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Victorian Decorating
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Published: November 29, 2006
The period of Queen Victoria’s reign (1837 to 1901) is characterized by a striking decorating style that can be summed up as colorful, excessive, romantic and dramatic. A bare room indicated you were either poor or had poor taste.
Dark, rich color was thought to emphasize a room’s importance, thus entertaining rooms like the living room and dining room were usually decorated in decadent maroons, greens, golds or mauves.
In line with their obsession with modesty and “servant” work, bathrooms and kitchens had light colored walls and more minimal decorations because the occupants would not want to advertise they spent much time in those rooms.
Because Victorian decorating was inspired by the ornate and plush decorating styles of past European royalty in castles (especially the French rococo used at Versailles), it also is intricate and elaborate. It was important to use complex patterns and make certain all surfaces were covered.
Paintings of flowers or nature graced walls and furniture to add romance. Gilded mirrors and gold fixtures adorned pieces, adding richness to the room. Essentially, Victorian decorating attempted to mimic this grand display of wealth, giving Victorians a way to show off their newfound cultural interest, prosperity and status resulting from the industrial revolution.
Like Rococo, furniture in Victorian decorating has ornate carvings of flowers, fruit, animals, mythical creatures and human figures. Victorian furniture is usually curvy, large and sweeping, covered with plush materials. Victorian decorating textiles were usually lacey or richly textured and patterned. To enhance the romantic, sensuous mood of this era and its style, woods were stained as dark as possible, increasing the room’s dramatic elements.
Tips on how to recreate Victorian decorating in your modern home:
1. Choose several plush fabrics or lace to create flowing, voluptuous curtains or chair covers.
2. Use a rich color palate with jewel tones of ruby, emerald, gold and lush, dusty pinks.
3. Wallpaper or paint to create drama and texture in the room.
4. Cover couches or chairs with rich materials, like velvet.
5. Stain furniture a dark polished color if it is wood. If the furniture is not stainable, paint it with a brass spray paint then “age” the brass with black paint and sandpaper.
6. Use glass, mirrors and crystal on the walls, in fixtures or set on tables
7. Use black and white photographs to create an antique look.
8. If you have room in your budget, moldings and ceiling texture add a luxuriant touch to a room with Victorian decorating styles.
9. Make sure all surfaces are covered and the room feels elaborate. Give each wall artwork, stenciling, texture or furniture.
Sources:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_styles_victorian/art icle/0,,HGTV_3532_1377762,00.html
http://home.ivillage.com/decorating/budget/0,,82 zc,00.html?par=msn%7Chome%7Chh%7Chyper&iv_cobr />http://www.victorianstation.com/interiordesignme nu.htm
Dark, rich color was thought to emphasize a room’s importance, thus entertaining rooms like the living room and dining room were usually decorated in decadent maroons, greens, golds or mauves.
Related Articles
Because Victorian decorating was inspired by the ornate and plush decorating styles of past European royalty in castles (especially the French rococo used at Versailles), it also is intricate and elaborate. It was important to use complex patterns and make certain all surfaces were covered.
Paintings of flowers or nature graced walls and furniture to add romance. Gilded mirrors and gold fixtures adorned pieces, adding richness to the room. Essentially, Victorian decorating attempted to mimic this grand display of wealth, giving Victorians a way to show off their newfound cultural interest, prosperity and status resulting from the industrial revolution.
Like Rococo, furniture in Victorian decorating has ornate carvings of flowers, fruit, animals, mythical creatures and human figures. Victorian furniture is usually curvy, large and sweeping, covered with plush materials. Victorian decorating textiles were usually lacey or richly textured and patterned. To enhance the romantic, sensuous mood of this era and its style, woods were stained as dark as possible, increasing the room’s dramatic elements.
Tips on how to recreate Victorian decorating in your modern home:
1. Choose several plush fabrics or lace to create flowing, voluptuous curtains or chair covers.
2. Use a rich color palate with jewel tones of ruby, emerald, gold and lush, dusty pinks.
3. Wallpaper or paint to create drama and texture in the room.
4. Cover couches or chairs with rich materials, like velvet.
5. Stain furniture a dark polished color if it is wood. If the furniture is not stainable, paint it with a brass spray paint then “age” the brass with black paint and sandpaper.
6. Use glass, mirrors and crystal on the walls, in fixtures or set on tables
7. Use black and white photographs to create an antique look.
8. If you have room in your budget, moldings and ceiling texture add a luxuriant touch to a room with Victorian decorating styles.
9. Make sure all surfaces are covered and the room feels elaborate. Give each wall artwork, stenciling, texture or furniture.
Sources:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_styles_victorian/art icle/0,,HGTV_3532_1377762,00.html
http://home.ivillage.com/decorating/budget/0,,82 zc,00.html?par=msn%7Chome%7Chh%7Chyper&iv_cobr />http://www.victorianstation.com/interiordesignme nu.htm
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