Architectural Eras Preferred By The British

It is a common thing for wealthy Britons to describe the characteristics of their dream home by referring to a particular architectural era. Some say that they want their homes to be of Victorian style with bay windows, patterned brickwork and cornicing while may others say that they want a Georgian style home with sharp and symmetrical lines augmenting neoclassical stylings. There are many others who have a great liking for the residential architectural design of the Edwardian period or a notable preference for styles prevailing in the modern age.

Georgian Era

At present, Georgian is the most highly regarded architectural period in UK as per the information collected by estate agents. During this era, town planning was given a boost of refinement that included elegant terraces and squares with frequent incorporation of such features as a pediment in centre and jutting end bays that are typical of a country house. The other primary features included tall windows, front doors with fanlights above them, rooms proportioned geometrically and symmetrical facades.

Victorian Era

The Victorian style is a staple among people living in the urban areas of Britain. However the architectural designs and features typical of this era did not enjoy a prominent place in the list of favourites of Britons for a long time after the Second World War. As described by William Blake in his works, people used to compare Victoriana with slums and ‘dark satanic mills’. However, efforts made by the Victorian Society of Sir John Betjeman and Nikolaus Pevsner in 1958 helped to prevent the glory of Victorian structures from getting consumed by oblivion. The aesthetic charms of this period have once again become a favourite of Britons.

Edwardian Era

The Edwardian era was simply an age of transition for the realm of architecture. The styles changed significantly and adopted a wide range of new features like bay windows, detailed decoration, rectangular grids and one-sided front door. The houses were greatly similar to one another due to the reason that they were constructed using standardised materials.

Modern Era

This period dawned sometime around the 1930s when people started to move away from urban slums and suburban development introduced a new style borrowed from the Arts and Crafts movement. In order to make houses more affordable, a variety of innovative and modern design elements were adopted. The houses now exhibited bay windows, timber beams of mock Tudor, steeply raised roofs, tall chimneys, panels of stained glass, garden in front or back and attached garage.