What is Georgian Architecture?
Often when I think of Georgian architecture, I think of large houses that were mostly seen in the southern part of the United States. But it’s more than just big boxy houses. These houses often had a lot of character and charm that you may not get anywhere else. So let’s talk about it, what is Georgian architecture? Dating back to 18th century England this design was widespread across the nation. While you may think that these houses are the embodiment of southern architecture, this style is mostly found concentrated in the Northeast, mainly in New England.
History of Georgian Architecture In the UK
The origination of Georgian architecture started in the reign of King George I through till the reign of King George III. Many early Georgian mansions such as Sutton Scarsdale Hall in Derbyshire adopted the Baroque style that was widely popularized in the late Stuart period. Later on, the architecture took on more imitation of Classical Roman and Greek Styles.
There was no set form of Georgian design, both outside and inside the houses. Wakefield and Weymouth were among the most famous Georgian architectural legacies.
A Popular Home that Features Georgian Style
A trendy spot in London that featured Georgian architecture was Claremont Square. Many Harry Potter fans will know the square as Grimmauld Place, Sirius Black’s family home that was first used to hide Harry in the Order of the Phoenix. In the movie, this townhouse was used as a hideaway for not only Harry but the Order as well. Claremont Square was the perfect location for filming as it featured beautiful Georgian style architecture.
Another one of the most famous Georgian style homes is one we all know and love but is located in the US, the McCallister residence that was featured in the 1990 movie Home Alone. The apartment in the movie is an actual house situated in the small town of Winnetka, Illinois. The house was built in the 1920s and had formerly belonged to couple John and Cynthia Abendshien. However, the couple did not own it for long after the Home Alone production company had approached them, asking to transform their beautiful home into a film set for the movie. In the Netflix series The Movies That Made Me, director Chris Columbus talked about how hard it was to find a house that fit his specific vision for the film. The Georgian style home sits on a half-acre and boasts a whopping 4,200 square feet of living space, summing up to a five-bedroom and three-and-a-half bathroom home. Thirty years later, you could walk in this home and almost not recognize it if it were not for the beautiful staircase that frames the entryway as you walk into the front doors. The house is just as luxurious as it was in the 90s, but now sports beautiful hues of blue and gray. With a vastly upgraded kitchen from the warm wood cabinets of the McCallister house, the kitchen is now adorned with white cabinets and a stunning green backsplash, with a bar accented with an industrial style bar stools. Even though this house may look vastly different, it still boasts the charm and sophistication that it always had and will forever be known as the Home Alone house.