The Shotgun House Floor Plan
Shotgun House Floor Plan, A shotgun house is a charming, compact home instantly recognizable for its narrow footprint.[1]They’re often single-story and about 12 feet wide or less, three to four rooms deep.
They were constructed with efficiency in mind and designed for a narrow plot of land. They have a unique, linear layout that allows for excellent air circulation.
What is a Shotgun House?
The shotgun house is a single-story home with a narrow layout. It is typically no wider than 12 feet wide and two to four rooms deep, with no hallways between the rooms.[2]
These narrow homes are a popular style in urban settings, as they fit well in tight lot sizes and allow for airflow through the interior space. They are also ideal for small and affordable housing, as they are simple to build.
They are also considered a low-maintenance alternative to many other types of homes, as they require less maintenance and renovation. They are also a great choice for people who want to be close to their workplaces or other establishments, like markets and hospitals.[3]
Despite their compact appearance, these houses are spacious and well-designed. They feature easy-to-clean floors, ample seating areas, and small yet efficient appliances. They are also perfect for people who want to enjoy a simple, relaxing lifestyle.
A shotgun house may be found in cities all over the country, but the style is most prevalent in New Orleans and other Southern states. They were originally introduced in Louisiana around 1800 by West African and Haitian immigrants.
Some historians believe that the shotgun house is a hybrid of architectural styles from Africa, where many slaves were taken to plantations.[4] The Fulbe people, for example, were located in Western Africa and often incorporated features of their native style into their dwellings.
Another theory is that they were built in response to a real estate tax on road frontage rather than square footage, which is why they are so compact. Unfortunately, there is no hard evidence to support this hypothesis, but it is an interesting one.
The narrowness of the shotgun house also makes it a good choice for people who want to save on home energy costs. [5]This design features doors that open on both sides, which help keep the interior cool in hot and humid climates.
Shotgun houses have been around for over a century, and are now being built in new construction projects all across the country. They are also becoming increasingly popular for historic renovations and restorations. Some of these renovations are aimed at making the shotgun houses more appealing to modern lifestyles and trends, such as open concept living spaces and high ceilings.
Shotgun House Plans of Design Variations
The shotgun house is a popular housing option for people seeking affordable and efficient living in the rural South. [6]Originally developed to accommodate dock workers and itinerant traders, these small houses are designed with the efficiency of fitting many residents into a limited amount of space.
A shotgun house floor plan shows the home’s layout, including doorways and windows. The design typically shows the width and depth of the house in square feet and measures each room’s dimensions to help architects build the house.
Most shotgun houses have a front door that leads into a living room, followed by one or two bedrooms, and a kitchen in the back. The rooms are arranged end-to-end in this rectangular house, with no hallways, allowing for good air circulation during summer months.[7]
There are several variations of the shotgun house. Some homes have additional rooms, such as a bedroom and bathroom at the rear of the house, or have a second story. These homes can be more expensive to build, but they offer more privacy and space in a narrow footprint.
Modern versions of the shotgun house often have an open floor plan with efficient built-in storage along walls to help residents organize their belongings, according to local firm MASON * ROS Architecture & Interiors.[8] Some also include more connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, such as a covered porch or patio.
Some historians believe the shotgun house is a reworking of an African house plan brought to America by West African slaves. Other researchers suggest that shotgun houses were developed in Haiti by colonial era slaves.
In New Orleans, shotgun houses were an affordable way for a family to own a home, and they were also a symbol of pride for the city’s early residents. Today, these houses can be found throughout the city and are a unique contribution to American architecture.
There are several ways to create a shotgun house floor plan, and each plan has its own unique characteristics. Some plans are designed for narrow lots, while others can fit on larger, wider lot sizes. [9]Other plans are designed for one-story or multiple stories, while other plans feature a “camelback” style. These plans also vary in the number of bedrooms and baths, and the height of ceilings.
The Shotgun House Today
The shotgun house is a long, narrow home design that originated in New Orleans. It’s found in several other places, including the Caribbean and parts of the American South.[10]
The shape of a shotgun house is quintessential to New Orleans architecture, and the style has become so popular that it is often referred to as “the New Orleans house.” Like most historic structures, shotgun houses reflect the city’s unique history. They also shed light on patterns of cultural diffusion, class and residential settlement patterns, social preferences for living space and construction methods.
Shotgun houses can be found in nearly every historic neighborhood in the city, and some are even on the market for sale. Typical shotgun houses have front and back doorways, and bedrooms are located behind the kitchen, although bathrooms are usually added later in a rear or side addition.[11]
One of the most common alterations in shotgun houses is updating the floor plan to fit modern needs. Local designers Jennifer da Ros and Kristen Mason Klamer at MASON * ROS Architecture & Interiors say that the most common update is a more open plan. This is particularly true in double shotguns, where the front and back rooms are connected.
Another common alterations is adding windows to connect indoor and outdoor spaces.[12] This is especially true in shotguns with rear rooms that were formerly an additional bedroom or living room.
A third popular modification is a rear porch or screened porch. These were essential to the shotgun house’s ability to take advantage of cross breezes in the warm New Orleans summers before air conditioning.
