materials.

Pros:

• They are very low-cost and affordable
• They have good temperature regulation
• They are environmentally friendly

Cons:

• They are vulnerable to water damage
• They have a low structural strength
• They are susceptible to pests and insects, and also contain the pungent smell of mud.

15. Eco-Friendly house

They are often made with materials that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. They are non-toxic, often recycled materials, and integrate technologies that minimize the ecological impact. This Indian house style has architectural techniques that will be aesthetically and environmentally impactful.

Pros: 

• It can be very energy efficient
• It can be cost-effective when made with proper materials

Cons:

• It has higher initial values
• It needs greater expertise in construction and design

Conclusion

As we see that there is versatility in diversity in India, one of the growing population demands more space that accommodate people. Hence, when one wants to build their house in India, they must know about the Indian house style and its advantages and disadvantages, such that they can know the kind of atmosphere they are building in. As we saw all the Indian house styles that are practiced around the country.

Content Writing and Research: Rajeshwari Pandya Modi