Mid century colonial house

a guide to the look and how to get it |

(Image credit: Getty)

'Colonial style house' is an umbrella term that describes an iconic part of the US architectural landscape. This signature house style is one of the most popular property styles in the US due to its innate charm and period character.

Located across the US, Colonial style homes range from sought after historic homes to the more modern Colonial Revival properties.

We've rounded up everything you need to know about Colonial style houses inside and out below.

What is a colonial style house?

(Image credit: Alamy)

A Colonial style house is one of a variety of styles introduced by the early settlers to the US from Europe in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, built with materials that were available locally and in a style that was familiar to them. A swathe of Colonial Revival houses were built from the 19th century onwards, demonstrating that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Where did Colonial style originate?

Colonial style homes were built by European settlers mainly from countries such as the UK, France, Holland and Spain. They can be found throughout the US but many are located in the coastal Eastern states.

'True Colonial style homes were built in the 1600s and 1700s on the East Coast during the time of colonization by the British government,' says senior architectural historian, Christina Dikas, an associate principal at Page & Turnbull , a historic preservation and architecture firm. 'The houses were typically square or rectangular in plan with a side gabled roof, stone or wood construction, thick brick chimneys, and small multi-lite windows.'

Types of Colonial style houses

There's plenty of variety with Colonial style houses. Expand your knowledge of the architecture trend with these key categories:

1. New England Colonial style

(Image credit: Brian Jannsen/ Alamy)

Think Little Women and you're instantly transported to the iconic New England Colonial style houses with their central front door and chimney, and rectangular windows. Author Louisa May Alcott's own home, Orchard House (above) in Massachusetts, built around 1650 and where she wrote and set Little Women, is a perfect example of the style.

2. French Colonial style

(Image credit: Alamy)

French Colonial style houses, found in the South East, in particular Louisiana, exude elegance with their steeply pitched roofs and wraparound porches, verandas and balconies, as shown on the house above. Architectural features were designed to cope with the warm climate so verandas were built because they are perfect for alfresco living, while small dormers in the roofs and tall thin windows prevent too much heat entering the house. Raised basements also help protect the lower levels from flooding.

3. Dutch Colonial style

(Image credit: Paul Brady/ Alamy)

Dutch Colonial style houses can be found in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Their most distinctive feature is the charming gambrel roof (such as on the house above). Other features include narrow dormer windows, shutters and central doors.

4. Spanish Colonial style

(Image credit: Frank Bach/ Alamy)

Spanish colonial style houses are known for their rustic appearance and can be found in Florida, California and in the Southwestern states such as Arizona and New Mexico. They were usually built with white stucco walls to deflect the heat and low pitched roofs made from red clay tiles. Other typical architectural features include few and small windows to help combat the heat, arches and a courtyard.

5. Colonial Revival homes

(Image credit: Matthew Kiernan/ Alamy)

According to Christina Dikas, US Colonial Revival or American Colonial Revival style homes became popular in the mid-19th and 20th centuries. 'Colonial Revival style became popular after the centennial celebrations of 1876, at which time Americans kindled an interest in colonial period architectural traditions,' she says.

'Taking their cues from houses of the American colonial period, the houses typically are characterized by an even symmetry built in wood, brick, or stone, with side gabled roofs, shuttered windows, brick chimney(s), and centered front door. Some include an open front porch, columns, and dormer windows. Inside, the two- or three-level houses commonly feature crown molding, a dedicated entryway with centered hallway and a grand stairway. Their spacious scale allows for ample kitchen and living areas, multiple bedrooms, and den/office rooms, along with a full basement.'

Christina continues: 'While the typical Colonial Revival style house, as described above, is based on British colonial architecture, other variations around the country reflect different cultural influences, including Spanish and Dutch colonial styles (such as the house above).'

Why are Colonial style homes so popular?

A combination of factors makes Colonial style houses so sought after. Apart from the fact you're buying into a piece of history, Colonial style houses are visually appealing and their classic good looks are guaranteed to stand the test of time.

