What Is a Colonial-Style House?

Colonial-style houses were first built in the Colonial administration in the United States in the 1600s and the early 1700s. Colonial architecture remains popular among home designs across the United States. The word “colonial” is generally shorthand for the architectural style that was developed historically by British colonists within New England, as well as the Colonial Revival style that developed in the latter half of the 18th century, and became popular in the 20th century.

Colonial architectural style is a broad term that refers to the various kinds of architecture that show the different influences of early settlers of the United States, such as saltbox-style homes, Georgian, Cape Cod, French Colonial, Spanish Colonial and Dutch Colonial, among others.

Key Characteristics of Colonial-Style Homes

Simple, traditional design.
Basic exteriors no ornaments.
Built from stone, brick, or wood depending on the region and the time period.
Form is both symmetrical and the same.
Central door.
A front view of the house is usually with symmetrical columns.
Double-sash windows are utilized for double-sash windows.
Other variations could comprise dormer windows.
The stunning central staircase is constructed out of wood. It also has formal entry points.
Tiny multi-pane windows that are based on the original styles, and more windows that are focused upon Colonial Revival and Neo-Colonial or New Traditional styles.
The identical number of windows are on either side of the door.
Window shutters that have decorative designs.
Usually, two to three floors high.
Living spaces for common use are situated on the ground.
Rooms located on the second or second floors.
The roof of a house is steeply pitched and have side gables.
Two chimneys (or central chimneys) with two chimneys at the ends.
The room is large or three or more rooms big.
Colonial Revival may include the construction of a garage, which can result in more visually asymmetrical facades.
Generally speaking, the colors are neutral, muted shades.

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Types of Colonial-Style Homes

Saltbox

The saltbox design of buildings is a steeply pitched structure with asymmetrical roof on the other side and it is usually Clapboard siding. Clean and simple structures were built by early settlers who used local lumber and post-and-beam design. They were built on the top of a chimney that served as a source of heating throughout the house. It is among the oldest examples of Colonial architectural style and continued to be a popular style of house from the 17th to the 18th century. They are today prevalent in Northeastern states like Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Georgian

Georgian-style houses are known for their perfect representation of symmetry, using Golden ratios being the main architectural element. They are usually rectangular or square and usually have two chimneys, one at either end on the top. The front doors are placed at their fronts of the home. They serve as a separation line between two half-lengths that are perfectly symmetrical. The front doors are embellished with pilasters (rectangular columns) which are typically embellished with cornices, moldings or pilasters. They were constructed mainly during the period of four Kings Georges between 1714 and 1830. They’re still in great demand both in the Northeast as well as in the South.

Cape Cod

Cape Cod architectural style is named for the Massachusetts coast, in which the 17th century English colonists changed half-timber parlors and hall houses constructed in England to adapt for their New England climate. The houses were constructed between 1690-1850. houses were smaller and had a low-slung style to be able to be able to withstand weather conditions. The design is clean and sleek and rectangular with a steep, sloping roof and an entrance in the middle.
Cape Cod Revivals started to become popular in the 1920s and 1950s. They also helped popularize the style and spread the style all over New England and across the United States.

French Colonial

French Colonials have become extremely well-known throughout the American Southeast, particularly Louisiana. They are well-known for the square, symmetrical designs steeply pitched, often pitched roofs that have edge hipped, as well as their huge and wrap-around porches on the lower and upper level. Double doors of the French style are typically used to create a front entrance on the outside of the house, and are typically accompanied by the windows of two. The rooms featured high ceilings that were able to allow to heat and large narrow windows to aid with cross ventilation.

Spanish Colonial

They are renowned for their white stucco walls and roofing tiles constructed of wood beams, red clay and rustic styles. Spanish Colonial homes are very loved all over all of the American Southeast, Southwest, and California. A majority of Spanish Colonial homes have some type of an outside or inside courtyard that’s usually situated within central areas of the property. The first time they were seen occurred within North America between the 1600s up to the mid-1800s when Spanish immigrants came to the area and began building their homes.

Dutch Colonial

You can recognize a Dutch Colonial house through the “Dutch roof. ” It’s a gambrel-roof that is symmetrical and slopes down the two sides. Dutch Colonial homes are large with roofs with extended eaves that run across all sides of the house which makes it appear as a barn. In the past, every side of the exterior was covered with porches. The structure is made out of stone or brick, as well as windows and doors constructed from wood. Most homes have chimneys on the other or the other end. The style was popular during the latter half of the 1800s and has continued to be an extremely popular design throughout the American Northeast.

Southern Colonial

Southern Colonial-style houses are estate homes that are located within the South with colonnades that run toward at the back of the house. These massive two-to-three-story homes are usually placed back from main roads and accessible by a long drive. They also had the front porch or portico that was placed in between the two colonnades. The elaborate ornate mouldings can be found in both the interior and exterior of the house. They are also known as “Greek Revival. “

Colonial Revival

The year in which America was celebrating its centennial during the middle of 1800s.. the latter part of the 1800s the Colonial Revival architectural style emerged in recognition of America’s modest Colonial beginnings. However, it was later enhanced with Victorian architectural designs. Colonial Revival was popular in the 20th century with simple and symmetrical windows, and also gabled hip or gambrel roofing and elaborate Victorian elements, portsicos and mouldings and large windows. It is still popular in areas like the Northeast and Washington D.C.

