The most popular architectural styles in London are:

Georgian (c.1720 - 1820)

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A Georgian house is recognised by it's classical style in it's exteriors, which is characterised by Roman features.  whilst interiors were more elaborate and ranged in a wide variety of colours. Walls were paneled from floor to ceiling and otherwise painted in a single colours, more expensive, stronger colours  added emphasis but with elegant and intricate plasterwork  with details highlighted in white against delicate tones.  Popular colours included: light blue, lavender, pink and pea green.  

Main Features:

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• Large proportionate rooms with high ceilings

• External doors with 6 panels and a fanlight

• Flat or shallow roof partially hidden behind a parapet

• Stucco-faced external ground floor

• Yellow bricks replaced red (it gave a more stone-like appearance)

• Marble or stone fireplace shelf supported by pilasters

• Plain openings, with deep double-hung sash windows

• Greater use of pine and fir, and less of oak

• Wrought and cast iron balustrades on staircases in one sweeping curve.   

• Colours of outside ironwork blue or steel blue, doors green or blue, windows dark brown in plain paint or grained

• Plasterwork with smaller compartments arranged around the sides of ceilings leaving large compartments round, square or octagonal in the centre

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Victorian (c.1830 - 1901)

 

Victorian architecture was made up of several styles, the main ones being Italianate or Renaissance and Queen Anne or Medieval.

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The Victorian saw the return to traditional British styles such as Tudor and Gothic, generating a resemblance to cathedrals of the time. The earlier part of the period was characterised by elaborate details and styling which was muted in later years. One outstanding feature is the pitched roof which has paved the way for a generation of loft conversions of the last 30 years.

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Main Features:

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• Bay, sash windows

• Terracotta tiles

• Ornamental stonework and striped, multi-coloured brickwork

• Warm terracotta colours

• Brick faced houses with painted stucco to emulate stone

• Wide mantelpieces on fireplaces . 

• Cast iron grates

• Elaborately turned balusters and newel posts in staircase

• High ceilings were unfashionable so all the horizontal lines were used to visually reduce the height of the ceiling). 

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Edwardian (c.1901 - 1910)

The Edwardian era took it's ideas from other periods such as  mediaeval and Georgian, thus, the mix of styles.  The houses became wider, accommodating large hallways before introducing simple ideas into styles as well as ample light and space.  Fashion dictated colours to become less stronger and technology introduced new household basics such as gas and electricity.  These went well together as cleaner air meant cleaner walls, allowing for colours to be used to give sensation of light and space. Patterns were less appealing and simplicity was sought after, allowing minimalism to make it's first mark in British households. Examples of these homes can be found in South East London locations such as Dulwich. 

Main Features:

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• Rough cast walls

• Small paned leaded windows

• Magpie work

• Rustic bricks

• Art Nouveau (*) influences in fire places, light fittings, stained glass and door furniture

• Houses with Neo-Georgian influence: large bays and sash windows, columns and pilasters

• Half timbering

• Wooden porches with turned spindles

• Brackets and decorative fretwork

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Art Nouveau (c.1890 - 1919)

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Themes in this period would be The rose, iris, waterlily, dragonfly, butterfly, snail and peacock were all popular themes in this period as well as spirals of smoke, naked ladies holding lights, fairies coming out of flowers or a lady's face with hair bellowing in the wind. The period was consumed by the mystical and fantasy but fell out of favour as British society progressed into the 1970s. Though possible, such styles within homes are rare.
 

Art Deco (c.1925-1939)

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Art Deco style took the revival of older styles and brought them into the 20th century to deliver modernity, simplicity, and a streamlined effect; reflective of the machine age that had defined commercialism in Britain. Art Deco was split into two periodic phases; the Zigzag Moderne of the 1920s and Streamline Moderne of the 1930s and 1940s.

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Art Deco is witnessed through-out London, exemplified by the designs of public buildings such as schools, offices, courthouses, banks and cinemas. The style was fashionably used to design also residential blocks and even single dwellings. 

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Main features:

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• Flat roof

• Two stories stucco walls, painted white or light pastels

• Glass blocks steel casement windows

• Small round windows curved corner walls concrete basement walls

• Low-relief geometrical designs, often with parallel straight lines

• Zigzags, chevrons, and stylized floral motives

• Smooth-faced stone

• Concrete foundations

• Metal railings

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1930s

 

An exodus from the center of cities brought people into the suburbs, where newly built homes with good transport links became the centre of a new lifestyle drive. These newly built houses included a variety of styles on various sized dwellings which included victorian, tudor and modern with cement and steel with streamlined curves and uncomplicated lines.

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These houses were typically smaller than those before the first world war; they included a small front room, kitchen in the rear of the house and then upstairs would be a bathroom and two large bedrooms. A agarge would often be included. 

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The general style of architecture extended to include bungalows, chalets types with all main rooms on the ground floor with two bedrooms in the roof and a large number of apartment blocks. 

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Main Features:

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• Herringbone brickwork

• Tiled walls and weatherboarding.

• Diamond shaped leaded panes in wooden framed windows with iron casements

• Red clay roof tiles (not slate)

• Porch with simple hood with console brackets or gabled

• Oak doors with iron nails and fittings

• Two storey bay with angled or half rounded sides

• Oak panelling interiors

• False beam

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This is a very typical house now in the UK for the common man; these will be a typical sight in many towns and cities and form the fabric of society's main style of living.  These styles however are a distinct contrast from houses built for the successful executives. 

 

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Modern (this term includes several styles)

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Beyond the 1930s, Modern architecture took over from the 1940s and in London's case, a more international influence was adopted to develop the landscape, apartment blocks and offices with alot of favour from the commercial community that appreciated the focus on production and enterprise. However, the major shift in architectural style and orientation was dismissed by the general public who found it to be without empathy, aesthetic and discordant with the existing styles. The lack of support from the general public shifted the theme again towards workmanship, art and an appreciation of history. Older landmark buildings were given a lifeline and the opportunity to be included within re-development plans. Now the protection of buildings of significance is taken alot more seriously and has become a part of the fabric of re-development of property, both commercial and residential.