Cade Hildeth

Are you looking for a beautiful home to add to your list of properties? Do you have a thing for spacious, older historic homes?

From appealing architecture to epic staircases, an American Colonial style house can appeal to your senses for a wide range of reason. There’s a reason this style of home has truly stood the test of time!

Plus, if you’re a real estate investor who likes to monetize your property using short-term rental sites like AirBnB or VRBO, having a unique and historic home can give you a major edge. This is because these rental sites are becoming increasingly interested in featuring properties that can offer a memorable adventure to guests while they travel.

Read on below to learn what an American Colonial style house is and what makes them compelling.

Historical Origins of the American Colonial Style

So what is an American Colonial style house and when did it rise to prominence? Colonial houses can first originated back to the U.S. Colonial Era when the 13 colonies had formed.  Building styles at this time were influenced by a blending of construction techniques and traditions brought by settlers from across Europe.

Technically, true Colonial homes were no longer constructed after the American Revolution ended in 1783. However, their basic characteristics have dramatically impacted residential architecture for nearly 250 years. Today, many houses continue to feature their simple, symmetrical, two story layout.

As mentioned, the American colonial style was a result of the fusion of various nationalities. In particular, these houses were influenced by Dutch and English origins. As a result, the interiors of these homes include features such as low ceilings, exposed beams, and large cozy fireplaces.

As the American colonies grew in size and influence, the style of American Colonial architecture evolved. By the end of the 18th century, many homes featured rooflines with gabled facades and symmetrical proportions.

Architectural Characteristics of an American Colonial Home

Given their deep historical roots, the American colonial home is one of the most classic architectural looks of all time. While most people can’t draw one or explain them in detail to their peers, most folks can spot a colonial home when they see one.

Some of the features that define an American colonial home are symmetrical designs with large front doors situated in the middle of the property. Many of these homes have small gables or hips on the roof and a second story that sticks out over the first.

Some of these homes also feature touches like small shutters, dormers, and roofs with gables of triangular shape—often called pediments.

The windows on these homes tend be big, and the outside of these houses is usually made of clapboard, brick, or stone. Meaning, if you see a durable, earthy material used for the façade of a home, you may just be looking at an American colonial style home.

On the inside, there is often a staircase located in the center of the home. Given its prominent location, the staircase is usually boldly designed and typically made of wood

Of course, given the time period in which these rose to prominence, many colonial homes also feature big chimneys.

Enhancing an American Colonial Style Home

There are many ways to put your personality into a colonial house. You can start by using balanced colors to paint walls, such as neutral shades like white, gray, and beige.

Traditional pieces of furniture, like wooden dressers and armoires, tend look best and enhance the colonial style.

Lastly, it can look elegant to cover the floors with an area rug designed with a geometric pattern or muted colors. Overall, the look should be timeless and elegant, so think pastels and primary colors that are timeless and won’t go out of style.

Finally, remember that these homes rose to prominence in the late 1700s, so let this time period influence your decorating decisions.

For the outdoor landscaping, keep it green, keep it lush, and keep it well maintained and mowed. Of course, stone work and rock paths look great on these properties.

To add a touch of history, you could also consider incorporating a working (or non-working) well.

Benefits of Owning an American Colonial Style House

Because the colonial style of architecture was built to create an older, more rustic feel, these homes often cause people to feel nostalgic for an earlier time.

As mentioned above, this aspect alone can make these homes amazing short-term rentals, because most travelers prefer a memorable experience. When you provide an “experience”, you can charge a much high nightly rate.

Because it is now the go-to move for folks to post their travel photos to social media, like Instagram and TikTok, your gabled roof and epic fireplace may just find its way to the “For You” or “Explore” page.

Plus, these homes are also beautiful in a timeless sort of way. Indeed, it’s rare to find someone who will be turned off by a colonial style home. Some of the benefits of owning a colonial style house like those from Holland Homes LLC include beautiful aesthetics and to ability to connect to times gone by.

Finally, these homes tend to be efficient to heat, since their structure is quite simple and the layout dates back several hundred years.

Learning About American Colonial Style House

The American Colonial style house has become a beloved part of the American landscape. With its distinct architectural style, it symbolizes the pride and tradition of American culture.

To learn more about this historic style of house, dig into architectural literature from the 17th and 18th centuries. And, of course, explore our main blog for more real estate content.

Are you looking to invest in the property market?

Notoriously, property values have been chaotic during the pandemic. First they rose in value and now that interest rates are up, prices are stabilizing and could even come back down.

Given that you have choices to make, what are the best properties to invest in? Keep reading to find out. [Read more…] about What Are the Best Properties to Invest In?