Paint Palettes for Colonial & Colonial Revival Houses (2024)

Paint Palettes for Colonial & Colonial Revival Houses (1)

Picture a typical house of the colonial era, and imagine its exterior color. Chances are, the first thing that comes to mind is dark brown. Now do the same with a Colonial Revival house. Suddenly you’re envisioning a white house with dark green or black shutters. Yet as “classic” as these color combinations seem, things weren’t always quite so black and white (and brown).

The term “Colonial Revival” is itself a bit of a misnomer, as it refers to a grab-bag of styles that adapted architecture of the First Period colonial, Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival eras—an astonishing range from ca. 1670 to 1850. Occasionally the revival houses were historically accurate copies; more often they mix and match elements from two or more styles. These sometimes-eclectic houses arrived at a time when premixed paint was readily available—in many colors. Nevertheless, revival houses looked to a real or imagined colonial past.

In early America, homeowners were limited in their paint choices. Ingredients were scarce, and imported pigments expensive. This often meant using locally mined earth pigments on frame pieces and trim only—leaving the wood or masonry body of the exterior untreated (thus the dark brown of weathered cedar or pine shingles). The colors derived from earth pigments—siennas, ochres, umbers—were rich and satisfying.

Paint Palettes for Colonial & Colonial Revival Houses (2)

On the other hand, sometimes these broad surfaces were treated to a coat of whitewash. Such treatments were applied to Saltbox and Cape Cod houses, among the most popular of the pre-1750 styles to find favor again during the Colonial Revival.

Around 1725, the fully painted exterior began to become more common. Earth pigments were mixed with lime, casein (milk protein), and linseed oil to treat outdoor surfaces. For today’s homeowners seeking authenticity in color and texture, simulated acrylic-latex milk paint is now sold for exterior use.

The 18th century also signaled the emergence of Georgian (1725–1780) architecture, with its weighty massing and bold classical details. By 1750, more than three dozen paint pigments were being imported from Europe, including the hugely popular Prussian Blue. Paint evidence suggests that some homes in the early Georgian period had very colorful exteriors—reds, oranges, and even (for those seeking status) a bright blue.

Paint Palettes for Colonial & Colonial Revival Houses (3)

What, you don’t fancy an orange exterior for your Georgian-informed Colonial Revival? Have no fear. In the second half of the 18th century, intense hues gave way to colors intended to mimic the look of stone. These more subdued yet sophisticated shades included granite-inspired light grays and blues, limestone-inspired yellow ochre, and marble-inspired white. This was the era in which doors began to be painted in dark shades—not black, but deep browns, blues, greens, or red. Trim was now being picked out in white.

After the Revolutionary War, popular taste shifted again, toward a lighter though still classically derived style of architecture. The Federal period (1780–1840) retained a dedication to those stone-color exteriors. Over time, though, they became even paler. Eventually, white houses began to dominate over even the delicately tinted exteriors.

Another shift came with the treatment of trim. On Georgian exteriors, the trim often was painted in contrast to the body. Now, only the doors and shutters were painted as an accent. In trim, too, the variety of colors began to dwindle, until the most popular became the ubiquitous dark green and black. Sound familiar? If these color combinations speak to you, you’re in good historical company.

Paint Palettes for Colonial & Colonial Revival Houses (4)

The penchant for white exteriors continued into the Greek Revival period (1825–1855), an allusion to the Greek temples of antiquity (their original polychromy long lost). Pale stone colors appeared in the off-white, yellow, and gray families. Light blues and gray-blues dropped away.

Paint Palettes for Colonial & Colonial Revival Houses (5)

The most interesting development in this era was the treatment of trim. While window sash and frame were long painted the same color (whether picked out in white like Georgian, or the same as the body color in Federal), owners of Greek Revival homes generally painted their window sash dark green or black, a convention that would carry through into the Victorian era.

Given this wealth of historical precedent, what colors did the original owners of 20th-century Colonial Revivals paint their homes? For the body: white, off-white, yellow, gray, or the occasional pastel. Gray-blue and gray-green were also popular. Trim, including the sash, reverted to the Georgian treatment of contrasting a darker body with white or off-white. Shutters and doors remained dark. Still classic? Indeed.

Paint Palettes for Colonial & Colonial Revival Houses (2024)

FAQs

Paint Palettes for Colonial & Colonial Revival Houses? ›

For the body: white, off-white, yellow, gray, or the occasional pastel. Gray-blue and gray-green were also popular. Trim, including the sash, reverted to the Georgian treatment of contrasting a darker body with white or off-white. Shutters and doors remained dark.

What are the colors for Colonial Revival? ›

When painting any Colonial Revival house, softer colors should be used. Trim is typically painted white or ivory since this style reflects the return to classical motifs, and yellowish whites simulate ancient marble. Yellows, blues, and grays were popular body colors.

