Most successful in terms of a design point of view.
This is just a bit of fun. Please don't yell at me if haven't got my eras quite right - I didn't take GCSE History! I have made the assumption that no houses were built during World War 2 although I will stand to be corrected on this point.
I think Victorian houses are beautiful, both inside and out.
I love bay windows and period fireplaces. Encaustic tiles in a hallway, stained glass, original floorboards... these design details give a place character. Also, they cannot be replicated today as they are part of history.
It would be expensive (and impractical!) to build like this today. Victorian houses sell for a premium simply because they are no longer being built!
I don't think today's modern estates will wear as well in 100 years' time...
I think that Edwardian houses are the best from the 1920's on as they have generously sized rooms and large gardens. About this time the use of portland cement became a lot more commonly used, and this has to have prevented damp, which you will see in a victorian lime mortar / brick house. They dont look too bad either.
In my view Victorian houses look great, but are a bit damp prone and drafty if you have sash windows etc(I live in one). Early 19th Century Georgian cottages do look sweet as well
In simple aesthetic terms I love Georgian houses. I really like the flat fronted buildings with huge floor to ceiling windows and high ceilings, stone fireplaces, mahogany staircases, wide oak boarded floors *deep sigh*. I just love the symmetry of Georgian buildings, the architectural detailing and the quality of the materials. Sadly I’ve never owned a Georgian property myself and have had to settle for, in my terms, the ‘next best thing’ – late Victorian/Edwardian. Such houses generally offer excellent proportions and really practical living spaces. They typically combine these features with attractive exterior design and some quirky details particularly around external doors and windows. So much more interesting than the 'plank' look of more modern properties.
Of the houses we've lived in probably the best designed from a quality point of view was our late 30's typical suburban 4-bed detached (bay windows, arched doorway etc). Incredibly solidly built, spacious rooms, good damp-proofing, ergonomic layout apart from the kitchen, which was still built on the 3-room scullery/larder/kitchen principle, rather than just one large kitchen. Soon knocked them all into one, interior walls were non loadbearing.
I love our current 1640 stone/thatched house, but I don't think I could recommend it on quality grounds- they didn't even lay out the rooms square, they're nearly a foot skewed, a nightmare when carpeting.
Originally posted by acousticengineer: Of the houses we've lived in probably the best designed from a quality point of view was our late 30's typical suburban 4-bed detached (bay windows, arched doorway etc).
I quite like those types of houses too. Decent sized gardens, driveways and a lot of times, garages. And that was at a time when car ownership was still very low.
Originally posted by acousticengineer: Of the houses we've lived in probably the best designed from a quality point of view was our late 30's typical suburban 4-bed detached (bay windows, arched doorway etc).
I quite like those types of houses too. Decent sized gardens, driveways and a lot of times, garages. And that was at a time when car ownership was still very low.
1930s architecture: well ahead of its time, if not entirely perfect for todays standards. What do you think?
Please don't yell at me if haven't got my eras quite right - I didn't take GCSE History! 
I have made the assumption that no houses were built during World War 2 although I will stand to be corrected on this point. 
