Joe Martin
Senior Associate Director, Residential Agency
The term “Georgian home” brings to mind a certain degree of grandeur and prestige: a house that is not only well-appointed and opulent but one that showcases the attention to detail of yesteryear as well as modern amenities that make for a life of ease and leisure. Today, Georgian homes provide discerning owners with both a glimpse of the past and taste of the future.
A Georgian home is broadly defined as classical and consisting of a country house that stands alone in its own landscaped park. Georgian homes are associated with the 18th century – from around 1730 to 1800 – King George and Georgian England. In short, call to mind Jane Austen’s description of Pemberley. Their architecture is primarily associated with the classical period of Rome and Greece, with many nods to Palladianism, a design philosophy attributed to Andreas Palladio, a 16th century Italian architect who strove to emulate the style of ancient Roman buildings. Today, Georgian homes remain timeless, retaining their classical architecture while owners and buyers adapt their interiors to modern tastes.
What features signify a classic Georgian home?
You’ll likely know a Georgian home when you see one but you might not be able to decipher what elements in particular make it specific to this style. Common features of Georgian homes include:
•The use of brick, stone and other local building materials
•Symmetry
•Terraces
•Small six-paned windows toward the top and nine- or 12-paned windows on the main floor
•Sash windows with internal shutters
•Thick walls (designed to prevent the spread of fires)
•Fanlights above the front door
•Symmetrical layouts – for example was you walk in, you will typically have the drawing room to one side and dining room to the other
Decorating a Georgian home
Because Georgian homes are so distinctive, the onus of decorating one might seem overwhelming – but it need not be. Striking a perfect balance between retaining classical features, while also bringing it into the 21st century is absolutely possible. In fact, because the architects of this period drew from so many sources of inspiration, decorating a Georgian home can bring out your creative side:
•The style lends itself to combining a mixture of “old” and “new”
•Modern décor works well with classical interiors
•Bright accent colours breathe fresh life into rooms painted in muted tones
•Old features in need of repair, such as wood floor, can potentially be restored and given a second life
•New furnishings can complement built-in features such as bookcases
•Georgian homes lend themselves to a clean and simple modern palate
Whatever your taste, a Georgian home can serve as a blank canvas for you to either highlight your current furnishings in a new way or explore your design creativity on a classical backdrop.
Our pick of the best Georgian-style homes:
•Forbury is a beautifully presented and lovingly restored Georgian home with a wealth of original features and was reputedly built for one of Nelson's lieutenants in 1805.
•The Old Vicarage is a handsome Grade ll Listed Georgian gem, and a credit to the current owners who, following extensive refurbishment in 2004, have created a property with huge warmth and charm, full of natural light, and with all the modern attributes one would expect.