The earliest shotgun houses were singles or doubles, and they could have front or back doors that enfilade (that is, the front and back doorways line up). The shotgun’s layout was efficient for New Orleans’ narrow urban lots and offered good cross-breeze ventilation, which was essential in a warm climate before the advent of modern air conditioning.[13]
Many of these houses are still on the market for sale today, so you can easily find a shotgun that fits your lifestyle and taste. There are shotguns with hip, gable or apron roofs; shotguns with camelbacks to increase living space; shotguns with grand classical facades and more. The variety of styles in shotgun houses illustrates how much the shotgun house has evolved from its humble beginnings to a beloved architectural symbol.
Online Floor Plan Maker
While many people think of shotgun houses as old, dilapidated homes with limited space, these structures can also be beautiful. [14]That’s why lifelong New Orleans resident, designer and expert house flipper Sarah Martzolf seeks out these dilapidated structures for her clients and turns them into stunning, modern homes.
One of the best ways to achieve this is by designing the house from the inside out. Fortunately, there are several software solutions that can help you do this, and one of the most popular is Floorplanner.
This application is easy to use and works seamlessly in any browser. Its intuitive editor makes it simple to draw and view plans for homes, offices, or even restaurants. The application also allows you to create 2D and 3D models, so that you can see the layout of a room from multiple angles.[15]
Another useful feature of this software is its library of furniture items that you can place in your house plans. You can choose from thousands of off-the-shelf products and drag them to different sections of your floor plans.
The app also offers a walk-through mode, where you can see what your interiors would look like before you build the structure. You can also play around with colors and lighting to get the exact feel you want.
When you’re looking for an online floor plan maker, it’s important to check for software that supports both 2D and 3D mode. This allows you to establish precise measurements and make changes as you go along.[16]
It’s also helpful to check if the software comes with project sharing capabilities. This helps ensure that your team members are in sync with the design. You may also want to find a solution that offers free demo versions.
While some free options are great for creating a few plans, they lack the necessary functionality that you might need. If you’re looking for a complete suite, you might want to look at paid offerings that offer periodic payment plans. Alternatively, you can check out options that offer a one-time purchase for lifetime access.
Shotgun House Exteriors
Shotgun houses are long, narrow homes that were popular throughout the 1800s. They were commonly built for dock workers and itinerant traders, and they were designed to be cheap to build.[17]
They typically have a single hallway that runs from the front to the back, with rooms lining up one behind the other along it. Traditionally, these houses were built with a kitchen and living area at the front of the home, then bedrooms in the rear.
Often, these houses have a large window in each room that lets light into the interior. This allows people to see outside and keep the home bright and airy, even on rainy days.[18]
These houses are typically found throughout the Southeastern United States, and New Orleans is known for its high density of these houses in the city limits. Many of these homes are small and narrow, and sit on shallow lots with little or no yard space.
While they may be small, these homes are packed with character and charm. Their rounded archways and period-authentic heart pine floors make them a welcoming place to call home.
The shotgun house is also a great choice for a second home. It’s a great way to live in a historic community without having to spend the money on a big house, and it’s easy to customize your home to fit your specific needs.[19]
To make the most of your shotgun house, it’s important to get a professional inspection before renovations begin. This will help you avoid costly surprises that might derail your project.
Another good idea is to hire a contractor with a history of working with older homes. This person will be able to advise you on the best ways to preserve your shotgun house while updating it with modern amenities and features.
In addition to preserving the original architecture, you should also look for energy-efficient upgrades that will help your home be more environmentally friendly. This will ensure your home is more comfortable, healthier, and less expensive to run.
It’s also a good idea to invest in a quality roof, windows, and doors that will last for decades to come. These can be particularly important for older buildings, as they can have an impact on your heating and cooling bills.[20]
Layout of a Shotgun House
A shotgun house is an architectural style that originated in West Africa and eventually found its way to the United States via New Orleans. These homes were built by enslaved Africans and were often used as low-cost housing for the working class. These homes have a distinct look and feel that reflects the culture of their origin.
The style of a shotgun house is a combination of traditional African architecture and American colonial design. It was also popularized by a 19th-century era of construction that coincided with the growing industrial and agricultural growth of Southern cities.
Today, shotgun houses are a popular residential archetype in the United States. They are typically no wider than 12 feet and feature a cascaded floor plan, with each room arranged behind the next.
Most shotgun houses are single-story, but a number of variations exist, including double-barrel and camelback shots. The latter is a shotgun with a second story added onto the rear of the house, which allows more square footage to be added without taking up any additional space on the front facade.
These homes have been preserved throughout the South and have received increasing attention from preservationists over the past few decades. Although many of the shotguns were razed during urban renewal efforts in the 1960s and ’70s, they are now being restored as significant architectural structures that reflect the history of the region.
A typical shotgun has one or two rooms at the front, and a kitchen and bedroom in the back. In the early 1800s, bathrooms weren’t part of these homes, but they were usually added later on in a side or rear addition.
Another common modern update is a more open floor plan, which makes the most of the small space. Architects and designers often add efficient built-in storage along walls to compensate for the lack of closet space in these historic shotgun homes, said Jennifer da Ros, principal designer at local firm MASON * ROS Architecture & Interiors.
Other common updates include the addition of a side hall, which allows for more privacy and helps to connect indoor and outdoor spaces. This can be done on a single-story shotgun by adding a porch or porch-like porch, or it can be added to a double-barrel shotgun by adding an addition at the rear of the house called a camelback.
