The term ‘colonial homes’ describes a number of well-known architectural styles. Begun in the colonies and later adapted and combined with popular European trends, both the Colonial and Colonial Revival homes are a uniquely American architectural experience that are at once stately and modest.

Life in the colonies was based on necessity and so it naturally follows that colonial architecture provides a minimalist shelter to its occupants both solid and steadfast in style. Low on decoration and trim, the rectangular Colonial style is often found in the northeastern United States. Big on symmetry, a defining characteristic is the windows which are most often double hung with a number of small square panes. Another is the set of stately columns that do double duty providing structural supports and an air of stately grace.

Some popular colonial home styles include:

• Cape Cod Colonial
• Garrison Colonial
• New England
• Southern Colonial
• Saltbox Colonial
• Georgian Colonial
• French Colonial
• Spanish Colonial
• Dutch Colonial
• Federal

Characteristics of Colonial Revival Homes
After its inception, colonial homes gave way to Colonial Revival homes in a resurgence in popularity where symmetry and minimalism were appreciated. Popular across the Midwestern United States, Colonial Revival homes enjoy the same boxy style and stately columns but enjoy a dash of color in the shutters and a few more decorative details:

• Central hallways
• White clapboard siding
• Black or green shutters
• Detailed cornices

Colonial Columns
One thing that all versions of the original Colonial style and the newer Colonial Revival or Neo-Colonial homes have in common are their stately columns. Providing both structural support and a modest grandeur to the home, columns also allow homeowners to express their personality and the personality of the landscape and the estate. Details such as shape of the column and the choice of column base or bottom and column capital or top all provide outlets for creativity and style.

Colonial Column Styles
Like colonial life, colonial architecture was simple and efficient. Time and materials were never wasted on luxury but space was a commodity to be had in plenty. Therefore it is not uncommon to see large front porches and wraparound porches with a number of columns on colonial homes. Simple round columns with square bases and matching capitals are the common among colonials with the occasional scroll or leaf and acanthus decoration on the Neo-Colonial Revival homes.

Colonial Column Materials
Originally, colonists made use of natural, local materials for their homes and created columns out of wood, stone or marble. Today, colonial style home owners can have the look and feel of wood without the maintenance through materials like fiberglass, vinyl and composite materials. These materials allow for the same feel of the more expensive natural choices without concern for damage due to weather, insects and other hazards of time and the outdoors.

Colonial Column Colors
As noted earlier, the original colonists spared no time or effort on garish colors but as our country has grown so too has its interest in color and sparkle. Today, even on homes that mimic the early colonials, bright shutters or clapboard siding can be seen on a number of houses. Some even choose to paint their columns in eye-catching contrast to the rest of the house or to match the shutters or fence posts. But of course, simple beiges and off-whites can serve to balance out the gracious symmetry of a colonial home and add to the estate-like feel of the architectural design as a whole.

Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola more famously known as Vignola was one of the many great architects of the 16th century Italian Renaissance. Born in Vignola, Italy on October 1, 1507, Vignola began most of his architectural training in Bologna as a painter and perpspectivist. Learning from some of the greats at the time such as Baldassare Peruzzi and Sebastiano Serlio, Vignola perfected his architectural style. Vignola is known for many accomplishments including his work in Rome in the mid-16th century on the Vatican, well known designs for Pope Julius III, King Francis I of France and the Farnese family.

Since the late 1800s and early 1900s, the California Bungalow has been a popular style for new homes. The architectural style hit its peak in the 1920s when major companies like Sears and Roebuck and Montgomery Ward offered pre-cut versions of the home and sold them in their catalogues for fabrication on site.Starting on the East coast, California quickly got a hold of the style and Midwestern versions soon followed. One of the few truly American architectural styles, the California Bungalow capitalizes on economy, convenience and efficiency. Today, a renewed interest in the style is bringing the California Bungalow a resurgence in popularity.

California Bungalow Characteristics

The California style emphasized minimalism and simplicity as well as the idea that everyone could own their own home. Simple and sparing in cost but functional for the family, the California Bungalow provides a large open space for multiple functions and built in furniture to make the most of materials. Characteristics include:

Informality and efficiency are the key traits of the California Bungalow, and columns are a great example of both. Strong, simple columns provide both a decorative element and a structural support, as well as a feel of permanence to the informal style of the bungalow.

California Bungalow Columns
The one-story floor plan of the California Bungalow resonates with the horizontal nature of the acres it sits upon, and therefore the columns provide a much needed balance to the architectural landscape of the home as a whole. Not known for symmetry, the California Bungalow is a style of architecture that utilizes contrast in measure and the column provides an eye-catching vertical to an otherwise overpowering horizontal design.

California Bungalow Column Styles
Columns come in a variety of styles; however, the California Bungalow is only compatible with a few of them. The California Bungalow features either thick square non-tapered columns or thick square tapered columns. True to the functionality of the architecture, the columns are left smooth with no flutes (vertical grooves), further adding to its utilitarian appeal.

California Bungalow Column Materials
Natural materials found locally that echo the colors and textures of the surrounding landscape are another identifying characteristic of the California Bungalow. Wooden columns are a resounding popular choice for California Bungalow porches.

California Bungalow Column Colors
Color choice for California Bungalow columns can really take the decorative aspect of the home to the next level. Columns in a soft brown, off white, or even deep dusky auburn can highlight the earthy tones of the landscape. Brighter colors are an eye-catching way to allow for a bit of playfulness in the California Bungalow homey appeal and lighten up the landscape.