GEORGIAN

Defined by… • Sash windows • Symmetry • An uncluttered, elegant façade • Panelled, painted front doors

How to Get it Right

The key to Georgian domestic architecture is proportion. Homes of this time ascribe to what is known as the golden ratio, which sets the proportions of the various sections of the building and features like its doors and windows. It is hard to build in the Georgian style without creating a pastiche, so being influenced by it is usually preferable to copying it. That said, an architect well-versed in Georgian architecture is a wise choice if you opt to build in this style. Also, it is best to pick a specific era of the Georgian period (for example, Regency or Palladian) and make sure your detailing matches accordingly. Inside, a classical Georgian floorplan has a large central hallway, with evenly sized reception rooms to either side. Upstairs is similarly formal and rooms are placed so that the windows can follow the pattern set by the ground floor. Mansard (dual-pitch) roofs were popular in the earlier Georgian years.