18th-century architecture FTW Welcome back to Period Dramas, a weekly column that alternates between rounding up historic homes on the market and answering questions we?ve always had about older structures.
Found almost entirely along the eastern seaboard of the United States?from New England to the Mid-Atlantic region?Georgian houses represent one of the oldest architectural styles in America.
However, calling this type of architecture ?American? would be a bit misleading: The Georgian style finds genesis in England, where it first came about under the reign of King George I in 1714 and extended through the rule of King George IV, who died in 1830. It was only when England colonized North America when the style took hold across the pond. Much like in America, Georgian architecture in England was most informed by the classical ideals of proportion and symmetry. Residential facades, especially those facing the street, were neat and orderly with little ornamentation, an influence from Palladian architecture of the Renaissance. It?s usually on the sides or sometimes the backs of the houses when symmetry is cast aside so rooms of different shapes and sizes can be incorporated into the house.
Meanwhile, architectural decoration flourished on the interior, usually highlighting the mantlepiece of a room, if there was one. Instead of seeing how Americans have adopted and adapted this building style, today, we?re going to look at the real (Georgian) McCoy: Houses across the...