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For more than two hundred years, the English style in architecture (and not only in it) has been considered a model of impeccable taste. The reason for this is the reputation of the UK, the mistress of the seas and the trendsetter. All this time, English architecture has not remained aloof from the processes taking place in the world, changing with them.

In modern construction, the English style of urban buildings and country cottages is still highly appreciated. People are attracted not only by the external image, which is able to demonstrate the taste and preferences of the owner, but also the reliability and durability of the building.

House in English style: evolution

Just an English-style house, like a spherical horse in a vacuum, does not exist in nature. Under this collective image (brick walls, lawn and a bit of fog) there hides a rather motley collection of buildings, quite different from each other. All the variety of British architectural styles, whose heritage is used in modern private construction, it is convenient to divide into three large groups, according to the time of the reign of kings and queens.

Architecture of the Tudor Dynasty

The Time of the Tudors is the autumn of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance, 15-16 centuries. The epoch contained many important events, from the beginning of the colonization of America, to the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada. The architecture at this time, still under the influence of medieval canons, is beginning to change; Gothic castles lose their defensive functions. Masters from Italy and the Netherlands are invited to the country, and the houses of the nobility acquire new features:

• The house receives an asymmetric layout . The chimney system is being improved, huge fireplaces are being installed.

• Large Glazed Appears windows (glass cost fabulous money and windows served as a measure of wealth).

• Houses are supplied with galleries and balustrades , the entrance is decorated with an arch.

• The interior is decorated with carved wooden panels , with gilding , tapestries, furniture made of exotic tree species.

• The garden acquires geometric shapes , fountains appear.

Most of the houses of ordinary people were half-timbered and looked like picturesque scenery for the Cinderella story. Today, such buildings are called the old British style, the characteristic features of which imply:

• Plaster and half-timbered on the main facade.

• Wall cladding (or only the basement) with stone and brick.

• High roof with several chimneys and high gables.

• Dedicated brick pipe , often drawn along the facade.

• Pronounced bay window .

Georgian architecture

Style, which was formed in the 17th, and finally formed in the 18th century. Today it is considered a classic of English architecture, thus the strict English style, which the whole world admires. The Greek and Roman traditions had a great influence on him; aristocrats were also keen on Far Eastern and medieval forms of architecture (chinoiserie and neo-gothic).

In the 18th century, industry was booming, cities began to massively rebuild. Modern projects of houses in the English style of brick use many of the achievements of that era:

• Symmetrical rectangular layout of the house.

• Facade material - red brick (in the United States and Canada a brick can be colored), less often a stone.

• Conciseness . Home decoration is plastered white decor in the form of arches and pilasters (vertical protrusions of the wall, denoting a column).

• The door , on which the main emphasis falls, is painted in different colors. A porch, a canopy imitating a gable and a transom (a window above the door) give the entrance group a ceremonial look.

• The roof has a simple pitched construction with a gable above the entrance. Traditional roof - natural tile. Pipes (almost always two) are arranged symmetrically.

• For Georgian buildings, attic floor is characteristic.

Architecture of the Victorian era

The reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837 to 1901, is considered the pinnacle of British power. Large-scale wars did not happen, industry and colonial expansion continued to develop, architecture received a new impetus to development. The newly emerging middle class (the bourgeoisie) seeks to surround itself with luxury and emphasize status.

Private houses are no longer strict and concise. In the fashion is embellishment and eclectic (mixing styles); the buildings acquire new features:

• Free (asymmetric), convenient layout of the structure and complex, with a broken form, the roof (imitation of Gothic).

• A lot of decorative elements on the facade . Mansions were decorated with a large number of windows, balconies, turrets (among which were functional), arches, gables and bay windows. The porch was often settled down and almost always a terrace.

• The material of the buildings is the favorite of the English brick (of different texture and color), but there are also many wooden dwellings decorated with openwork trim. The facing stone, shingle and wooden siding is used.

• Actively used combinations of juicy, saturated and pastel colors .

on our website You can find contacts of construction companies that offer the service of designing houses. Directly to communicate with representatives, you can visit the exhibition of houses "Low-rise Country".

The layout of English houses in the Victorian style has features:

• Room sizes . The presence of a spacious living room, dining room and kitchen. Sleeping rooms and bathrooms can be very small.

• Planning . It is unusual, but thoughtful and functional; in old buildings there are partitions at an angle of 45 °.