Practicality was a key consideration when they were built so they have functional features such as small windows to keep the heat out, and they're durable because they were built to last. Another plus is that they are built from natural materials such as wood and stone, as opposed to manufactured building materials.

'The architecture and design of Colonial homes center on family life, with spacious rooms designed for comfort and warm finishes, such as hardwood floors and stone fireplaces,' says Christina. 'They are well-proportioned at the exterior, making them aesthetically pleasing. They also conjure up a romanticized vision of an earlier American period and symbolize traditional values.'

What to look for in a Colonial style home

'Symmetrical architecture is a hallmark of US colonial homes,' says Christina. 'Some of the houses have given way to modern families’ overriding preference for open floorplans and a finished basement. Steep rooflines, centered doors and windows, natural finishes, and spacious rooms are common.'

Interiors have always been Vivienne's passion – from bold and bright to Scandi white. After studying at Leeds University, she worked at the Financial Times, before moving to Radio Times. She did an interior design course and then worked for Homes & Gardens, Country Living and House Beautiful. Vivienne’s always enjoyed reader homes and loves to spot a house she knows is perfect for a magazine (she has even knocked on the doors of houses with curb appeal!), so she became a houses editor, commissioning reader homes, writing features and styling and art directing photo shoots. She worked on Country Homes & Interiors for 15 years, before returning to Homes & Gardens as houses editor four years ago.

What Are American Colonial-Style Homes?

Kristin Hohenadel

Kristin Hohenadel is an interior design expert who has covered architecture, interiors, and decor trends for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Lonny, and the American and international editions of Elle Decor. She resides in Paris, France, and has traveled to over 30 countries, giving her a global perspective on home design.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 08/16/22

Fact checked by

Sarah Scott

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

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In This Article

History
Key Characteristics
Pros and Cons

American Colonial is an architectural style that first emerged under the period of colonial rule in the United States in the 1600s and 1700s. Today, the term American Colonial is generally shorthand for both the historical building style introduced by British colonists in New England, as well as the Colonial Revival style that proliferated in the 20th century and remains one of the most popular architectural home styles throughout the United States to this day.

Keep in mind that American Colonial architecture is also a broad-based umbrella term that encompasses a number of architectural styles that reflect the multi-cultural influence of early settlers to the U.S. These include saltbox-style homes, Georgian, Cape Cod, French Colonial, Spanish Colonial, and Dutch Colonial, among others.

Maudib / Getty Images

History of American Colonial-Style Homes

The American colonies were settled by immigrants who brought their own architectural aesthetics and building know-how with them across the Atlantic. By adapting to the availability of local materials and weather conditions, they created what went on to become a signature American home style.

The first defining period of American Colonial-style homes were what is known as First Period British that came into prominence during British colonial rule. This dominant style is what most of us think of when we hear the words “American Colonial,” timber framed wood houses with simple windows, decorative shutters, and symmetrical forms anchored by a central door and a chimney or two.

The original American Colonials ceased to be built around the time of the American Revolution in 1765–1783, when the vogue for British architecture fell out of fashion as the new country asserted its independence. But a century later, the country’s centennial celebration of 1876 created a nostalgia that led to the Colonial Revival of 1880 to 1955, when architects borrowed and mixed elements of earlier building styles to create a variation of the originals that were suited to the times.

Rolf_52 / Getty Images

During the first wave of the Colonial Revival from 1880 to 1945, homes tended to be well constructed from quality materials. But between 1945 and 1955, a newer crop of post-war Neo-Colonials sprung up in American suburbs that lacked the craftsmanship and charm of the originals, but were good enough for suburbs around the country where they became ubiquitous.

In the late 20th century and into the beginning of the 21st, Neo-Colonial architecture took on a new and supersized variation in the specter of the McMansions that came to define the era and still haunt American neighborhoods to this day.

