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British Colonial
Exterior architecture

British Colonial

British colonial bungalow, verandah house

Broad verandas, high ceilings and shutters: a classical house adapted to hot, humid weather.

Colour moodboard
Cream whiteShutter greenTeak brownGolden beigeSlate
Material moodboard
Cream-painted renderWarm teakShutter green paintSlate-grey pitched tileGolden beige veranda stoneTerracotta veranda tileBrown rattan veranda chair

Origin: British colonies, 18th to 19th century, in tropical climates.

British Colonial style developed in the British colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries, taking classical layouts but adjusting them to tropical climate. Houses typically have wide wraparound verandas, hip or deeply eaved roofs, simple columns, shutters, high ceilings and tall openings for ventilation. Colours are light, led by white and cream.

In Vietnam it fits well because its climate solutions are built in. In humid coastal areas, broad verandas block western sun and driving rain, while high ceilings and shutters reduce heat and damp. Roofs must be storm-ready, shutters made of treated timber or wood-look aluminium, and floors raised above the yard. Veranda columns should be concrete or stone to avoid rot and rising damp.

British Colonial
British Colonial

Materials

  • Cream-painted render
  • Concrete or stone veranda columns
  • Treated timber or wood-look aluminium shutters
  • Deep-eaved pitched tile roof

Furniture & forms

  • Wide wraparound veranda
  • High ceilings with tall ventilating doors
  • Louvred shutters
  • Raised floor and entry steps

Lighting

  • The veranda filters sun for soft light
  • Warm pendant lights on the veranda
British Colonial
British Colonial

How it differs from similar styles

Indochine
British Colonial vs Indochine

British Colonial has broad verandas, shutters, dark wood and ceiling fans; Indochine blends French and Southeast Asian: patterned tiles, pale wood and local motifs.
African safari
British Colonial vs African safari

British Colonial is genteel, with dark furniture, plain fabric and books; African safari is rougher, with leather, rattan, earth tones and hunting-trip objects.
Dutch Colonial
British Colonial vs Dutch Colonial

British Colonial adapts to hot, humid climate with verandas and high ceilings; Dutch Colonial is a New York farmhouse type with a gambrel roof.
Colonial Revival
British Colonial vs Colonial Revival

British Colonial is real architecture of tropical lands; Colonial Revival is a later American recollection in a temperate climate, with decorative gables and shutters.
Tropical modernism
British Colonial vs Tropical modernism

British Colonial is classical, symmetrical, with columns and shutters; Tropical Modernism has flat lines, deep eaves and little ornament.
Hamptons
British Colonial vs Hamptons

British Colonial is tropical, with dark wood, rattan and ceiling fans; Hamptons is cooler, in white and blue, stripes and a northern beach mood.

Best for

  • Seaside villas
  • Garden houses
  • Resort hotels

Home types

VillaGarden / resort home

Typical finishing level

Premium

Estimate building cost at this level

Common mistakes

  • Verandas too narrow to shade
  • Timber columns touching damp ground

Care & northern Vietnam climate

Maintain shutters and repaint the veranda yearly; check floor drainage and column bases before the rains.

British Colonial
British Colonial

Reference photos

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British Colonial
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British Colonial
British Colonial
British Colonial
British Colonial
British Colonial

Styles in the same family

Thai-roof house
Exterior architecture

Thai-roof house

A steep tiled roof that shelters the whole house, shedding rain fast and keeping heat out.
French colonial villa
Exterior architecture

French colonial villa

A symmetrical villa with columns and wrought-iron balconies, the elegance of a bygone city era.
Modern tube house
Exterior architecture

Modern tube house

A narrow front and great depth: solving light and air with skylights and a smart façade.

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