What is a Dutch Colonial Style Home in Portland?
Updated 05/2025.
Portland’s residential architectural styles run the gamut and represent the historic changes and building trends the city has seen since its establishment in the 1800s. Some styles are concentrated in certain areas, while others are sprinkled across the city. One thing is certain: Portland’s housing and real estate options are as varied in style and personality as its residents.
Do you crave a well-maintained Victorian? Always dream of living in a Mid-Century Modern? Want the coziness of a Bungalow? If you have a penchant for a particular architectural style, there’s a strong possibility you’ll find it. See what we mean: take a look at the full map of all architectural styles for sale in Portland.
We recently looked at Portland’s real estate offerings and paid special attention to the Dutch Colonial style. Not surprisingly, Portland has plenty of them, and they are the embodiment of luxury. To find these homes on the Portland Homes for Sale website, we simply entered “Colonial” in the search bar, then zoomed in on various map sections. Entering “Dutch Colonial” will narrow results even further.
What are the Features of the Dutch Colonial Home in Portland?
The new design had noticeable differences in the exterior and interior. Let’s look at both.
The Dutch Colonial Style Exterior
One of the main features of the Dutch Colonial style home is the gambrel roof, which creates its barn-like aesthetic. (Why that style?) These homes soften the harsh roof edges of many home designs in Portland up to the early 1900s. Instead of limited, more severe pitches, the roofs use multiple angles in a shape that resembles a bell cut in half, without the curves. It brought a change in the look while creating a more grand appearance and allowed for a lot more room up top, often allowing for an entire extra floor that had previously been lost to steep-pitched roofs.
Sometimes the roof slope faces the street. Other times, it faces to the side, with the roof’s apex facing outward. As you’ll see from the following photos, the roof’s slope direction created a significantly different view of the home from the street.
8006 SE 24th Ave—Portland
1518 SE Poplar Ave—Portland
1610 NE Brazee—Portland5432 NE Siskiyou St—Portland
5432 NE Siskiyou St—Portland
In addition to the expansive gambrel roof, the Dutch Colonial home also features long eave overhangs, sash windows, wooden shutters, a Dutch door at the entrance ( a door divided horizontally into two halves), and a fireplace and chimney (primarily for functionality). Some grand designs include large front porches supported with wide columns with minimal decoration. Many porches extend across the entire front of the home.
Most early Dutch Colonials consisted of natural materials, including stone, stucco, and brick; however, the ones you’ll see around Portland are primarily wood.
The Dutch Colonial Style Interior
When you step inside a Dutch Colonial, you are experiencing elegance. No cost is spared when creating these grand homes. The entrances and staircases are clear examples.
Characteristic Dutch Colonial Interior—2522 NW Northrup St—Portland
Some Dutch Colonials share similarities with the Craftsman style, like exposed beams, built-ins, and wood detailing (see the Becker House below).
The floorpan is most often symmetrical, with the front door in the middle front leading to an entry that brings you into a center hallway with the main staircase just to the side. Rooms sit on both sides of the hallway, each containing front-facing windows that sit symmetrically along each side of the front door. The front rooms consist of the living room on one side and a dining room on the other. The kitchen sits in the back. Today, we may see more open or partially open floor plans. In some cases, the entry sits on the side of the house, but generally, the style tries to maintain symmetrical windows.
Bedrooms are located on the second floor, taking advantage of the gambrel roof that allows for furnished attic spaces.
The furniture has a sturdy appearance, both in terms of the upholstery and wood pieces. Wood furniture has a handcrafted look that blends traditional and simple modern styling. Wall moldings and trims are thicker and wider than in other home styles, adding to the sturdy feel.
What’s the Difference Between Colonial and Dutch Colonial Style Homes?
The Dutch Colonial falls under the larger classification of Colonial. All homes in this general style have a grand appearance and few spare expense on interior features and details. Some styles—Saltbox, Georgian, Mid-Atlantic, Spanish, French, and German—can be found along the eastern seaboard and in other parts of the U.S., like Louisiana. The difference between these and Dutch Colonial lies in the roof style and other design elements listed earlier.
Where Did the Dutch Colonial Style Home Get Its Name?
The Dutch Colonial style of architecture originated from early American colonizers who immigrated from the Netherlands and built homes that reflected Dutch style. These homes were adopted in the U.S. as a solution to adapt to the cold weather, something the Dutch know a thing or two about. The style was initially built in the U.S. en masse from the 1600s to the 1800s.
When Did the Dutch Colonial Style Home Come to Portland?
The first Dutch Colonial style homes in the U.S. were built in the 17th and 18th centuries in the northeastern part of the country by Dutch colonists. These homes incorporated Dutch elements but Americanized them with larger and more ornate construction with local materials. Late in the 19th century, the homes became popularized in a Dutch Colonial revival movement that proliferated across the country, born of a remembrance of simpler times when the Industrial Revolution was catching on. However, the term “Dutch Colonial” didn’t surface until the 1920s.
How Are Portland Dutch Colonials Different from Other US Designs?
The difference lies in the choice of materials. Portland homes are primarily made of wood, whereas others are more prone to including stone, stucco, and brick.
One of the first Dutch Colonial homes in Portland to use the revival look was the historic Christine Becker House at 1331 NW 25th Ave. in the Northwest District, designed by architect Emil Schacht and built in 1909. The image below shows some classic features of a Dutch Colonial: a gambrel roof, sash windows, and a luxurious front porch.
Christine Becker House—1331 NW 25th Ave—Portland—Image from Wikimedia
The side view of the Becker House below shows the exposed chimney and stone application along the foundation.
Becker House—Side View—Image from Redfin.com
Interior shots of this home, which is on the National Registry of Historic Places, show the Dutch Colonial grand staircase and the Craftsman touches mentioned above.
Becker House—Staircase—Image from Redfin.com
Becker House—Craftsman Features—Image from Redfin.com
Where Can You Find Dutch Colonial Style Homes in Portland?
The Dutch Colonial style doesn’t saturate certain neighborhoods the way others, like the Craftsman or Ranch, do. But if you take a drive through neighborhoods like Laurelhurst, the Northwest District, and Irvington, you’ll see a few of these well-maintained beauties.
Looking to Buy or Sell a Dutch Colonial Home in Portland?
If you’ve fallen in love with this classic architectural style and can imagine yourself living in one, get in touch with our top 1% buyer’s agents at 503-773-0000. Or maybe you own one of these gems and are in a position to sell because you’re leaving the area or downsizing. Our top 1% seller’s agents are ready to help. Either way, we’ll put more than 20 years of real estate experience in the Portland metro area to work for you. We look forward to talking with you and learning more about what you need!
