If you are looking for a home that is grand in symmetry, elegantly proportioned, spacious with high ceilings and flooded with light from its many multi-paned sash windows, then a Georgian home might be for you. Ranging from simple wooden cottages to terraced townhouses and sprawling mansions, Georgian homes span a range of styles.
Below, we take a look at this most stylish home style in the United States.
What is a Georgian style house?
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Georgian houses were built in the 18th and 19th centuries, during the reigns of the four King Georges of England, and were influenced by the Palladian style, hence the emphasis on symmetry. In the UK, they range from the iconic terraced townhouses prevalent in London, Edinburgh and Bath to farmhouses and country mansions in the Cotswolds.
In the United States, Georgian homes include a variety of styles, from New England log homes to southern plantation homes. This also includes terraced townhouses such as Elfreth’s Alley in Philadelphia (above), with its houses built between 1728 and 1836, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in America.
“The popularity of American houses built in the symmetrical style characteristic of Georgian architecture has risen, fallen, and rebounded since the turn of the 18th century. The two-story houses’ stone or brick construction, gabled roofs, regularly spaced multi-paned windows, central doorway and decorative ornamentation make them easy to spot, mostly along the East Coast,” explains Christina Dikas, Associate Director of Historic Preservation and Architecture Firm Page and Turnbull.
“Sometimes called colonial, early Georgian architecture included elements of Baroque, Palladian and neoclassical design,” Christina continues. ‘After the height of its popularity in the 18th century in the American colonies, the more refined Federal style took hold, and during the 19th century Georgian Revival or Colonial Revival architecture grew in popularity, bringing a mixture of classical symmetry and detailed ornamentation.’
Where does the Georgian style come from?
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Georgian architecture originated in England from 1714 to 1830 when George I, George II, George III and George IV, after whom the style was named, ruled.
“It was introduced to America by settlers in the 18th century,” says Christina Dikas. “The symmetrical style of Georgian architecture, classical decorative details, and glazed rooms were especially popular among Northeastern settlers, whose early house designs were based on functionality.”
Why are Georgian style homes so popular?
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According to Christina, Georgian homes continue to be popular in the United States largely because of their equal proportions, symmetrical architecture, and ornamental detailing, as exemplified by the house above in Virginia. “As with settlers who were drawn to the style, today’s homeowners also appreciate how the architecture’s many windows fill interior rooms with daylight.”
Ground floor living areas also make Georgian homes attractive, with family areas at the back of the house and more formal entry, living and dining areas at the front, as well only bedrooms on the second level. “The style’s box-shaped rooms are easy to design, adapt, or remodel to suit a family’s lifestyle, with or without the interior’s signature crown molding and other decorative elements,” says Christine.
Where to find Georgian style houses?
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“In the United States, Georgian-style homes are found primarily along the eastern seaboard (like the house above in New Hampshire), some with regional differences first applied by early settlers, such as wood features of the northern region, including framing, shingles, columns, decorative accents and railings,” explains Christina.
“The familiar brick and stone construction characterizes Georgian homes in the middle colonies, such as New York and Pennsylvania, and brick construction in the southern states includes disconnected house wings.
“More 18th-century Georgian houses survive in rural areas or small towns on the east coast, while most have been lost in colonial cities such as Boston, New York and Philadelphia, which saw great changes and expansion over the following centuries. Georgian Revival homes, also known as Colonial Revival homes, can be found across the United States,” says Christina.
What to Look for in a Georgian Style Home
Georgian houses are typically two-story residences constructed of wood, stone, or brick with a side-gabled roof.
“The houses’ distinctive symmetry can be seen in the placement of a single centered chimney or paired chimneys, multi-paned windows, and a centered paneled front door with an overhead transom,” says Christina. “Commonly, a pointed or arched pediment or flat entablature crowns the doorway, which is further accentuated by flanking pilasters. Houses may also include terraces, dormers, painted shutters, and ornamental details, such as cornices, dentils, arches, and columns. Inside, high ceilings with crown molding add decorative detail to square-shaped rooms, whose many windows let in natural light.
