At the beginning of the Georgian era the work of the Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) was extremely influential. Palladian style recreated the classical style of Rome with principles of symmetry, proportion and order.

In the second half of the 18th century the work of Robert Adam took the classical style to new heights of refinement and elegance. This Neo-Classical style was influenced by the Renaissance and tended to move away from the more solid nature of the previous Georgian period towards something more delicate and visually lighter.