Colonial Revival architecture

The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style and interior design movement in the United States. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own heritage and architecture. This also came after the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 rewakened Americans to their colonial past. Colonial Revival sought to follow the American colonial architecture of the period around the Revolutionary War, usually being two stories in height with the ... more

The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style and interior design movement in the United States. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own heritage and architecture. This also came after the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 rewakened Americans to their colonial past. Colonial Revival sought to follow the American colonial architecture of the period around the Revolutionary War, usually being two stories in height with the ridge pole running parallel to the street, a symmetrical front facade with an accented doorway and evenly spaced windows on either side of it. The books and atmospheric photographs of Wallace Nutting helped spur the style. Features that make them distinguishable from colonial period houses of the similar style of the early 1800s are elaborate front doors, often with decorative crown pediments and overhead fanlights and sidelights, but with machine-made woodwork that had less depth and relief than earlier handmade versions. Window openings,... less