The Georgian style house is a house that copies many of the details of Georgian architecture, which was popular from 1720 to about 1840. The style is named after the four Hanoverian kings named George, who reigned in succession in England from August 1714 to June 1830. Georgian architecture was a reaction again the highly ornamented Baroque style that preceded it. The style reached back to the classical era of Greece and Rome, especially as interpreted by Renaissance architects and artists. Symmetry was an essential component of the Georgian style.
Proportion and balance were essential elements of Georgian architecture. Builders typically used the proportions of the golden rectangle to determine things like the relative size of the main body of a house to the size of the wings, or the height and width of windows. Brick and stone were favorite building materials, and red, tan, or white were typical exterior colors chosen for a Georgian style house.
Symmetry and proportion were also important in city planning during the Georgian period. Planners and builders thought that the fronts of several houses placed side by side should make a harmonious pattern. Royal Crescent, built between 1767 and 1774, in Bath, England, is an excellent example this Georgian style house design.
The Georgian style was brought to America through the use of pattern books. It was extremely popular, and wealthy colonists were likely to have a Georgian style house constructed. These houses were simpler than the Georgian mansions of England and were often made of wood. The style remained in favor until about 1850, and there have been many revivals of the Colonial Georgian style since then.
This style of house always has a symmetrical shape, often square. The front door is usually centered, paneled, and topped with a decorative crown. There are often columns on both sides of the door, although the columns may be flattened and primarily decorative. A Georgian style house typically has five windows across the front, and the windows are likely to have 12 or nine windowpanes in each sash. The roof usually has a minimal overhang and paired chimneys. There may be dentil molding installed along the eaves.
