Popular in the Northeast, Colonial style homes are one of the most recognizable home styles with its familiar rectangular shape and symmetry, outside and in. Created in the 1600s by colonists (hence the name) to be similar to the style of aristocratic homes back in Britain, the homes were simple to build and often made of wood, which was plentiful at the time.
Colonial style homes generally are two to three stories with pitched roofs with overlapping shingles and clapboard on the exterior walls to keep out New England’s inclement weather of snow and rain. The Colonial style home’s architecture is characterized by evenly spaced shuttered, double-hung and multi-paned windows forming a grid along with shutters in a contrasting color. The homes also feature a centered entryway, usually with decorative columns on each side and often a covered porch. There is usually one central chimney or two chimneys on the sides, evenly proportioned complementing the formal style.
17th century paint colors were originally derived from natural resources such as earth, stone and plants, which are still favored today on Colonial style homes. Color combinations continue to be traditional white and black or shades of creamy yellow, muted blues, and earthy greens and browns.
Colonial style homes are also symmetrical on the inside, traditionally with formal rooms for living and dining in the front flanking a central hallway with a kitchen and family room in the rear and bedrooms upstairs, sometimes referred to as “four-over-four”, referring to four rooms on each floor. They are also more easily expanded out on the sides for more living space.
Examples of Colonial Style Homes on Cape Cod and the South Coast:
209 Blue Rock Road, South Yarmouth
209 Blue Rock Road is a beautiful 4 bedroom, 3-1/2 bath Colonial with a first-floor primary suite 
in Blue Rock Landing. This Colonial style home has a portico – an area with a roof by the front door of the home giving a place to pause before going in or out of inclement weather. It has a Colonial classic front with nine windows, two on either side of the entry and five on the top floor with a double window over the door giving it overall symmetry.
30 Vaughan Hill Road, Rochester
30 Vaughan Hill Road is an exceptional Colonial country estate. This property has a central 
chimney and two additional chimneys on each side of the house which in colonial times would have provide all the warmth throughout the home, but today’s homeowner will enjoy both central air and heat, while enjoying dramatic stone hearths. This home features a porch that extends the full width of the front of the house and has classic clapboard siding. The landscaping also adds to the classic look.
60-70 Ocean Avenue, Hyannis Port
60-70 Ocean Avenue is an quintessential eight-bedroom Colonial estate 
with water views of Stewart’s Creek and Nantucket Sound and steps from a sandy beach. The handsome fireplaces on sides of each house have striking period detail, glorious three season porch with walls of windows, classic staircase, elegant master suite, and seven comfortable guest bedrooms. The home is beautifully set on 1.74 acres with sprawling lawns and beautiful gardens.
If you are interested in these Colonial style homes (or any other style home) on Cape Cod, in Greater Boston or the South Coast or South Shore, please contact one of our knowledgeable agents.