The American Colonial Look: The Predecessor to Shabby Chic and Country Styles

Hooker Furniture Home Office Pleasanton Bunching Bookcase

American Colonial is a popular theme that’s chosen by people who love the traditional look of the past. Yet those who want a contemporary setting need not look at this style as a setback. There are ways to achieve this look without making your home look too old.

The American Colonial Period

This style emanated from a period during the early settlers in the 16^th century till the moment when the Declaration of Independence came out (18^th century).

American Colonial interiors are inclusive of the earliest styles plus the shabby chic and country looks of today. It is also easy to see variations of this style according to the regions where interpretations have been made.

American Colonial home décor and architecture range from the usual rustic to the more sophisticated looks that are based on a population’s choice, the location, even the economic standing of the people who are using the said style.

The entire colonial period, after all, encompasses about 200 years so it is common to see styles that are basic and even rough-hewn.

American Colonial Interiors

During the early settlements, houses and their interiors are technically like bare bones with low ceilings, whitewashed walls and exposed, rough wood beams. The plank floors are also evident with craftsmen installing the said features.

Furniture and accessories were all handcrafted, fundamentalist and idiosyncratic. While these are so, the emphasis has always been on function.

The simple plank construction of table, benches, stools and chests were suitable in a non-frill morality that was the style then. You can attribute this to the Puritans. Most of the furniture pieces are also whitewashed or just given a natural pigmentation.

As for the windows, American Colonial homes had small panes, if there were any. Most windows were left as-is or homeowners covered them with linen fabric, cotton or wood shutters.

It is also common to see a fireplace in an American Colonial setting. This was important back in the day for heating and cooking. These days, though, fireplaces are there mostly for aesthetic purposes. No matter, it can still be a stylish source of light.

Use china or framed photographs to decorate the mantel.

Use pewter and cast iron for your cookware, tableware and utensils.

As for the American Colonial colors, you would have to imagine a moment when the settlers did not have much choice in terms of pigments. So, whitewashing was a common solution for them and was the most readily available.

Use basic primary colors such as indigo, barn red, blue and yellow. You can also use a unique shade of green by mixing yellow ochre with charcoal black. Instead of paint, you can also tint plaster and apply it on your walls.

It was also common during 1680 till 1730 to paint lamp baseboards black. This black outline was also a technique used in outlining door frame and step features.

If you’re a huge fan of sponge painting, then you can also do a little spotting. This is a decorative application on walls or ceilings using dots. Whitewash can become more interesting with black dots. Occasionally, colored water was used such as dots in dark gray.

Wealthier homes during the 18^th century added wainscoting and paneling. Use a lot of woodworks in mahogany or any wood in its natural state. Other woods can be painted with a solid color or using marbled or grained effects.

Maitland-Smith Living Room Colonial Mottled Black Leather Cocktail Table w Four Leather Stools 3320-22

American Colonial Materials and Motifs

The American Colonial period came before the American Revolution yet the former is often confused with the Early American era. This is why the bald eagle, 13-star flag and other such décor are also found in American Colonial interiors.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 21st, 2017 at 5:12 pm and is filed under Interior Design 101. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.