Colonial Dollhouses
Choosing a Colonial dollhouse should be a fun and educational experience. The styles vary widely by region and time period, making a good book on colonial architecture a must if you want something specific to your region or heritage.
What does it mean to be Colonial?
The term "Colonial" is a broad category including styles that were typical during the colonial period in the United States. This can be interpreted as broadly as anything that was built between 1600 and 1850, but since dollhouses typically aren't built to such dour specifications such as those from the early 17th century, we'll assume we're talking about the latter portion of the time period.
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Do you want a Colonial dollhouse? The Colonial style is typified by a square or rectangular footprint that can seem ordinary by those who don't appreciate it. The roofs also exhibit a simple construction, usually designed with a chimney in the middle and sloped depending on the snowfall in the region. If you are a fan of architecture and want the real thing, we recommend going for the Colonial dollhouse. A little research will offer plenty of options for pre-made and custom-built dollhouses. Looking further still, you may want to investigate the specific type of colonial home built in your area. The homes built in the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the Southwest all exhibit distinctive interpretations of the Colonial style that teach us about architectural history and enchant our imaginations. |
Three common Colonial styles
The French Colonial style can most frequently be seen along the Mississippi River from New Orleans all the way up to Missouri. These started as simple bricks and post designs and then evolved to more sophisticated models seen in New Orleans. They featured the popular double louvered doors, dormers, shutters, and flared hip roofs.
The Spanish Colonial style can be seen in Florida and is also pervasive in the California and the American Southwest. Characteristic features include cooling porches, whitewashed lime mortar and a thatched roof.
The Georgian Colonial homes of the mid 18th century are typical of those seen in New England and the mid-Atlantic region. These homes occupy a typical square footprint and feature a decorative crown above the door with flattened columns to the side. These buildings were typically all brick with wood trim.
