Modern home designs offer clean lines, simple proportions, open plans and abundant natural light and are descendants of the International Style, which developed in the 1920s. Flat or shallow-pitched roofs, large expanses of glass, strong connections to outdoor space, and spare, unornamented walls are distinguishing characteristics. The lot is often incorporated into the design, turning outdoor space into an alfresco living room. Mid-century modern houses are increasingly valued for their easy indoor-outdoor flow and provide inspiration for today's Modern home designs.
Useful information: There are countless histories of modern architecture but among the most influential are The International Style by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson (Museum of Modern Art); Theory and Design in the First Machine Age, by Reyner Banham (Oxford); and Case Study Houses, by Esther McCoy (Hennessey & Ingalls). You can visit the Lexington, Massachusets house of Walter Gropius, an early proponent of the International Style and one of the founders of the Bauhaus, who later taught at Harvard: http://www.spnea.org/visit/homes/gropius.htm.
