While you may think a ranch means less square footage inside, these homes are often sprawling and require a good deal of land to accommodate. Such a wide-open space works particularly well with natural woodwork. Because it’s bright and airy, the natural wood doesn’t feel overly dark, and instead complements the indoor-outdoor feel. The single-story ranch home also helps battle heat, which is why many homes in the southwest are one story—which not only looks great, but also saves on those AC bills. While many ranch homes have an open floor plan, they also usually have the bedrooms on the opposite end of the house than the kitchen and living space. When you enter a split level, you’ll go directly into the living space with the option to go up a half level or down a half level.
