The History of Spanish Colonial Homes
Spanish Colonial-style homes are a classic architectural style found throughout Florida, California, and Southwestern states, like Arizona and New Mexico. Although Spanish Colonial homes have an even longer history in Spain and Mexico, they first appeared in North America between the 1600s and mid-1800s, when Spanish settlers arrived and began building their homesteads. Because Spanish settlers arriving in North America chose locations with climates similar to Spain—like Florida, California, and Southwestern states, as previously mentioned—they were able to execute their style of traditional home building with the resources available, like adobe (made of clay and straw) with a stucco finish for interior and exterior walls, and clay for roof tiles. In fact, a key element to the Spanish Colonial style is the fact that the home lends itself to the surrounding environment. Although the Spanish Colonial period in America ended in the mid-1800s, the architectural style remained popular. Later, in the 1900s, Spanish Colonial style was swept up in the Colonial Revival—and homebuilders chose to build with adobe and clay, rather than using the materials out of necessity. Today, you’ll find marked differences in Spanish Colonial homes across the country—thanks to regional styles, and the tools and materials available to the original settlers—but most share traditional characteristics of the style.
Must-Have Elements of Spanish Colonial Architecture
Although Spanish Colonial styles have changed over time and geographically, most Spanish Colonial homes have retained key elements from the original designs. Some of these key elements include:
Spanish Colonial Home Maintenance
Because adobe walls are best-suited for warm climates, you’ll often find them in the Southeast, Southwest, and California. Adobe is highly susceptible to cold, damp conditions, and can swell when exposed to too much water. This, in turn, can cause the stucco finish to crack and fall apart. Clay roof tiles are extremely durable and require little maintenance, but the low-pitched or flat ceilings found on Spanish Colonial homes can often leak. This demonstrates—again—that Spanish Colonial homes are ideal for warm, relatively dry climates.