Colonial homes remain such an iconic part of the American architectural landscape that they have never really gone out of style, whether in regard to sought-after historic homes in New England or the myriad reproductions that have been constructed and continue to be built by developers today throughout the U.S., which are often branded as New Traditional.

irinka-s / Getty Images

Key Characteristics of American Colonial-Style Homes

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
Use of double sash windows
Variations may include dormer windows
Imposing central wood staircase with formal entry
Small multi-pane windows on original styles, larger windows on Colonial Revival and Neo Colonial or New Traditional styles
Same number of windows on each side of the door
Decorative window shutters
Generally two and sometimes three stories tall
Common living spaces located on the ground floor
Bedrooms on second and/or third floors
Steeply pitched roofs with side gables
Central chimney or double chimneys with one located at each end
One room deep, two or three rooms wide
Colonial Revival may include a garage that creates a more asymmetrical facade
Generally painted in muted neutral colors

jhorrocks / Getty Images

Pros and Cons of American Colonial-Style Homes

Pros

Plain, simple, classic
Crowd-pleasing traditional style makes them easier to resell
Generally spacious rooms
Timeless appeal
Well suited for families and entertaining
Simple to decorate given the straightforward layout of rooms

Cons

Two-story layout with bedrooms upstairs is not ideal for the elderly or those with mobility challenges
Traditional formal style can be limiting for contemporary tastes and casual lifestyles
Spacious but separate rooms that aren’t friendly to the open-plan living preferred by many homeowners today
Prominent central staircase may make substantive renovations a challenge
Generous room volumes mean higher energy bills for heating and cooling
The familiarity of American Colonial style makes it feel generic to some

Colonial style of architecture, photo - Rehouz

ReHouz Private architecture Architectural styles Colonial style of architecture, photo

When did it begin to emerge? Perhaps during the conquests of Ancient Rome? Or when the Hellenes founded Borisfen and Tauric Chersonesus?
- Actually, colonial architecture is the result of construction in open, annexed, colonized territories. These are the activities of the Greeks in the Northern Black Sea region, and the legacy of the Romans in Gaul, and the buildings of the Frankish crusaders in the lands of Byzantium, as well as, of course, the houses of the Spaniards in Latin, the British and French in North America.

Colonial style in architecture

Wherever the culture of metropolises penetrated, it absorbed local customs, filled with color and exoticism. Gothic and rococo, empire and classicism, antique, Romanesque touches, Old English, Dutch motifs shine through in the appearance of colonial buildings…

Take a closer look at the architecture of Buenos Aires, Lima, Sao Paulo. Spanish conquistadors, Portuguese traders and Catholic missionaries brought here a heavy baroque with a Moorish touch, which was transformed under the influence of Indian folklore traditions. Due to this mutual influence Latin American colonial style is easy to recognize by the roughness of forms and brightness of colors, the abundance of small decorative details and other attributes.

North America has its own architectural style. The basis for the development of the North American states was mainly the English architectural style. In New York, in New England, the first, most typical examples of English colonial architecture have been preserved. Moreover, many films from the life of old Britain are not filmed in London, which was badly damaged during the Second World War, but in Boston. In this city, you can admire truly old houses - fragments of the former, noble Europe .

