Simple, traditional design.Plain exteriors with minimal embellishments.Built with wood, brick or stone according to the region and time period.Rectangular and symmetrical in shape.Central door.Often features symmetrical front entrance columns.

What defines colonial-style house?

Colonial houses are built in a traditional style of architecture that dates back to the U.S. Colonial era. They are designed to comfortably serve as a family home, and typically feature a rectangular shape with gabled roofs, symmetrical windows, neutral color schemes, and flat exterior walls.

What are the different styles of colonial houses?

There are many types of colonial house styles stemming from British Colonial (most common in the US), Dutch colonial, French colonial and Spanish Colonial. Within the US, different colonial styles of homes were built in different regions including saltbox, cape cod, Georgian and southern colonial houses.

What are the characteristics of colonial architecture?

Colonial architecture characteristics include: Symmetrical front and rectangular shape. Two stories. A lean-to addition with a saltbox roof (basically where the roof in the back of the house extends almost all the way down to the ground- the shape of saltboxes in the time)

Why is it called a colonial house?

Evolved from the simple log cabin, these homes rose up in the days of the 13 original American colonies (hence the name) because they were “simple to build, efficient to use, and easy on the eyes,” Riordan says.

What are the interior elements of colonial architecture?

• Campaign furniture. …
• Lightweight and eclectic fabrics. …
• Tropical inspired furnishings. …
• Natural texture. …
• Light and airy colours. …
• Traditional shutters. …
• Ceiling fans. …
• Eclectic accessories.

What are colonial houses made of?

Traditionally built with wood and sometimes stone (AKA the materials available), these homes were only one room deep and two or three rooms wide, with either one massive, central fireplace or fireplaces at both ends of the house.

What is considered colonial architecture?

Colonial architecture is an architectural style from a mother country that has been incorporated into the buildings of settlements or colonies in distant locations.

Why are colonial homes popular?

While colonial-style homes in New England were often built with wood, those on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley were constructed with brick and stone. For this reason, the Colonial style is extremely versatile, making it a popular choice for many Americans in search of their dream home.

Are colonial homes good?

Many modern Colonial-style homes aren’t as big as their predecessors but they offer generous living space. Due to their two- and three-story construction, they provide multiple bedroom options and several areas for socialization.

Article first time published on

What makes a house a Colonial Revival?

So what do Colonial Revival homes look like? A lot like their predecessors, but bigger and fancier. … Most of the houses are two or two-and-a-half stories tall, and the front doors typically boast a grander appearance than their predecessors had, with pediments and even columns accenting the entrance.

What type of roof does a Colonial house have?

Clay tiles were commonly used as roofing material on Spanish Colonial homes, and they’re extremely heavy, so they require additional roof framing to ensure the structure can support their weight. Clay-tiled roofs are noncombustible and durable and typically last more than 50 years.

When were colonial homes built?

Spanish Colonial houses were built between 1600 and 1840 in Texas, California and the Southwest. Low, long one-story buildings with covered porches extending along the façade, their walls were built of adobe bricks or stone; by the early 19th century, many two-story houses were built with encircling porches.

How were colonial homes built?

The houses built by the first English settlers in America were small single room homes. Many of these homes were “wattle and daub” homes. They had wooden frames which were filled in with sticks. The holes were then filled in with a sticky “daub” made from clay, mud, and grass.

What were pilgrim houses made of?

They made a substance called daub, similar to modern-day plaster. This mixture of clay, wet soil, grasses, and water was used on interior walls to insulate and provide a smooth surface.

Are colonial homes expensive to build?

Building costs can vary significantly, depending on the particular home you build, the features and materials you select and your building location. Presently, the average construction cost for a Classic Colonial Home begins at $300.00 / Sq. Ft., but is often higher – based on regional trends and finish selections.

What is colonial style furniture?

: furniture made in the American colonies before the end of the Revolution and largely influenced by contemporary European styles (as the Queen Anne and Georgian) but having some indigenous features (as greater variety in woods and more extensive use of turnings)

What is a colonial house Australia?

Colonial Period (1800 – 1849) Attributes of a typical Colonial home include symmetrical design, corrugated iron roofs, brick chimney stacks, multi pane sash windows, six panelled doors, brick quoining, external shutters, wide wrap-around verandas, hipped roofs and stone or brickwork.

What are the characteristics of classical architecture?

Classical architecture originated in ancient Greece and Rome, and is characterized by symmetry, columns, rectangular windows, and marble, to name a few. For centuries, architects have drawn influence from these civilizations and incorporated traditional ideals into subsequent styles of architecture.

What does colonial style look like?

Colonial-style homes normally have a square or rectangle shape, with the door located in the exact center and the same number of windows reflected perfectly on either side. They traditionally have two to three stories with similar, traditional room layouts.

What color were colonial houses?

Classic colonial paint colors include modest earth tone colors such as white, creamy yellow, almond, ochre, reddish brown, dark brown, beige, taupe and muted green. These colors were common because the pigments for the dyes came from natural resources such as plants, soil and minerals.

What is Colonial decor?

Colonial interiors are characterized by grand entrance halls, polished wood floors, simplified paint and wallpaper palettes, and light approach to millwork and wainscoting. … High wainscoting, which might have been polished oak in a similar house, is here painted colonial white.

What makes a French colonial house?

Most French colonial homes include wrap-around porches, steep roofs, high ceilings, French doors, and symmetrical design. These types of homes are often made out of brick or stucco.

What makes a house a bungalow?

Key Takeaways. A bungalow is a style of house or cottage that is typically either a single story or has a second, half, or partial story, that is built into a sloped roof. Bungalows are typically small in terms of size and square footage and often are distinguished by the presence of dormer windows and verandas.

Can you make a colonial home Modern?

You can easily upgrade these living room areas into much more interactive spaces. Using bright colors and modern furniture, get creative by adding a small office, comfortable seating or areas to entertain. … Best of all, they are an easy reno for any colonial living room, making it modern.

How do you start a Colonial?

1. The oversize and formal living room. A big living room that’s a formal space and cut off from much of the house is a feature of these houses. And while rooms like this worked well for how families lived in the 19th and early 20th centuries, they’re often just wasted space now.

What is modern Colonial?

This style has an asymmetrical façade, small windows, and rectangular shutters and is built on one floor of wood. source: homelight.com. Colonial-style houses are famous for their classic architecture where we can find some common features such as it has brick or wood facades, a fireplace and has two to three stories.

What is the difference between a cape and a colonial?

The Cape Cod house has a gabled roof, which means the roof has two sloping sides that meet at a ridge. In the case of the Dutch Colonial house, the roof has a gambrel roof: There are two sides and each side has two slopes. The first slope is shallow and the second is steep.

What is British colonial architecture?

The British colonial styles tended to be very formal and rational, based on strictly symmetrical designs that featured pitched roofs, shutters, and the occasional column or pilaster for a decorative touch. They were usually made of wood or brick.

What are Gables on a house?

A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. … The term gable wall or gable end more commonly refers to the entire wall, including the gable and the wall below it.

What are the three simple features of an American colonial home?

• Simple, traditional design.
• Plain exteriors with minimal embellishments.
• Built with wood, brick or stone according to the region and time period.
• Rectangular and symmetrical in shape.
• Central door.
• Often features symmetrical front entrance columns.