Colonial Modular Homes: American Classics With European Flair
The Colonial home is a classic residential design that spawned several different variations over its several-hundred-year existence. Offering homeowners touches of older European styles, the Colonial is a highly adaptable template to use to craft your dream home. It integrates several different architectural traditions in a way that reflects the very diversity of the nation in which it developed.
Let’s take a look at the history and design features of a Colonial, so you can determine whether it would make the right home for you.
History
American Colonial homes originated in the United States’ first settlements during the 17th and 18th centuries. They were influenced by several European architectural styles: British, Spanish, French, and Dutch. Colonial homes reflected the housing stock of the settlers’ native nations.
As time progressed and the United States began to develop its identity as a nation, colonial homes began to reflect designs of the shifting cultural landscape. “Saltbox” colonial homes became a fixture of small New England towns. Their simple but iconic design is forever intertwined in our popular consciousness of the region.
The Colonial style enjoyed a renaissance in the late 19th century when Colonial Revival architecture began to take hold, allowing a new generation of homeowners to enjoy its humble, rustic appearance. Colonial homes remain popular to this day, evoking images of quaint, snow-covered landscapes and simpler times.
Design Features of Modern Homes
The specific design features of a modern home vary from architect to architect, but the use of glass and steel in exteriors and sparsely adorned appearances are a constant thread through these different structures. In addition to the focus on minimalism, the modern home design places a heavy emphasis on functionality. Homeowners should work with the designer and builder to ensure it meets their family’s lifestyle needs, while suiting their specific tastes.
The use of color plays a key role in the modern home design concept. Modern homes typically exhibit a neutral color scheme with the strategic use of bold accents to brighten the appearance. Any integration of textures or patterns focuses on clean lines, while eschewing “fancy” adornments such as lace and ruffles. Wide windows are used to emit the maximum amount of natural light. The home’s interior features an open layout with high ceilings and a minimal amount of furniture.
Building components in a climate-controlled factory improves quality by minimizing the impact of the elements during construction.
Design Characteristics
Depending on the particular region where Colonial homes developed, several design features may be prevalent. New England colonial homes, taking their cues from old British structures, often feature sharply pitched roofs, square layouts, and shingle or clapboard siding adapted to suit the often-stormy weather of the region.
By contrast, Colonial homes in the Deep South — particularly those areas once part of French Louisiana — may feature porches where homeowners could cool themselves on a hot day and less steep roofs.
Modular Colonials
Colonial modular design is gaining popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. A colonial modular home offers buyers design flexibility, modern amenities and a fast turn-around time. Owners of colonial modular homes don’t need to worry about expensive renovations or additions to older units — they’re built with the latest technological advances in residential construction.
Westchester Modular Homes is the Northeast’s premier colonial modular home builder. In business for nearly thirty years with a growing roster of satisfied clients, Westchester Modular has a plethora of colonial home templates available for you to use to build your dream home.
Whether you need a small, compact unit just for yourself or a large abode to house you and your growing family, we will work with you to build a colonial modular home that’s well within your budget and matches your design preferences.