• Arrangement . The house has a fireplace, plenty of storerooms and fitted wardrobes, but there are practically no corridors.

Modern design of an English-style brick house

The English style, like the classic one, is associated with refined taste and comprehensive elegance. Everything related to the project - architectural details, the interior or the surrounding landscape, should look elegantly strictly (if it’s Georgian style) or elegantly luxurious (if Victorian style).

Modern turnkey English house construction uses the principles of British house-building and includes the following technical features:

• Foundation . Historically, classical buildings in Albion have a low foundation. The floors of the first floor are very low, there is no basement and a basement. In the European part of Russia, a low foundation will require additional insulation and enhanced waterproofing.

• Planning . Modern houses in the style of the Georgian era are distinguished by rectilinear geometry, symmetrical facade and a large number of evenly distributed windows.

• Decor . Minimum. If the house is made of blocks, it is finished with clinker tiles and arch-concrete (architectural concrete, artificial granite).

• The main entrance is . It is located low. The door with panels is made out by pilasters, porch or portico.

• Roof . The business card of a truly English cottage is a medium or high roof with a slight removal of slopes and symmetrical pipes; often with difficult terrain and dormer windows. Traditional roofing material - natural, red ceramic tiles. Today's interpretation of the style allows for the use of metal tiles or soft roofing of the colors you like.

• Style extension . Today, two-story English-style houses with a second light are popular.

• Features . It so happened that in modern projects two styles are often mixed. If the exterior is done in a low-key Georgian style, then the interior is chosen for the luxury and refinement of the Victorian. Such eclecticism benefits the structure without reducing its aristocracy.

• Attributes . A flower garden or at least a lawn is necessarily broken near a real English cottage.

About the construction of an English-style house in the following video:

On our site you can find contacts of construction companies, who have their own production. Directly to communicate with representatives, you can visit the exhibition of houses "Low-rise Country".

Brick in the construction of a house according to the English canons

The classic of British architecture, a brick country house, is the best suited for the Russian changeable climate. The traditional solution allows you to get a good warm structure, reliably protecting from weather vagaries and external sounds.The features of the facade in the English style are:

• The use of red brick . Reds on the island are not only buses and telephone booths. This remarkable building material came to Britain thanks to the Romans, but it was used everywhere after the fire in London in 1666. Today the cottage of red brick looks both stylish and cozy.

• Lack of facing . Bricklaying, beautiful in itself, it is customary to leave without cladding. Sometimes they use decorative plaster, stone panels or facade bricks.

• Finishing . The contrast of brick walls and white finish gives the building a spectacular and elegant look. A white edging is performed on the perimeter of the building, columns and bas-reliefs. Rusty stones, friezes, balustrades and cornices are covered with white paint.

Two-storeyed layout of houses in English

style; the British considered the two-story building to be the most practical solution; the principles of its internal layout continue to be used in modern construction. The ground floor houses:

• Living room . The main room is not only on the floor, but in the whole house. The classic living room is large and often combined with the dining room. Here is a fireplace, guests gather and arrange traditional tea. In modern projects not only a large number of windows is provided, but also bay windows with panoramic windows.

• Kitchen . She tried to place apart from the living room. It may adjoin the dining room, but should not be visible from the guest area. Traditionally, the kitchen is a black exit.

• Library, tea room and office . These rooms make separate or combine.

About the review of a country house in English style in the following video:

The second floor contains:

• Bedrooms . Master and guest rooms are planned. All rooms are small in size, but the master bedroom has a private bathroom and dressing room.

• Attic . Optional item. In a small house there is a utility room for storing things or drying clothes. In a large mansion the attic is transformed into an original living room.

It may be interesting! In the article on the following link read about the modern extension to the house.

Varieties of modern projects

Customers like English-style homes that seamlessly combine traditional architectural features and comfort requirements. Standard and individual projects include elements that are not typical for classical buildings, but are necessary for modern life:

• Garage . Historically, the garage was considered an economic building and therefore was located separately from the house, in the backyard. Modern homes are designed with a garage adjacent to the main building, and a family with two or three cars finds it extremely convenient. Garage extension and housing are performed in the same style, and the impression of the house does not suffer.

• Terrace . The terrace for Victorian buildings is a standard architectural element. Modern projects (at the request of the customer) are supplied with a spacious covered area for recreation, above which an equal area balcony is additionally equipped. The whole structure is located at the side facade and does not violate the decor of the central part. Such a project of an English-style house with a terrace allows you to equip an excellent outdoor seating area.

