Traditional Georgian Custom Homes
Formal, symmetrical, and enduring the classic North Shore idiom.
Traditional Georgian is the classic architectural language of established Chicago-area wealth, and it endures because it is built on principles that do not date: symmetry, proportion, and craftsmanship. A symmetrical brick facade, a centered and articulated entry, balanced fenestration, and formal, well-ordered interiors give the Georgian home a composure that has held for centuries.
Forest Heart Builders builds Traditional Georgian with deep respect for that discipline. The symmetry has to be exact. The proportions of the openings, the relationship of the floors, the scale of the entry detail all of it is governed by classical rule, and getting it right is what separates a true Georgian from a vaguely traditional house. Inside, the formal layout and the refined millwork panelled libraries, traditional casing, articulated stairs are where the firm’s craftsmanship is most fully expressed.
Defining Features
01
Strictly symmetrical facade organized around a centered entry
02
Brick exteriors with refined, classically correct masonry detail
03
An articulated entry columns, pediment, or refined surround
04
Balanced, regularly spaced multi-pane windows
05
Formal interior layouts with defined, well-proportioned rooms
06
Traditional millwork: panelled libraries, crown and casing, wainscot
07
An articulated, craftsman-built staircase as a central interior event
08
Classical proportion governing both exterior and interior detail
The Material Story.
The Traditional Georgian palette is restrained and timeless: a brick exterior, painted trim in white or a soft historic tone, and natural slate or slate-look roofing. Interiors are formal rich hardwood flooring, painted and stained millwork, classic stone such as marble or honed limestone, and polished or aged traditional hardware.
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Exterior | Brick painted trim classical detailing |
| Roof | Slate or slate-look hipped or side-gabled |
| Windows | Symmetrical multi-pane traditionally proportioned |
| Flooring | Rich traditional hardwood |
| Millwork | Panelled libraries crown and casing articulated stair |
40+
Across Our Service Area.
The Modern Farmhouse performs in nearly every market we serve — but it is especially at home on the larger, semi-rural lots of the Barrington area, Long Grove, Inverness, and the Fox Valley communities of St. Charles and Geneva, where the agrarian silhouette has genuine landscape to sit against.
On wooded or open-meadow lots, the steep gabled massing reads honestly; in established North Shore neighborhoods, a more restrained, painted-brick interpretation keeps the home in conversation with its neighbors.
Barrington
North Barrington
Long Grove
Inverness
Lake Forest
Highland Park
St. Charles
Geneva
Glenview
Northbrook
Building This Style with Forest Heart.
A Modern Farmhouse lives or dies on its millwork, and that is where Forest Heart Builders’ in-house millwork studio becomes the difference. The beamed great-room ceiling, the painted Shaker kitchen, the mudroom lockers, the window seats and the panelled hood are all built to the home rather than ordered to a catalog.
- Beamed ceilings and cabinetry designed to the home, not for a catalog
- Dedicated project team carries design intent from framing through finish
- Sympathetic site planning preserves mature canopy and landscape character
Frequently Asked.
What defines a Georgian-style home?
Georgian architecture is defined by symmetry and classical proportion: a balanced facade organized around a centered entry, regularly spaced multi-pane windows, brick construction, and formal, well-ordered interiors. It is one of the most disciplined and enduring of all residential styles.
Is Traditional Georgian still relevant for homes built today?
Yes. While interiors are often updated for contemporary living, the Georgian language remains a sought-after choice in formal North Shore markets precisely because its symmetry and proportion give it a timelessness that trend-driven styles cannot match.
Can a Georgian home have an open, modern interior?
It can be adapted. Many homeowners keep the formal Georgian exterior and a few defined traditional rooms a panelled library, a formal dining room while opening the kitchen and family spaces. Forest Heart Builders tailors that balance to how each family actually lives.
Why is craftsmanship especially important in a Georgian home?
Because the style is governed by classical rule, errors in symmetry, proportion, or millwork detail are immediately visible. Georgian architecture rewards precise execution and refined millwork which is where an integrated, craft-driven builder makes the clearest difference.