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roportions. Georgian architecture is often described as being Palladian in style. This means it was influenced by Italian architect Andrea Palladio’s reinterpretation of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Palladio’s buildings were characterized by understated elegance, subtle decoration and strict use of classical proportions. “In Georgian times, the classical lessons of proportioning were tremendously important. That’s why their buildings are so beautifully proportioned, with such lovely high ceilings,” says Hugo Tugman. Everything from the height of the baseboard and its relation to the size of the cornice was carefully calculated. “The proportioning systems don’t tell you how to design, but rather give you the tools with which to design,” Tugman says.
Are you living in a Renaissance-inspired dwelling? Chances are likely, for this primary root of classically inspired building spanned many centuries. Beginning in the Italian Renaissance, artists, architects, engineers and philosophers studied Roman and Greek ruins and artifacts. Buildings became a primary focus of expressing that knowledge. Crossing from Italy into France, then England and then to America, the Renaissance aesthetic profoundly transformed building tastes and preferences, resulting in a profusion of domestic architecture in the style. In the 15th century, the Italians developed an understanding of ancient classical architecture and translated it into palaces and villas for the aristocracy. The American 19th-century Italianate style and the 20th-century Italian Renaissance style relied on the characteristics of those Renaissance ancestors. These styles continue to influence a particular genre of fashionable suburban architecture often found in upscale developments across the United States. Traditional Exterior by Greg Newton Photography
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