Major Colonial Style Architecture

New England Colonial Style Settler mansions built between 1620 and 1740 in the New England region. They are with steep, tiled or shingled roofs, with side gables and narrow cornices, prominent stove chimneys. The windows in these houses are relatively small, and the walls, if decorated, are very discreetly ornamented. The top floor often hangs slightly over the first floor, the main entrance is strictly in the center. Nothing superfluous - that's the motto of the first colonial builders, pilgrims from the British Isles.
Georgian colonial architecture, developed a little later, during the years 1690-1830, was popular in the southern British colonies. Buildings of this type are close to the Renaissance style and look much more elegant than Puritan New England architecture. Georgian colonial houses are characterized by elongated, rectangular and symmetrical facades, gable roofs with a narrow canopy, flat columns around a paneled door, and twin chimneys. The walls of Georgian-colonial houses are either made of red brick or covered with light plaster; a stucco royal crown often flaunts above the front door.
Cape Code - in the northeast for a long time (until the middle of the last century) was in use a colonial type of architecture, named after the bay that washes Massachusetts. It is based on half-timbered houses adapted to the more severe northern coasts of the Atlantic, generous with storms.
Cape Cod style is still in demand today, its noticeable features are wooden, in memory of half-timbered houses, frame or trim, laconic, rectangular shape, mostly white siding, steep roof with side gables, large fireplace chimney, double glazed domed windows.
Modern Cape Cod houses are complemented by attached garages, spacious, well-equipped attics. The pipes on the roof have shifted, as has the fireplace (previously it was placed in the center of the living room), and the shutters on the windows perform a purely decorative function. The secret to the durability of the Cape Cod style lies in its practicality and enviable ability to blend with any interior. And also in the fact that the conservative - like the ancestors - the appearance of the hearth gives a sense of roots, stability and respectability.
Spanish colonial style reigns not only in South America, but also in California, Florida, Arizona, Texas, Colorado. Everywhere where the Spanish and Portuguese settlers set the tone. They built personal houses in one, as a rule, floor, using shell stone or adobe, unbaked brick or clay. Roofs were often left flat, walls covered with plaster.
Second floors, balconies, as well as decorations in the form of moldings, appeared much later.
The characteristic features of the Spanish colonial style and today remain not very large, latticed windows, as well as several doors at once in the front wall of the building.
The German colonial style was formed until the very end of the 19th century in Ohio, Virginia, Missouri, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania - places where settlers from Germany settled. The migrants embodied the spirit of their native country by using locally available materials: this is how solid houses made of soft sandstone appeared, with powerful, impressive walls (their thickness reaches 60 centimeters), door and window arched openings.
Dutch colonial style gained some distribution (mainly on the banks of the Hudson) at the same time. It is characterized by brick or stone masonry, high, tiled roofs, wide cornices, doors from two autonomous halves-gates, chimneys on each side and deaf, windowless, rear walls.
French colonial style can be seen in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Springfield. In Louisiana and Mississippi in the 18th and first half of the 19th century, houses were built by immigrants from France, which led to the emergence of another type of colonial architecture.
The migrants brought ideas for buildings not from France proper, but from their Indochinese possessions and Guadeloupe. For the American South, this option turned out to be very suitable: French colonial architecture is distinguished by an abundance of windows, openwork balconies, and light outdoor galleries. The roofs became sloping, decorated railings and balustrades appeared.
French colonial mansions are more elegant, airy in appearance than their overseas "ancestors", Provencal houses.
Colonial federal style is the heir of Georgian architecture and classicism, which at that time (1780-1820) was, as they say, on the crest of popularity.
The federal style is distinguished by a strict rectangular layout, a high foundation base, sloping roofs, balustrades, moldings, evenly spaced windows, and low mezzanines.
Windows are one of the most important distinguishing features of this style. And the point is not only in their slender, symmetrical arrangement with respect to the door. There are many windows and they are varied. On the sides are narrow, elongated, on both sides of the door and on the facade - arched, Venetian or oval, equipped with bars and shutters. A semi-circular, stained-glass window above the central entrance door is also obligatory.
Of particular note is the decoration in the form of an eagle, the national bird.
Buildings inherited from classicism open, slightly curved staircases and stucco - garlands, ears of corn, fans, flowing volutes. The architectural style that linked the canons of Ancient Rome and the architecture of the New World is quite popular today.
Neo-colonial style is a continuation of the federal architecture that returned “to the podium” in the mid-1960s.
New times brought new materials to the colonial exterior. There are no taboos: brick and artificial stone, vinyl and multicomponent polymers are used for construction and cladding. Windows are not necessarily rounded, but shutters are a tribute to tradition and an element of aesthetics.
Neo-colonial style houses remain of regular rectangular geometry, with light columns, porticos, moldings.

