During the early 18th century Georgian period in England, interior design evolved from the Baroque style. Interiors became lighter and featured new woods like mahogany. Furniture accumulated in rooms for decorative purposes, including bookshelves, porcelain collections, and busts from the Grand Tour. Wallpapers became popular in bedrooms while paneling remained in other rooms. To house the growing middle class, architects developed terraced housing and town squares that brought nature into cities through lawns, trees and flowers. Interior architectural details like plasterwork and broken pediments became more ornate.

1. Early Georgian Style
In England few homes reflected the glamour of the Baroque style. The average English
room during the first half of the 18th-century was a logical development of the
Restoration apartment evolved by Wren and his followers. As time went on the
mouldings and cornices became lighter and the introduction of new woods, such as
mahogany, produced a greater variety of paneling. The chief change was in the furniture
itself.
A large number of objects began to accumulate in various corners of a room, owing their
introduction solely to their decorative value. A growing supply of porcelain invaded the
mantlepiece, and eventually demanded purpose-built glass-fronted cupboards. Niches had
to be made to shelter Roman busts collected on the Grand Tour by young English
gentlemen. And the growth of the publishing industry made bookcases essential pieces of
furniture for the gentleman’s home.
While panelling remained the most popular form of wall covering in the library and
dining room, wallpapers took its place in bedrooms, usually imported from China. Silk
and satin hangings were also popular.
The expansion of London and the increase of the middle class provided the 18th-century
architect with an important task. The problem of housing large numbers of city merchants
and professional men, all with big families, near their place of business, while
maintaining some architectural integrity, was not a light one. The result was the
development of the terrace and the town square. The terrace gave the architect a unit

2. which was large enough to look impressive and dignified. The square brought to the city
a bit of the country in the shape of grass, trees and flowers.
By means of simple devices such as the depressed arch, the decorated fanlight and the
sculptured keystone, the 18th-century architect avoided monotony with a subtle skill.
Early Georgian Style in brief:
 Interiors remain panelled;
 Mouldings are less heavy. The become a feature of decorative schemes with egg-
and-dart, lentil, laurel and bay in use;
 Mahogany introduced in 1725 and used in panelling for an interesting pattern;
 More plasterwork appears in wealthy homes;
 The influence of the architect in interior design becomes more apparent;
 Architectural details appear - pilasters, broken pediments;
 Ceilings sometimes more ornate.
Early Georgian Furniture
 English cabinet-making reaches its zenith;
 During 1720s walnut is gradually replaced by mahogany;
 Chair backs become lower;
 Upholstered backs and seats;
 Heavy carving gradually appears on legs and arms;
 Ball and claw feet;
 Chests of drawers, desks, bookcases are ponderous, and often architectural in
design.
Early Georgian Windows
 Sash with shutters;
 Pairs of curtains;
 Pull-up blinds;
 Pelmets;
 Holland blinds.

3. Early Georgian Floors
 Oak or pine, scrubbed and waxed;
 Sometimes covered with rugs, Oriental and larger carpets.
Early Georgian Lighting
Metal, glass, wood chandeliers, candlelabras and wall brackets, all lit by candles.
Early Georgian Fabrics
Damasks, velvet, chintz, tapestry upholstery.
Early Georgian Porcelain
 European and Chinese appear in rooms;
 Blue and white delftware.
Early Georgian Paintings
Landscapes and conversation pieces hung on walls.
Early Georgian Buildings
Chiswick House, Marble Hill House, Holkham Hall, Houghton Hall, Rokeby Park,
Clandon House, Stourhead.