5 Keys to a Colonial Look
Introduce period style to your home with these tried-and-true tricks found in Vicki Atwood’s history-honoring Hoosier home.
1. Strive for Symmetry.
Visual symmetry is a hallmark of Colonial style, both in architectural design, such as window placement, as well as furniture and decorative accents. Achieving this could be as simple as placing matching vases on either side of a mantel or as elaborate as framing a mirror with symmetrical stencils, artwork and lighting, as Vicki did in her tavern bathroom.
2. Embrace the Iconic.
Include classic Colonial accents—try new or reproduction coverlets, pewter, Staffordshire dogs, crockery, samplers, cooking implements and more—to set a period tone in your rooms. Arrange them in a “day in the life” vignette to pay homage to their history and bring a sense of the past to your decor.
3. Build in Character.
Visiting your local home improvement center can provide all the supplies you need to bring architectural interest to your walls while sticking to a budget. In Vicki’s tavern room, the walls were created with medium-density fiberboard panels mounted between one-by-four pine boards and framed with trim before painting; her son’s room was paneled with thin lauan wood boards.
4. Personalize with Paint.
Stencils were commonly used throughout Colonial homes in lieu of expensive wallpapers— look to the Internet as a great source of examples based on authentic designs. These can be applied on accent walls, to create borders or to simplify the process of mural making.
5. Learn to Adapt.
If you can’t find an antique or accent that suits your space, consider DIYing something that has a similar feel. For example, Vicki wanted crewel bed hangings for her master bedroom, so she decided to make her own by adapting new crewel curtains from a home furnishings chain.