Here's How Colonial-Revival Style Homes Shaped American Architecture (2024)

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What is the Colonial Revival style of architecture? ›

The most consistent Colonial Revival elements found in these buildings are building symmetry; hipped roofs that often intersected one another; the use of a single, decorative fan or Palladian windows located high-up in the gabled or pedimented (triangular end) of the roof; double-hung windows with decorative features ...

The Colonial Revival homes style became popular after the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 in Philadelphia created a growing feeling of nostalgia about the American home. Homebuilders and architects turned to early American houses as inspiration for new, more dramatic houses appropriate to the booming economic times.

American Colonial and Colonial-Revival architecture share the same roots. Homes built in both styles tend to have a rectangular footprint and a traditional approach to design, whereas Colonial-Revival style introduces elements and features not seen in the plainer American Colonial style.

American Colonial homes are generally characterized by a square or rectangular facade, a central entrance and windows symmetrically placed on either side of the entrance. They are typically made of wood, stone or brick and will generally have uniformly sized doors and windows with shutters.

Notable revival styles include Neoclassical architecture (a revival of Classical architecture), and Gothic Revival (a revival of Gothic architecture). Revivalism is related to historicism. One of the most famous Gothic Revival structures, Elizabeth Tower sits at the Palace of Westminster in London.

Colonial Revival makes extensive use of Georgian design features like Palladian windows, pediments, and porches with classical columns. These buildings can be distinguished from their 18th and early 19th century prototypes by their larger scale and often unusual placement of classical design elements.

Historically, the variety of architectural style and designs of the American home was influenced by the various cultures of the European settlers. The first recorded white men who came to North America with the idea of staying were some French Huguenots in 1564.

Colonial houses can trace their roots back to the U.S. Colonial Era. Though true Colonial homes stopped being built after the American Revolution, their basic framework—simple, symmetrical, and at least two stories tall—has remained an extremely popular influence in residential architecture for over 200 years.

Colonial-style homes remain popular due to their comfortable interior layout and simple exterior facade. The facade of these homes is easily recognized by their brick or wood siding, standing tall with a classic and simple essence.

What are the 4 types of Colonial? ›

Types of colonialism

Modern studies of colonialism have often distinguished between various overlapping categories of colonialism, broadly classified into four types: settler colonialism, exploitation colonialism, surrogate colonialism, and internal colonialism.

A colonial house is constructed in a popular home style with a simple, borderline minimalist rectangular shape. They tend to be two to three stories tall with fireplaces and brick or wood facades. Colonial homes are traditionally found on the East Coast of the United States.

Generally, the Colonial Revival style took certain design elements - front façade symmetry, front entrance fanlights and sidelights, pedimented doorways, porches and dormers - and applied them to larger scale buildings.

Colonial architecture is a testament to the historical and cultural influences of European colonialism in regions around the world. It emerged as a fusion of various architectural styles, incorporating elements from Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Modernist movements.

Federal (1780-1830)

Federal was the dominant style of architecture in the newly formed United States after the Revolutionary War. Developing out of the Georgian style, Federal architecture drew inspiration from the monuments of Ancient Rome.

Colonial architecture is a hybrid architectural style that arose as colonists combined architectural styles from their country of origin with design characteristics of the settled country.

Common characteristics include a one-and-a-half story plan, steeply pitched side gable roofs, and a large chimney either centered on the ridge or located at the exterior side. Most have a formal symmetrical façade with multi-pane double-hung windows highlighted by decorative shutters and/or flower boxes.

American colonial is a type of architecture that embodies a mixture of styles that came into being throughout the 1600s and 1700s, when America was under colonial rule and those who settled in the colonies brought their own techniques and styles of building.

The Southern Colonial style of architecture was popular during the 17th and 18th centuries, and it is a blend of Greek Revival and other styles.