• Changing the style . In the houses created in the English style, French (panoramic, floor-to-ceiling) windows look spectacular and are often designed. They are installed both on the ground floor (in rooms with access to the terrace) and on the second floor.

It might be interesting! In article on the following link read about the pavilion at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Landscape design

The English-style cottage is not just an expensive brick building of predetermined proportions and suitable decor. An ideal British country house, like a real jewel, is unthinkable without an appropriate rim. In its role is suitable not only a luxurious garden with hedges, but also perfectly groomed flowered front garden or a lawn with a lush flower bed. In English, walls woven over with ivy will look stylish.

How to equip a house in the English style: interior design

The English tastes in the design of the house were formed for a long time, and changed slowly and reluctantly.The style of furnishing and interior was constantly influenced by neighboring countries and overseas colonies; the result is what today is called the traditional English interior.

The English interior is characterized not only by rationality and a sense of proportion, but also by respect for traditions, which many people call conservatism . In the modern interior design two directions prevail - Georgian and Victorian. The owner can design the house in the same style or choose eclecticism and give the rooms a different look. Important attributes of the English interior are several components:

• Image . The style of the English house can combine several directions, from Gothic and French, to the colonial. Traditional housing can be safely decorated with objects brought from India and Southeast Asia - furniture, carpets, knick-knacks, wrought chests and lacquered tables. The four-poster bed, a gift of the East, does not contradict the style (although not required).

It might be interesting! In the article on the following link, read about modern wooden houses.

• Walls . A striking feature of the walls is the separation in height into two or three parts with its own finish. The lower level is often decorated with wooden panels, the top - textured wallpaper with classic stripes, heraldic or floral ornaments. The walls are decorated with watercolors, embroidered paintings, images of animals.

• Gender . The parquet floor of natural shades will be optimum. The bathroom traditionally looks like a floor with alternating white and black tiles.

• Color range . Restrained and natural palette, nothing vulgarly bright, screaming. Shades of brown, green, gray prevail. Muffled red and blue, beige, terracotta and ivory are welcome.

• Furniture . Outstanding furniture craftsmen worked in Britain who formed the enduring fashion of English furniture. It was here that slotted backs of chairs and armchairs, tables and sofas of dark wood, rectangular display cases designed to showcase rarities appeared. Today, for furniture use walnut, yew, oak, cherry and mahogany.

• Fireplace . Symbol of English home and English conservatism. The fireplace is faced with natural stone (marble or limestone), candlesticks, caskets, watches are placed on the mantelpiece.

• Fabric . Preference is given to natural fabrics restrained shades, upholstery with a small stripe or floral pattern. Tablecloths, lampshades and pillows are matched to the colors prevailing in the room. Classic detail of the English style - double-layer silk curtains.

• Accessories . In the hallway guests are met with a stand for umbrellas and walking sticks. The dining room is decorated with a buffet and a round Victorian table. The comfort is created by various floor lamps, table lamps, chandeliers and sconces.

Brick houses in turnkey English style

English-style mansions remain a popular option for housing construction due to several properties:

• Reliability . Such a house is practical, for many decades it does not require restoration or repair, while maintaining the original respectable appearance.

• Aesthetic . The house in the English style is devoid of pathos and museum parade, which distinguishes some classic houses.

• Solidity . English cottage reflects the taste of their owners.

Domestic construction companies engaged in the construction of such housing should remember the peculiarities of the style and reproduce them according to local conditions. Consider:

• Brick weight . Because of the heavy weight of the brick walls, the house will need an impressive foundation, and the masonry work (using cement) will be limited in the winter period.

• Low base . It is beautiful when the door leads directly into the garden, but this option can not be realized on every soil. To find a compromise, use a good waterproofing and stone for finishing the basement, arrange high-quality drainage. Sometimes they set up a stepped terrace hiding a high base.

• Exterior . If the house is built from gazoblokov or porizovannogo bricks, it becomes important insulation of housing, followed by facing.To preserve the purity of the image, use high-quality materials: clinker, textured or aged brick, as well as hand-molded bricks.

• Selection of accessories . Authenticly look classic metal faucets in the bathroom, bronze door handles, forged fences and copper (not plastic) pipes.

It might be interesting! In the article on the following link read about the one-storey chalet-style house.

Conclusion

A construction company with many years of experience in building houses in turnkey English styling will be able to competently approach project design and guarantee the desired result - a stylish and reliable home, the future family clan.