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From colonial times to the 21st century, Americans have built homes that suited their needs and protected them from the elements. Most homes from the 15th and 16th century are long gone, but their styles have continued on through the years.

The colonists' first homes were simple shelters, a single room with perhaps a loft for sleeping. Central to the dwelling was a fireplace. This boxy house was designed to allow for additions.

The additions were built on in relation to the fireplace; the fireplace was the kitchen and central heating. Its centrally placed chimney characterizes colonial style.

The Colonial, as it came to be known, evolved into a two-story home. Two major rooms flanked the first level, with bedrooms upstairs. The entryway is central to the plan, and the kitchen is to the back.

The roof is sloped, and window placement in modern colonial design is usually balanced across the front of the home.

Steep roofs, and geometric balance characterize the Georgian style, popular during the 1700s. Georgian houses were two or three stories tall, and exterior stringers defined the stories. A Georgian home will have two chimneys, one to each side of the house.

Georgian homes will often have pediments above the front door; this feature may be repeated at the roofline.

The early 1800s gave rise to the Federal style. This home will exhibit classical elements. There will be steps leading to a landing or porch. There will be columns, giving visitors the sense they are entering a Greek temple.

Typical of the Federal style is a balustrade along the roof, forming a kind of deck. Pediments are a prominent feature, and, like the Georgian, the overall appearance is symmetrical.

The use of classical elements continued on into the later 1800s in the Greek Revival style. Columns, boxy and geometric shapes, flat roofs, and pediments give this style a distinctive classical appearance.

In response to the boxy, geometric stylings of the Greek Revival came the Victorian, perhaps one of the most recognizable architectural styles in America.

The Gothic Revival is the first of the Victorians. The ornate peaks, reaching skyward, resemble the tall spires of the Gothic churches of the Middle Ages. The gingerbread work mimics the ornate and decorative carvings of the Gothic architecture, and the windows are arched and pointed.

The most popular of Victorians is the Queen Anne, which dominated residential architecture from 1880 to 1910. The Queen Anne is characterized by excess, with large projecting bay windows, towers, turrets, porches and balconies. The windows are stained glass, and the multiple rooflines are adorned with finials.

The Italianate Victorian takes its inspiration from the Italian villa. It's recognizable by its asymmetrical blocks. The Italianate is stepped in a horizontal fashion. The least fussy of the Victorians, the style is characterized by flat roofs, and widening stairs that lead to a wrap-around porch.

All of these early styles continue to influence architecture today. And those who purchase older homes should pay close attention to the details of the original style. Though the materials may need to be updated, and modern conveniences added, to renovate to the original fashion of the home is to respect its history.

Learn more about this author, Shelly Mcrae.
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