Modern Colonial House

Colonial homes, with their origins in the 17th century, are an example of one of the oldest types of homes that can be found in America. There is many ways to modernize these classic homes to make them more compatible with the contemporary world. For instance an updated color scheme can make the exterior look fresher. In addition, adding features like sunrooms or front porches could improve living spaces.

Symmetrical Colonial Houses

A lot of homes built in the Colonial style display a striking visual harmony. For the exterior, columns of windows doors, and other elements tend to reflect across one wall to the next. Colonial interiors usually feature mirror-image designs, especially on the main floor.

Pros and Cons of Colonial-Style Homes

Colonial-Style Home Decor

The style that is typical of Colonial style creates an image of elegance and majesty. The interior is often decorated with a stunning entrance hallway as well as a wide staircase with polished wooden floors, wainscoting or millwork. Fireplaces were usually focal points within rooms.

Early Colonial style was simple and simple. It was also rustic. Furniture was built with wood and quilts sewn by hand. Later designs of furniture were claw-foot tables, cabriole chair as well as highboys. Other materials that were popular at the period were rattan sisal, reed and wicker as along with wool and jute weaves, which included carpets made of braided rugs. The hues were soft and soothing shades were often paired against white walls. Wood beams were integrated into the structure, along with wooden shades were utilized throughout the house, including windows, that often had dark wooden frames. Shutters that were louvered, inside and draperies were typically employed to cover window frames. For homes that had the more extravagant European design, valances that featured huge cascades of sweeping arches and damask brocades, as well as velvet curtains were used to decorate windows. For homes with more extravagant decor, the French-inspired 17th century toile wallpaper was frequently used. It was embellished with scenes of pastoral scenery featuring trees, flowers cottages, flowers.

Geometric Colonial Architecture

One of the most striking features that distinguish Colonial homes is their simplicity in geometric design. A majority of homes are squares or rectangles with no decorations. The simple layout makes Colonial homes that are easy to modify by adding new additions or enhancements.

Colonial House Exteriors

At the time when was when the vast majority of Colonial homes were constructed, they employed locally available components. On those living on the East Coast, that often included clapboard, wood and siding was an integral component of the style of house. While a range of styles of siding are available however, some modern Colonial homes are still built with traditional materials that provide a traditional look.

Colonial Roof Styles

Some Colonial-era builders cut down on time and funds by building half-story dormered on the upper level instead of a full two-story. Additionally, Colonial homes were usually built with roofs with a steep pitch that allowed them to drain water and gain access to the attic. Dormer windows were then popular for allowing air circulation and light to the upper level, which improved the living space of the house.

Colonial House Window Placement

A large number of designs of Colonial houses worked in conjunction with one the other. The precise geometry and symmetry helped slow down the random arrangement of small things such as windows. Colonial homes typically have one window either side of the entranceway and five or more windows at the highest levels. One of them is right above the entrance.

Brick Colonial House

Accessibility to the region The style, as well as construction Colonial houses. As the style grew beyond The East Coast to the Southern states, bricks were beginning to be utilized in these sleek houses. Certain Colonial homes feature a brick exterior with a cheaper siding at the rear to reduce building costs.

Colonial Home Landscaping

Similar to minimalist elements, such as the minimal details in Colonial house styles The landscaping of these styles typically don’t have a lot of decorations. Instead, they use geometric patterns of plants and trees to create an elegant accent. The formality of the landscape emphasizes the refined appearance and style.

Colonial-Style Entry

The entrance of a Colonial home is normally placed in the middle of the house and emphasizes their harmony. It is it is a good layout choice. A front door that is in the center is typically an entranceway or hall with rooms to either on either side. This permits stairs to be placed at the heart of a house as well as an entryway running through the upper floors central.

Colonial House Portico

In contrast to wraparound porches with two levels seen in many Victorian houses, traditional Colonial style houses feature simple entryways. Many opt for a simple portico which is covered to mark the entrance doors. Columns or decorative molding around the entrance could be used to add a minimalist look.

Colonial-Style Chimneys

Along with other elements of Colonial homes, chimneys function as a signpost to the historic roots of this particular style. A lot of Colonial houses included two chimneys, one on each side which brought warmth to the entire house. In the interior, fireplaces will typically be found on all floors of the house.

History of Colonial-Style Homes

First Colonial style American homes were built in the time of British Colonial rule. They were wooden timber-framed homes with simple windows with attractive shutters and attractive designs. They were secured by an entryway with a chimney, or maybe even two. They were “original American Colonials” stopped being built at the time of the American Revolution in 1765-1783, in the same period that British architecture fell out of fashion when the new nation declared independence.
The century was later in conjunction in the Centennial Celebrations in 1876, the Colonial Revival style emerged from 1880 to the year 1955. Architectural designers mixed elements of older styles to create an alternative version of the classical styles that were more suitable to the period. The initial period of Colonial Revival homes from 1880 until 1945 were built using top-quality materials.
In the years between 1945 and the year 1955 A new set of post-war Neocolonial arose from American suburbs. However, they weren’t as elegantly designed and appealing as the previous ones. However, they were suitable for suburbs throughout the nation, which is the place they spread. Later, toward the end and beginning of the century and into the early 21st century Neo-Colonial architecture evolved into an updated and huge variation that was reflected in the look of McMansions that defined the period and are still forming American communities up to today.
Colonial homes are an iconic element of the American architectural landscape and they will never disappear. These are highly sought-after historical homes across New England and as reproductions. They are being built by builders throughout America. United States and are now called “New Traditional. “