Modern Colonial style homes share characteristics associated with homes from the colonial period of the United States.  Colonial homes could include influences from Spanish, French, Dutch and German colonials, but the style most commonly thought of as "Colonial" in mid-Michigan is the Georgian Colonial of English origin. This is the style most popular in New England and throughout the mid-Atlantic colonies.

The distinctive features of Georgian architecture include the square symmetrical shape, a central door framed with ornate columns and a decorative crown, and straight lines of multi-pane shuttered windows on both floors. Traditional Colonials will have a fireplace at each end of the home. Colonials are fairly large and may have four, five or more bedrooms. The exterior is usually wood siding or brick. 

Because Colonials are technically two-story or 2 1/2 story homes, they are sometimes referred to as simply "two-story" while two-story homes with no distinctive Colonial features are sometimes mistakenly labeled as "Colonial".  

The modern Colonial home is derived from the Colonial Revival style that became popular after the American Centennial in 1876 when the public became fascinated  with their Colonial roots. Borrowing elements from early American architecture, Colonial design continue in a variety of forms in modern homes of the twenty-first century.

Dutch Colonial
The modern Dutch Colonial borrows its basic design
from homes of the colonial period and has a floor plan similar to the Georgian Colonial. A distinctive gambrel roof  covers the second story with windows framed directly into the roof or projected as small dormers.






Variations of the style may include full dormers along
the front and rear of the second story and/or turning the home ninety degrees so that the gable end faces the street to become that front entrance.
 

Garrison Colonial
Enjoying similar characteristics as other colonials, its distinctive features is the second story overhang that creates a cover above the entry and appears to set back the lower level.

The Garrison style became very popular during the 1930s and again in the 1950s when home construction was revived following World War II.