The name of the style reflects the late 19th-century fascination with homes built by the early English and Dutch settlers, a trend that intensified through the World War I and II era before peaking in the mid-1950s.
Several styles grew out of the original Colonial architecture including the Colonial Revival and the Neo-Colonial. The Colonial Revivals were built between 1876 and 1955 and shared a mixture of styles, all uniquely American. “The outside of a Colonial home is a simple rectangular box with two stories and a gabled roof. The exterior is typically brick, stone, or painted white wood with dark green or black shutters. Straight lines of double hung windows are punctuated by a front door centered on the façade,” explains Madlen Simon, AIA, associate professor and interim program director for the school of Architecture Planning and Preservation at the University of Maryland.
Clapboard and shingle are often found in Colonial Revival homes, but brick is the preferred material. This is especially true for homes built after 1920 when brick veneer construction made using brick more affordable. Slate shingles were commonly used until around World War II when asphalt shingles began to replace slate because of cost.
One of the more distinguishing features of the Colonial Revival is the notable decorative entrance. This may consist of a paneled front door flanked by sidelights, a broken pediment over the door, a modest portico with columns, and even a pediment supported by pilasters.
Original colonials had small glass windows because the glass was imported from England and very expensive.By the early 20th century, glass manufacturers had learned how to produce larger windowpanes that were convenient and functional. Therefore, most windows in the Neo-Colonial (Colonials built from 1965 to the present) are rectangular with double-hung sashes, each one consisting of six, eight, nine, or even 12 panes.
Colonials have distinguishing features inside that haven’t changed much over the last few hundred years. “Classical symmetry continues inside. An entrance hall leads to a center stair. Living room and dining room flank the entry hall. The kitchen and perhaps family room are located at rear of house and bedrooms are upstairs. There is a clear separation between public and private spaces. Rooms are rectangular and architecturally well defined,” continues Simon.
Colonial Revival homes tend to be professionally designed and often boast interesting architectural details fashioned from highly durable materials. The Neo-Colonials tend to dominate many of the newer suburbs; they are usually plainer, less detailed, and more assembled than crafted. Unlike the earlier Colonial Revival homes, however, the interiors of Neo-Colonial homes are thoroughly modern with great rooms, high-tech kitchens, and other conveniences.
These listings were complied with the help of Lynn Summerlin Hoeckel, Residential Agent for Yerman, Witman, Gaines & Conklin Realty (410-583-0400 or lsummerlin@ywggrealty.com)
Location Comparison of The Colonial
Listing Agent: Marie E. Wroten/Benson and Mangold. (877-770-9258)
St. Michaels, Maryland
This St. Michaels Colonial Revival built in 1887 has four bedrooms, three full baths, a total square footage of 2,700 and is situated on .13 acres. The historic and coastal location in St. Michaels, Maryland helped this home fetch $1,025,000 in March 2008.
Listing Agent: Bill Street/Exit Preferred Realty. (866-848-7944)
Street, Maryland
This Street Neo-Colonial built in 2007 has four bedrooms, three full baths and one half bath, a total square footage of 4,600 and is situated on 4.5 acres. Although the largest house with most modern construction, a location in a suburb distant from large economic centers brought the selling price to $758,000 in April 2008.
Listing Agent: Phyllis Wiesenfelder/Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc. (301-907-7600)
Chevy Chase, Maryland
This Chevy Chase Colonial Revival built in 1930 has four bedrooms, three full baths and two half baths, a total square footage of 4,300 and is situated on .18 acres. Despite the small lot, a trendy suburban Washington, D.C. neighborhood makes a sought after location for this home, which sold for $1,460,000 in February 2008.
Colonial Style Houses Have Many of These Features:
• Symmetrical facade
• Rectangular
• Two to three stories
• Brick or wood siding
• Simple, classical detailing
• Gabled roof
• Pillars and columns
• Multi-pane, double-hung windows with shutters
• Dormers
• Temple-like entrance: portico topped by pediment
• Paneled doors with sidelights and topped with rectangular transoms or fanlights
• Living areas on the first floor and bedrooms on the upper floors
• Fireplaces
Subtypes of the Colonial Revival House Style Include:
• Dutch Colonial
• Garrison Colonial
• Saltbox Colonial
• Spanish Colonial Revival
