Mountain Modern Makes Redfin's List of Defining American House Styles
Redfin, one of the largest real estate companies in the country, just published a piece tracing how American home design has evolved over the past four centuries. It runs from Colonial and Victorian through Craftsman, ranch, and the McMansion years, and it ends with the styles shaping homes today. Mountain modern made the list, and Redfin asked us to help explain it.
Here is what Josh Wilhite, our principal and founder, shared for the article.
“Over the past two decades, home design in the Mountain West has evolved from traditional craftsman homes and heavy log and lodge-style construction toward what's often called "mountain modern," marked by cleaner rooflines, expansive glass, and a restrained mix of wood, steel, and stone. The style borrows from mid-century modernism but is shaped by its setting, with homes oriented to views, daylight, and indoor-outdoor living. In high-desert towns, that means durable low-maintenance exteriors and floor plans that open onto patios and outdoor rooms for much of the year. The result is a style defined less by ornament and more by craftsmanship, connection to the landscape, and how the home actually lives day to day.”
That evolution is easy to see around Bend. The homes we build with our clients and their architects are shaped by the same handful of high-desert realities. Big windows earn their place by framing the views and pulling in winter light, but they have to perform through cold nights and hot afternoons. Exteriors lean on materials that handle sun, snow, and freeze-thaw cycles without constant upkeep. Deep overhangs and covered outdoor rooms stretch the patio season on both ends. And floor plans keep getting simpler and more connected, because that is how people here actually want to live.
None of it works without the craft underneath. Clean lines leave nowhere to hide, so the details have to be right the first time. That is the part of mountain modern we care about most, and it is the reason the style keeps showing up in our portfolio.
You can read the full article on the Redfin blog.
The Evolution of House Styles Across America: A Journey Through the Decades | Redfin, powered by Rocket
Copperline Homes has been building custom homes in Bend and Central Oregon since 2004. We specialize in high-end custom homes built on relationships, intention, diligence, and innovation. Let's talk →