Colonial house

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Colonial house and street

A colonial house, also called Georgian, is a style of house that was popular in America from 1690 to 1830. They were built by wealthy Americans in New England and the Southern colonies. The style drew much of its influence from the Italian Renaissance style, but was developed in England in the mid eighteenth century from whence it spread to many of English colonies. It was named after the the three kings George I, II, and III. Not all examples of colonial architecture are Georgian, however. Georgian style houses would have been built for the elite. The term colonial architecture is much broader in usage and includes structures of less refined design.

1 Characteristics
2 Colonial in the media
3 See also
4 External links
- 4.1 Architecture
- 4.2 PBS TV Show

[edit] Characteristics

The defining characteristics of Georgian architecture are its square, symmetrical shape, central door, and straight lines of windows on the first and second floor. There is usually a decorative crown above the door and flattened columns to either side of it. The door leads to an entryway with stairway and hall aligned along the center of the house. All rooms branch off of these. Georgian buildings, in the English manner were ideally in brick, with wood trim, wooden columns and entablatures painted white. In the US, one found both brick buildings as well as those in wood with clapboards. They were usually painted white, though sometimes a pale yellow. This differentiated them from most other structures that were usually not painted.

A Colonial-style house usually has a formally-defined living room, dining room and family room. The bedrooms are typically on the second floor. They also have one or two chimneys that can be very large.

[edit] Colonial in the media

"Colonial House" was also a short-run television series produced by Thirteen/WNET New York and Wall to Wall Television in the United Kingdom. It aired on PBS in 2004.