What color combinations look best on a colonial house? ›

Colonial Revival

Stick to classic shades of blue, light yellow, or deep red and accent in classic white trim with darker shutters. You can also try a tone-on-tone look with varying shades of gray: medium gray for the main color, classic white trim, and darker gray shutters.

What is the difference between colonial and Colonial Revival house? ›

American Colonial and Colonial-Revival architecture share the same roots. Homes built in both styles tend to have a rectangular footprint and a traditional approach to design, whereas Colonial-Revival style introduces elements and features not seen in the plainer American Colonial style.

What are some colonial colors? ›

In the colonial style, we are familiar with colors sourced from ochre, umber, and sienna. In different quantities and ratios, these can become brown, burnt orange, tawny red and pink, rich tan, and yellow. From copper, blue and green shades are mixed.

What color roof for a colonial house? ›

For Colonial homes, traditional and classic colors like black, gray, deep red, or dark green work exceptionally well. These colors add a sense of elegance and sophistication to the overall appearance of the home.

What are the most beautiful colour combinations? ›

Classic color combinations:
  1. Blue & pastel pink. Combining blue and pastel pink creates a nice balance. ...
  2. Dark charcoal & bright yellow. ...
  3. Light red & yellow. ...
  4. Cherry red & off-white. ...
  5. Baby blue & white. ...
  6. Dark blue & light blue. ...
  7. Sky blue & bubblegum pink. ...
  8. Cherry red & bubblegum pink.
Jan 2, 2024

What color makes a house more valuable? ›

Light and airy, our experts say a coat of white paint can make a big impact on buyers when selling your home. "White walls allow a buyer to see how their furniture, artwork, and fabrics can seamlessly fit into their potential new space," explains Patrick O'Donnell of Farrow & Ball.

What is the color rule for home decor? ›

The 60-30-10 rule is simple. For a balanced, well-designed look, 60 percent of the room should be one color (the dominant color), 30 percent a complementary color (the secondary color) and 10 percent an accent color.

What are the warm Colonial colors? ›

The warm hues so familiar to us from early American applications—brown, burnt orange, tawny red and pink, rich tan, and yellow—come from iron oxides like ochre, umber, and sienna.

What are the 4 house colors? ›

Gryffindor (red and gold) is connected to fire; Slytherin (green and silver) to water; Hufflepuff (yellow and black, representing wheat and soil) to earth; and Ravenclaw (blue and bronze; sky and eagle feathers) to air.

What is the most used house color? ›

What is the most popular color for a house exterior? The most popular color for a house exterior is Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams. The creamy off-white exterior color looks great on every type of siding including wood, vinyl, brick, fiber cement, and stucco.

What kind of roof did they use in Colonial Revival? ›

Gable roofs are the typical roof form found in Colonial Revival homes, followed by gambrel and hip roofs. Slate shingles were commonly used until around World War II, when asphalt shingles became a popular, cost-effective alternative.

What does a Colonial Revival house look like? ›

The most consistent Colonial Revival elements found in these buildings are building symmetry; hipped roofs that often intersected one another; the use of a single, decorative fan or Palladian windows located high-up in the gabled or pedimented (triangular end) of the roof; double-hung windows with decorative features ...

What materials are used in colonial revival architecture? ›

Wood clapboard and brick are the most common types of cladding for American Colonial Revival buildings. Wood shingle, wood shiplap, and stucco cladding are less common.

What were popular colors in colonial times? ›

Muted hues compose the backbone of classic colonial paint colors. Earthy brown shades such as brick, chocolate, taupe and beige gave these homes a modest feel, while contrasting hues of off-white, creamy yellow, moss green, and almond imparted soft contrast.

What does Colonial Revival look like? ›

The most consistent Colonial Revival elements found in these buildings are building symmetry; hipped roofs that often intersected one another; the use of a single, decorative fan or Palladian windows located high-up in the gabled or pedimented (triangular end) of the roof; double-hung windows with decorative features ...

What are the retro colors? ›

Also, retro color palettes don't draw from primary colors like red, blue, and yellow, but more often from secondary colors like tangerine oranges, teal blues, and apple greens. They can even involve neutrals, like creams, yellows, yellow-browns, teal, pale peach, brownish oranges, and a range of pastel colors.

What were the colors of colonial architecture? ›

A Brief History of Colonial Homes

For houses from this period, the popular Colonial house colors were creamy whites, softer yellows, pale pastels in gray blues and gray greens. Different from the periods before the Colonial Revival Period, now both the trim and windows are the same color: white or an off-white.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Greg Kuvalis

Last Updated:

Views: 5770

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Greg Kuvalis

Birthday: 1996-12-20

Address: 53157 Trantow Inlet, Townemouth, FL 92564-0267

Phone: +68218650356656

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Knitting, Amateur radio, Skiing, Running, Mountain biking, Slacklining, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Greg Kuvalis, I am a witty, spotless, beautiful, charming, delightful, thankful, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.