Colonial homes
Siding ideas that respect Colonial and Dutch Colonial architecture in North and Central NJ.
Center-hall Colonials in Ridgewood and Dutch gambrel homes in Chatham need lap field walls, intentional gable accents, and PVC trim that reads crisp from the sidewalk. NJ Vinyl Siding installs premium vinyl, Ascend, and James Hardie to manufacturer specs.
10 min read
4.5–7"
Typical lap reveal
Match window spacing
3
Material lanes
Vinyl, Ascend, Hardie
2
Common accents
Shake and board & batten
23+
Years in North Jersey
Colonial projects
Key takeaway
Colonial and Dutch Colonial homes in North and Central NJ look best with horizontal lap on field walls, shake or board and batten on upper gables, and white or off-white PVC trim at corners and windows. Deep navy, charcoal, and slate blue field colors are common on streets in Ridgewood, Morristown, and Westfield.
What makes a New Jersey Colonial look right from the street
Colonials live or die on proportion. Lap reveal, trim width, and gable accents should align with window spacing and roof pitch.
- Field walls: horizontal lap with 4.5 to 7 inch reveal.
- Window and door trim: PVC headers, sills, and extended casings for shadow lines.
- Corners and frieze boards: frame the elevation under the eaves.
- Portico refresh: column wraps, crown details, and flashing where roof meets wall.
Dutch Colonial gambrel and dormer accents
Dutch Colonials need accents sized to gambrel width. Keep lap on main walls so highlights read intentional.
- Gambrel gables: vinyl shake or scallop accents sized to gable width.
- Dormers: board and batten or shake panels to break up plane changes.
- Balance: one or two accent textures per elevation, not every surface.
Material choices for Colonial streets
Historic streets in Morristown, Westfield, and Ridgewood often lean to Hardie or higher-end vinyl. Premium vinyl and Ascend work well on side streets in Chatham and Madison.
- Premium vinyl: wide color set including navy and charcoal, low maintenance.
- James Hardie: crisp edges, ColorPlus factory finish for design review.
- Alside Ascend: thicker shadow lines with lighter handling than fiber cement.
Trim, profiles, and color ideas
AZEK window headers, corner boards, frieze, and water table details keep lines sharp without paint schedules.
- Ridgewood: navy or charcoal field with white trim.
- Westfield: slate blue with off-white trim.
- Basking Ridge: deep green with cream trim.
- Cranford: warm gray with bright white corners.
Installation notes and approvals
Tear-off allows new housewrap, straight sheathing, and flashing updates. We package samples and spec sheets for HOA and borough review.
- Tear-off benefits: WRB, sheathing repair, and window pan flashing.
- HOA submittals: see /guides/hoa-siding-approval.
- Landscape protection and daily cleanup on every job.
Common questions
Colonial siding FAQ
Horizontal lap with scaled PVC trim is the baseline. Add shake or board and batten on upper gables for depth. Navy or charcoal with white trim is the most common Ridgewood and Morristown combination.
Get Colonial siding samples at your estimate
NJ Vinyl Siding brings manufacturer boards and measures your gables, dormers, and portico details on site.