Orlando custom home builders

Architectural Styles: Spanish Colonial

Spain, at one point, controlled the vast majority of North America. Their holdings included, at various points, the majority of the Gulf Coast as well as many of the Rocky Mountain States and California. Because of this, Spanish colonial architecture can be seen in a variety of locations.

When settlers started arriving from Spain, they built, originally, simple, low homes constructed of rock, adobe brick, coquina, or stucco. Frequently, these building materials were used in combination. These settlers built homes primarily in Florida, California, and the American Southwest.

The homes built by Spanish settlers had very similar features. They were typically one storey with a flat roof or a roof with a very low pitch. The roof covering was generally earth, thatch, or clay tiles. The clay tile roofs so popular to this day were originally part of the Spanish Colonial Style.

The walls of the Spanish homes were very thick and constructed of rock, coquina, or adobe brick covered with stucco. Coquina is a sedimentary rock which contains sea shells or coral. As a building material, it is easy to quarry as it is so soft when removed. This makes it very easy to cut to size. The walls were thick in part to insulate the interior of the house from the heat of the outside.

Other efforts to control the heat of the interior of the house include multiple doors opening to the outside and small windows. The windows were originally constructed without glass as it was hard to produce in the New World. Multiple exterior doors allowed for a lot of cross flow ventilation. Doors could be opened at either end of the house which allowed the hot air to travel right through and also permitted a breeze to flow through. The windows were covered on the inside by shutters and on the outside by wooden or wrought iron bars.

As time progressed, the Spanish settlers began making their homes increasingly elaborate. They started adding second stories with recessed porches and balconies. The homes also began to feature interior courtyards, carved wooden brackets and balustrades, double-hung sashed windows, and dentil moldings in combination with other Greek Revival features.

If you are considering building a custom home and would like more information or to have your questions answered, please contact the Orlando custom home builders of BRC Homes at 352-383-1948.