Colonial-style houses — photo

Colonial architecture, initially a rough copy of typical European buildings, developed and flourished over time. And if for the first colonizers the most important thing was the reliability of the home, its rationalism, then later aesthetics and chic appeared. Colonial houses sparkled with new colors: azure, ocher, cinnabar, verdigris shone on the facades. The buildings became more diverse and, thanks to the abundance of land, wider and more free-standing than in Europe.

***

The colonial style has not become an obsolete theory. It is being looked at even today. Eclecticism is at the peak of popularity, and the colonial exterior, which connected, like the ends of a drawbridge, the cultures of East and West, perfectly coexists with it. Colonial architecture is a successful, plastic form that can be filled with the most unexpected, original content.

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architecture of houses of the Wild West, interior, clothing

Colonial style - a modern trend in interior design and architecture that arose in the 2nd half of the 17th century. By the end of 19th century, there was a significant development of the colonial movement, which lasted until the middle of the 20th century. During this period, there is a search for new resources of natural origin, which was reflected in the development of a new trend. The main feature of this movement is the mixture of several cultures and ethnic traditions that harmoniously combine with each other. There are new techniques for the manufacture of building materials, furniture, dishes, household appliances and other household parts.

Contents

1 History of the occurrence
2 Modern direction
3 Architecture
4 Interior
- 4. 1 Color Palette
- 4.2 Materials
- 4.4 Ceys
- 4.5 4.5 900.5 4.5 900.5 4.5 4.5 900.5 4.5 900.5 4.5 900.5 4.5 4.5 WIRE and accessories
5 Ideas expressed in colonial style: video
6 Conclusions

Origins

Some European countries at the end of 19century, they began to expand their territories, due to which colonies were formed in North American and Eastern countries. At this time, an active movement of Europeans began, who brought the traditions of the West to the colonies, and the influence of local culture was taken back to their homeland. This is how the colonial style arose, which is characterized as a mixture of many cultural and national traditions into a single style direction. Spanish traditions merged with Latin American ones, and Asian traditions merged with English and French ones.

The influence of classicism and Gothic is very noticeable in the colonial style. Despite the mixture of different cultural traditions, the use of textiles still remains inspired from the English style, and the massiveness of the building can be attributed to the pretentiousness of the Victorian era and the Antique era. Of course, the colonial style lacks the richness of the baroque, but at the same time it retains the cosiness of the country style that appeared later.

Modern direction

In modern directions of interior and architectural structure it is very fashionable to put into practice the experience of past centuries. The colonial era led to the development of a new style that is used today by leading architects around the world. The colonial style is popular for the construction of country houses, and the features of interior solutions are also used in the arrangement of apartments in large cities.

Architecture

The colonial style in architecture has the following distinctive features:

Facade symmetry.
Simplicity of details.
Multiple floors (typically 2 or 3).
The building is built of brick or wood.
Use of columns or pillars (as in the Empire style).
The presence of a fireplace (one or more, depending on the footage of the house), steam pipes.
Panel and roof windows. Blinds.
Paneled doors.

The photo shows an example of colonial architecture.

An example of the most common trend in architecture is the American colonial style house.

With the development of the American style, three main directions began to stand out:

Luxurious mansions of wealthy entrepreneurs.
Buildings in the style of the "wild west".
City buildings made in the direction of simplified classics.

The photo shows a colonial American style house. This building is characterized by the presence of a central high staircase, marble steps, railings with carved patterns, as well as the absence of bright decorative details.

Numerous colonial-style house designs allow residential buildings to be built according to customer preferences. In addition, the colonial direction finds its application in landscape design, which perfectly emphasizes the overall composition. The organization of the landscape is distinguished by its simple and at the same time elegant approach - the area around the house is covered with a dense lawn, decorative bushes are most often used, and small flower beds are arranged in places.

Interior

Colonial style is perfect for furnishing bedrooms, living rooms or kitchens. It is aimed not only at creating an attractive interior, but also implies the functionality and convenience of every detail.

