The Georgian style of architecture was largely classical - featuring simple box shaped buildings, one or two storeys and most commonly two rooms deep. The designs used strict symmetrical arrangements, often with a central front door that had small rectangular windows either above it or within it to allow light in. Around the door were decorative pilasters (columns that were built into the wall) topped with an elaborate crown or entablature. 

Due to the amount of decoration used on the building, Georgian front doors were kept plain and smart. Mostly they were solid panelled front doors but sometimes there were small square windows in the top, as mentioned before.

The windows is Georgian buildings were multi-paned, square and always singular (they were never paired). They were placed evenly and coincided with the rest of the buildings symmetrical features. Windows were often blocked out to avoid high costs due to the window tax that existed in the 18th century, and many Georgian houses still have blocked up windows today.

Cornices were used to crown the building, and decorative mouldings such as dentilwork (square or rectangular blocks evenly spaced)  were used to embelish these. Cornices were not only decorative, they were also used to keep rainwater away from the building before gutters and other drainage systems existed.  

 

Georgian terraces were either built in straight rows, in large curves or in square blocks which were built around a central garden area. They were often three storeys high, with the most important floor being the first storey, where the windows were built the tallest. The walls between each terrace were built thick to comply with legislations created after the Great Fire of London, which sought to prevent fires spreading, as well as to support large chimney stacks.

 

Buying a new front door for your Georgian period property is relatively easy. Many companies offer solid panelled doors that would suit the style of your home well. uPVC doors may look out of place, but both wooden doors and composite doors would be fine. Composite doors have the appearence of a wooden door, and the feel due to the grained outer skin, but they have many more benefits. They are often cheaper, more thermal, easier to maintain and longer lasting. Wooden doors require repainting or restaining to keep them protected from the weather and prevent rotting. Composite doors do not require any maintenance to keep them protected and looking good. They are high quality doors, built to look good, function well, protect your home, keep the weather out and last. 

 

Our Westminster composite door is the perfect front door for your Georgian period home. It features six solid panels (four rectangular, two square), and it comes with the option of having the top two square panels glazed. It comes with many other options you can choose to suit you - six colours, three hardware finishes and many glass designs.

 

Using our door designer, you can design your ideal Georgian-style front door and get an instant free quote - no registration necessary! Click here to give it a try.

Classicism was one of the earliest Victorian architectural movements, which inherited many of its features from the prior Regency era. Classical houses largely consisted of symmetrical facade designs with pillars/columns and pediments around the front door and decorative plaster work, known as stucco.

 

Next, the Italianate styles, sometimes known as Neo-Renaissance, became fashionable. Based on the architecture of the 16th century Italian renaissance era, these were often villas and small mansions that were favoured by the wealthy and built in cities. Design features of the Italianate villas included asymmetrical and informal plans with balconies made from iron and stone, flat roofs and bay windows. Some later Italianate villas included Belvedere towers - towers that were designed specifically to give a good view.

 

During a period of medieval revival, Gothic architectural styles were the next to become popular. These buildings featured design elements such as pointed arches above the front doors and windows and an asymmetric design that was based around the interior layout.

 

The Queen Anne architectural style was one of the latest styles used during the Victorian era. These grand houses featured sweeping stone steps, leading up to a doorway carved from stone, fancy cornerstones (known as quoins) and a large triangular pediment across the centre of the front of the house.

 

The Victorian era saw the industrial revolution, which subsequently caused a housing boom, where millions of houses were built for workers and the poorer classes. Many of these houses and terraces make up the number of Victorian homes still inhabited today. While still influenced by the architectural styles of the period, the homes had more subtle design features than the homes built for the middle class and rich.

 

These houses were either terraces or detached houses, built with brick and slate roofs. Bay windows are one of the most common and one of the most noticeable features on a Victorian house. Some of the more compacted terraces open straight out on to the road, without front gardens or steps between the house and the pavement. These terraces have sliding sash windows instead of the common bay windows. Most of the windows in Victorian houses have some form of detailing over or around them, regardless of how basic. 

 

Choosing a front door for your Victorian home can seem like a daunting task. Original Victorian front doors  were made from wood and were either solid or contained intricate stained glass windows. Replacing an original Victorian front door can be pricey if you choose a wooden front door. Some styles of uPVC door can be used instead, but even the wood-mimicking surface tends to stand out and look out-of-place. Composite doors are a far closer match to wooden Victorian front doors, as their surface is grained and moulded to look just like wood. The range of glasses available for composite doors include designs similar to the stained glass used in the Victorian era. 

The bonus of using a composite door is not just in the price. The longevity of the door is far greater, furthering the value for money. The glass options are either double or triple glazed, giving you the best insulation for your home.