Every town across the country, is an insight into how the area has evolved over time. Every street, whether filled with period properties or contemporary homes, tells a story. You may be the first owner of your property, or one of many who have made your house a home. Driven by our needs as humans, architecture reflects the spirit of the time in terms of the comforts, lifestyle and mod cons of the day. Each style brings its own joy, and should you dream of settling in a gorgeous Georgian home, being a custodian of a Tudor gem, or love the ease that your brand new home provides, we want to celebrate the architectural beauty of where you live.
When you think of the origins of architecture you may be thinking of the Romans, but think also about Stonehenge, and the Ancient Egyptians’ incredible engineering capabilities. No matter what the era, the purpose of architecture is to improve our lives. Some designs have proven timeless and are still in demand today, but as we welcome new generations we also see an abundance of innovative ideas for the spaces we call home.
Tudor homes
Designed with function in mind, Tudor homes exude character and are filled with fascinating details; they are also some of our oldest surviving houses. With their distinctive timber frames and black and white decoration, owning a Tudor home comes with great responsibility, as you’re also taking care of a little piece of our history. If owning such a property makes your heart flutter, make sure that you understand what you’ll be taking on, as the building may be listed and maintenance is likely to be expensive due to the need for specialists who understand the materials used and your home’s heritage.
Georgian homes
Often voted the most popular architectural design, it’s easy to understand the allure of gorgeous Georgian homes. Their design, with symmetrical facades, was driven by the desire of the new middle classes for innovation. The proportions are wonderful – you have the high ceilings and beautiful large windows that flood each room with natural daylight. Hopefully many of these glorious features have remained and not been ripped out by later generations. Should you have your eye on a Georgian property, we don’t blame you – they make lovely family homes, but as with all period properties, take the cost of maintenance into consideration.
Victorian homes
The Industrial Revolution led to a boom in house building across the UK, as homes needed to be provided for those moving to towns and cities for work. It is therefore no surprise that a large proportion of period properties tend to be Victorian terraces. Homes of character all come with their quirks, which is why if you want perfectly straight walls and have an urge to rip out features to install modern conveniences, then we beg you to walk away. Buyers who are attracted to Victorian homes see past their imperfections, can you?
Edwardian homes
Edwardian homes remain extremely desirable; they make fantastic homes as they are the ideal combination of old and new. This era saw the rise of vernacular architecture, and the maintenance costs of Edwardian homes are less than for other period homes due to the quality of materials used in their design. They tend to be taller and deeper, with gardens front and back – they considered that every façade should be equal in design and detail.
Art Deco homes
The 1930s may have been a boom time for house building in Britain, but sadly very few Art Deco-style homes were designed, which means they are hard to come by. You can instantly recognise Art Deco due to its bold geometry, structured style and rich colours. Glamorous, captivating and nostalgic, they tend to have flat roofs and curved windows that are wonderful for letting the light in. If this era grabs your attention, then you’d better be quick to make your move as they are highly sought-after.
1930s semis
One of the most common architectural styles in the UK is the 1930s semi, which is because they are typically spacious with their curvy distinctive bay windows. New transport links after the war helped to create suburbs where these homes tended to be built. As well as having large rooms, they also had better sized gardens, which you can often still find when such a home comes to the market. They tend to be easy to maintain, provided–as with all properties – they have been looked after over the years.
Today
Just like the past, today there are a wealth of designs and styles being built all the time. From the popular housing developments, to self-built homes of all shapes and sizes, to those that have been specifically designed with the environment in mind, our homes continue to meet our ever-changing lifestyles and needs, with open-plan spaces becoming an increasingly dominant feature, as well as those multi-fuel stoves.
How you live as a family will determine which is the best home design for you, and at Deakin-White we can’t wait to show you the best we have to offer from every era. Don’t judge a house by its era, because every generation has put their stamp on the bricks and mortar that have provided them a safe place to live. How will you leave your mark?