Color Palette

There are several rules to follow when using a color palette. When choosing materials for finishing walls, ceilings and the field, it is not recommended to use too bright colorful colors.

This style is characterized by natural shades - ocher, olive, gold - came to us from the Rococo style, terracotta, the color of "old" wood.

Wall coverings are mainly chosen in light colors - pastel, white or beige. The interior of the colonial style is a combination of brickwork, bamboo and wood. If natural colors were chosen for the wall covering, then the furniture can be chosen in a decorative contrasting shade, or vice versa.

Materials

The colonial era is characterized by the use of natural materials in the construction of buildings, as well as their subsequent finishing.

Typically the following materials:

Brick.
Stone.
Wood.
Glass.
Ceramics.

Floors and walls

For flooring, it is customary to use a wide wooden board (bleached oak, stained).

Ceramic tiles are also used, the surface looks like brick or rough stone. On the floor are small rugs in bright colors, with a floral or geometric pattern.

Wall covering - paint or wallpaper (predominantly light natural colors).

Ceilings

Ceiling finishes are distinguished by their variety. Its surface can be either painted in the same color as the walls, or have design features. There are options for stretch ceilings - a wide sheet of leather is stretched around the perimeter of the ceiling and fixed with copper rivets. Another option for the ceiling is massive wooden beams, which, if desired, are covered with canvas canvas (an example of the English colonial style in the interior of large rooms).

The photo shows a colonial-style living room with wooden beams on the ceiling.

Windows

Windows in colonial style houses are installed in large numbers - this solution provides good lighting during the daytime. They are made of natural light wood. Curtains (tulle) or blinds (fabric or wooden) are used to decorate windows.

Lighting

A central chandelier is an obligatory element in the organization of lighting. Often it is a forged structure with pyramidal or rounded shades. Lamps in the Arabic or African style direction are also used. A significant number of lighting devices are installed around the perimeter of the room - the doi should be well lit at any time of the day.

Decor and accessories

The interior of the rooms is decorated with colonial-style furniture. Headsets are made from various types of wood - varieties of Asian walnut, teak, rattan, tulip, rubber and mahogany. A feature of furniture sets in this direction is the presence of wicker inserts. For upholstery, bright fabrics (unbleached linen) with large-sized drawings (vegetative motifs) are used. Soft pillows are covered with interchangeable covers with ethnic images. The furniture is made in dark colors, which favorably emphasizes the contrast between the suite and light walls.

Various accessories are also used, including:

Masks.
Decorative tableware.
Weapon.
Stuffed birds and small forest animals.
Wooden chests.
Cult elements.
Bronze, glass or ceramic figurines.
Candlesticks.
Vases of various sizes, decorated with reliefs and colorful designs.
Decorative carpets.
Photographs in wooden frames.

All this is placed on the shelves of massive wooden cabinets or a mantelpiece, on the surface of walls or floors.

Colonial style is designed to create an exotic atmosphere, so you should choose unusual items for decorating rooms. These can be souvenirs from different countries or bright elements made in folk motifs.

A colonial-style living room can be full of decorative details. Textiles are widely used. The most popular type of material is cloth, which was used not only in the decoration of residential premises, but also for sewing clothes in the colonial style. Rich Americans preferred silks, expensive velvets and brocades. Furniture upholstery, tablecloths, curtains and curtains, pillows, bed linen were made from them. Above the beds, it is appropriate to place luxurious canopies. Less prosperous citizens used cotton and linen.

Furs and leather were very popular in North America until the middle of the 17th century. Such demand was due to the fact that these fabrics were much cheaper than materials that were brought from the Old World.

Ideas expressed in colonial style: video

The layout of the combination of kitchen and living room in small apartments.

The design of a small bathroom is described in detail in this article.

Everything about Paradise tiles: https://trendsdesign.ru/materialy/plitka/intresnoe.html

Conclusions

The colonial style originated in the middle of the 17th century and since then has been modified and improved every year. It combines the features of many different stylistic trends, which, in harmonious combination with each other, are a single style.