The Features And Considerations Of Elegant Georgian Architecture

Of all the houses built and lived in, one thing is for sure, the structure and the way it looks is very important in making your house feel like a home. Georgian architecture or Georgian style houses are just one example of the many different homes that you can find on the market today.

Let’s look at what Georgian architecture is, and how it’s unique style could be the right fit for you.

What Is Georgian Architecture?

Georgian architecture gained popularity in 17th century England and was named after England’s first four King Georges. Quickly adopted in Boston, New York and Philadelphia, this historic-style home has long since spread to many other places and is recognized for classical designs of ancient Greek and Roman architecture with symmetrical compositions, ornate detailing and timeless elegance.

Georgian styled homes are more often than not elegant, classic, and a real example of living history. The idea of them goes back centuries and has persisted because of its timeless qualities. This has allowed recent generations to experience the highs and lows of living in a historic home, or a home modeled after one.

The History Of Georgian Architecture

These types of homes have a long and interesting history, first popularized in 17th century England for its classical Italian Renaissance inspiration, then in the colonies for its symbol of colonial growth and prosperity.

The trend of Georgian elements quickly became replaced in America with the uprising of Federal style homes, similar to its predecessor but uniquely American. Even though the style wasn’t favored over newer builds, you can still find Georgian homes scattered across the northeastern part of the U.S.

Some famous examples of the architecture can be found in the United States, for example the Jeremiah Lee house, built in 1768. The home, now a museum, boasts many of the staple features of Georgian style, like the carved mantle above the fireplace in the Great Hall.

Key Design Elements That Define Georgian Architecture

There are a few key characteristics of a Georgian home to look for that defines its unique type of home design and we’ve broken them down further into interior and exterior characteristics.

Interior Characteristics Of A Georgian-Style Home

What is included within the structure of the home is important to know in case these interfere with personal style preferences, some things that can be found inside a Georgian-style home are:

• Compartmentalized rooms: What this means is that each room in the home will have a specific purpose. For example, an office will only be used as an office, a library used as a library, etc.
• High ceilings with crown molding: In older examples of Georgian architecture, the crown molding is ornate and intricate, usually covering the entirety of the ceiling, but more modern examples will have a toned-down look to adapt to trends.
• Chimney in the center of the house or symmetrical chimneys on opposite sides.
• Bedrooms solely on the second floor.
• Extravagant doorways, mantelpieces, and other wood carvings.

Exterior Characteristics Of A Georgian-Style Home

The beauty of a Georgian home is the simple design that goes into making the style unique, while also maintaining a pleasing and symmetrical structure. Some characteristics you would be able to find in these types of homes are:

• Symmetrical form: Most obvious and famous characteristic, symmetry can be found in not just the structure of the house but almost all of the features it has like windows or chimneys.
• Multipane, symmetrical windows that allow natural light: If the house has two stories, the windows on the second will typically be smaller than the ones on the first floor.
• Side-gabled or hipped roof
• Stone or brick walls: This can depend on who is building the house, or when it was constructed, but the typical Georgian-style home will have brick exteriors.
• Transom window over paneled front door: This is a great way to let in extra light, and with this being an important goal to achieve in these types of homes, you’ll find that they are built to let in as much natural light as possible.
• Cornice with dentils
• Water table or belt course: A water table has a purpose of providing an extra layer of protection around the base of your house to prevent flooding. A belt course, which can be found between the first and second floor windows and wrapped around the house, is added to make the symmetry and horizontal line of the windows more prominent.
• Corner quoins
• Entrances surrounded by wooden pilasters, or pediments or arched tops: Meant to be a focal point, most entrances are built in the center of these homes.

Landscaping Characteristics Of A Georgian-Style Home

Most landscaping for these homes is meant to match the classic and symmetrical elements of Georgian architecture. Here are some characteristics that you may find on the property:

• Gates: The goal of the landscaping for these homes is usually to create a private and homey atmosphere, a gate is a great way to achieve this while also adding safety and aesthetic use.
• Driveways and walkways: Symmetrical, and both similar in how they are constructed, paved with brick or gravel.
• Motor courts: In addition to a garage, some properties might have a motor court, which is a large, paved area for cars to park outside the garage.
• Boxwood and other hedges: Typically will be trimmed and well maintained to keep that clean and elegant look.
• Flower beds, shrubs and trees: Planted in uniform or symmetrical ways to enhance the exterior of the home. It can also be used to introduce a natural way of privacy.

Pros And Cons Of Living In A Modern Georgian Home

Now that you know what a Georgian house is and the features that come with it, let’s lay out the pros and cons or living in one.

Pros

• Space for families: Typically, these homes will come with many rooms and space for large or growing families. This allows for privacy when it’s needed, and many places for family members to live comfortably.
• Functionality: Because of its compartmentalized rooms and traditional layout, these homes have a certain functionality to them that can make homeowners life easier by having clear distinctions between the functions of each room.
• Timeless curb appeal: Because of its timeless characteristics, these homes have a long-lasting curb appeal because of its ability to appeal to most design preferences while also maintaining the landscaping and making sure the property looks well-kept and inviting.

Cons

• Separated room layout: With the ever-increasing desire for open concepts, parents to young children or those who simply enjoy a more open floor plan might not prefer these homes, as each room is separate from the other.
• Traditional setup: The home will be setup in a more traditional way, so those that prefer a more modern home would struggle with the architectures more ritualistic style.
• Higher maintenance costs: Because of the details put into these types of homes, the houses will typically have a higher maintenance cost. It will also depend on when the house was built, historic or older homes will have added maintenance or will cost more to accommodate outdated features.

Where Can You Find Georgian-Style Homes?

Finding a house like this might seem like a hard task, but there are always people out there who can help you narrow in on what you’re looking for. Find a real estate agent experienced in buying historical homes, or homes in a similar style.

Depending on what you’re looking for and the level of commitment you have in investing in your new home, you may want to consider first if you’d prefer and actual historic home or a new build in the Georgian style. Each will come with its own challenges to consider, but weighing these options could be the deciding factor on which house is right for you.

Next you must consider where these homes are typically located. Most of these homes can be found by the northeastern part of the United States, specifically New York, Philadelphia and Boston. That is not to say Georgian-style houses can’t be found anywhere else, but this is a great area to start looking if you want more options.

The Bottom Line: Georgian Architecture Continues To Inspire New Generations, But It’s Not For Everyone

Georgian architecture has persisted through many trends and styles because of its simple design catered to timeless elegance. With its symmetrical features and small but ornate details, it could be a great style of home for someone looking for a classic, more traditional house.

It doesn’t have to stop there; many staple features of Georgian architecture can be incorporated into existing homes. This way if you’re hesitant to live in a historic home or don’t have the ability to purchase a new home, you can still have the fun and exciting styles that make a home unique.

If this type of house sounds like the right home for you, you can connect here with a Verified Partner Agent from Rocket Homes^SM to browse homes for sale with Georgian architecture.