Old homes made use of vibrant exterior colors.
Restoring an old house to its historic roots can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive project. It can also be a satisfying hobby. Part of keeping the home true to its roots is choosing the historic color palette for the period in which the home was built. Contemporary homeowners who are accustomed to the muted shades that are popular in the 21st century may be surprised with the vibrant color schemes favored by past generations.
Colonial Period
Colonial-style homes were prevalent in the New England region, down the East Coast, and along portions of the Gulf Coast. These homes, which were built from the mid-1600s through the end of the Revolutionary War, were patterned after homes that were popular in England and other European countries. These one- or two-story homes feature symmetrical windows in front, and were two rooms deep. They typically reflected a romantic or neoclassical style. The colonists favored organic pigments to color their oil-based exterior paints. Popular colors of the day included shades of indigo, stone red, gray, ocher, moss green, and burnt umber.
Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture was popular from 1800 to the mid-1800s, and was the dominant style in the United States from 1820 to 1850, according to Northern Arizona University. Greek Revival architecture is sometimes referred to as the National Style due to the numerous public buildings such as courthouses and post offices erected using this form. Homes built in the Greek Revival style featured porches with columns, and a gabled front entrance. Greek Revival homes were typically painted white, and occasionally made use of accent colors including black, gold or dark green.
Victorian
Gothic Revival homes, more commonly referred to as Victorian homes in honor of the reign of Queen Victoria of Great Britain, were distinguished by lavish wooden lacework, steep pitched roofs, decorative ornamentation, conical turrets, and walls painted in a variety of colors, ranging from muted green to brilliant red. Earth tones were accented with orange, red, and green, while soft mauve might be decorated with slate blue and pale green. Victorian homes originally made use of brilliant and vibrant colors, although individuals who restore these old homes frequently choose to use muted variations of original colors to match contemporary tastes.
Related posts
Stained glass and rich colors were distinctive of the Victorian era.The Victorian era, which lasted from approximately 1837 to 1901, was distinctive in all areas of culture from fashion to social...
A wide variety of colors suit a historic Victorian home's exterior.Historic Victorian homes carry unique beauty. However, since many true Victorian-style homes are older and in need of touch-ups,...
A Victorian home color scheme has at least three colors, and up to five different colors to accent the beautiful architecture.Built from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, Victorian homes feature h...
Dark colors give homes character.Repainting your home is an opportunity to recreate how your home looks and feels. Choosing dark colors for the exterior of your home is an exciting way to go if yo...
What sets off the Victorian home from other styles of homes is the details.The Victorian period, named after Queen Victoria, conjures up an image of stuffiness and all things proper, yet in fact t...
