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Victorian decorating provides an opportunity to unwind without the constraint and discipline attached to some of the other popular decorating styles.
Every empty surface and space throughout the home begs to be included. As things of value could be accumulated, they had to be displayed –one’s position and interests in life were placed not only for observation but for discussion. Use this as your inspiration while remembering we’re not talking about “anything goes”.
There are guidelines on tastefulness, color correctness, and appropriateness applicable to the Victorian period which you will be trying to replicate.
Correct use of Victorian Colours
Color selection is almost always the starting point for every decorating style. Your colors will make the most immediate impression. Victorian decorating makes use of many pallets.
Color choice is probably more outspoken than in any other style concept. Avoid falling into trap of finding a color to go with what you’ve got. Just because the possibilities are many, don’t think careful consideration to individual color choices you will use at the outset has little impact upon the accomplishment of success in the over-all project.
You will want to chose your colors with a clear idea of some of the other elements you plan to draw into the project.
Deep, rich color distinguishes the importance of a room. The foyer, parlour and dinning room being most important because they are most seen by visitors and guests.
Just which deep colors to use depend upon other additions. Lots of dark mahogany trim and furnishings show best with deep greens. Blue works well with silver and pewter adornments. Lightening up on the tones might be needed where natural light is low or where intricate oriental rugs and tapestries are planned for hallways.
Wallpapers and colour use
There is so much choice available to you. Elaborately adorned wallpapers of red, blue and green florals and botanicals are widely used, sometimes only as panel accents or for complete rooms in which case paint is the accent.
You will find approval among the consensus that a complex pattern of a main colour and numerous subsidiary colours is quite correct. In fact, paint texturizing techniques such as sponging, spattering and ragging can achieve results indistinguishable from home decor wallpapers in India. Experiment!
Furniture and decorative accents
Reflect the outreach of the British Empire. English influence in many parts of the world was imposed upon local furniture designs to come up with distinctive inspired-by-the-region pieces.
Materials from the tropics and exotic locales create particular interest because they conjure up images of adventure, aristocracy and of course far-away-places.
Commonly used accents
Egyptian artefacts might mingle with Oriental screens, African animal hides and Indian brass trinkets. This might sound helter-skelter when really there is a theme for you to follow. Travelling. Elaborate maps, globes and navigational engravings, pineapple carvings and live botanicals (especially ferns) help confirm the fact.
Other themed concentrations might be family photograph and portrait collections in frames, table top albums or crafted wood photo boxes. Collections of antique dolls and children’s toys are common. Homespun simplicity and charm finds its place among the exotics in dainty, white lace window coverings and bed linens. Intricate crochet table cloths, tea service covers and end-table doilies are other uses.
Bound book collections displayed in fine cabinetry is a very important element for inclusion in your plan. The library made a profound statement on ones culture and education at the time but, give a place of comfort in the pace of our modern day life.
Important furniture pieces for the important rooms
The furniture craftsmen of the time were critical, but the Victorian era introduced us to factory process furniture. Losing the detail of craftsmen was a fair trade for increased availability of heavy wooded pieces of exotic materials never before available.
Mahogany and teak became wide-spread. As with accessories, prized furniture collections associated with travel. Designs found in the Governors mansions of India or the finer English hotels of Singapore were duplicated in shops across the homeland. Today you have an unending supply from which to choose through antique dealers and an abundance of replica manufacturer’s shops in malls everywhere.
Your dinning room is an easy and essential place to start, moving on from there as you become comfortable “thinking like a Victorian”. What better place to conjure up the affluence and essence of the time. You can do it with grand table of heavy wood solids, exotic veneers and contrasting inlays, surrounded by velvet or rich leather wing backed chairs. Don’t stop there. Fill the room with side-boards, small lamp tables, even cabinets special to house sterling silver flatware sets.
Moving on
Retailers have made it easy for you entire groupings for bedrooms; parlour, sun rooms and foyer are nicely laid out for you by most retail establishments. Use them, picking and choosing from what you have learned about your Victorian feelings from the dining room experience.
Unlike most styles which can be traced to a certain period or country, black and white has been with us since man first began to scratch on white walls with blackened charcoal. It is a staple of design that has been used successfully in one form or another in every other style since those days:
The two most primary colors which are so basic and common that they often are not thought of as color at all. These two colors can bring an amazing amount of power and drama to any room - regardless of its design style or concept.
Using black, at least, as accents even in the most pastel of rooms can make an amazing difference in the visual appear and focus of the design you are trying to present – you may be unsure at this point especially if your room is done in shades of jewels or bright neon but think about it: adding black will create a focus that will anchor a room and add sophistication.
A touch of black in an accent, fixture or in a trim serves as the period at the end of a sentence, or the arrow pointing the way to a major intersection: it gets attention without being needy. But if you want to really draw attention and create not just an accent but a real feeling of drama you need to juxtapose our friendly black with its counterpart the bright and lively white.
Using black and white together creates a sophisticated fresh look that undeniably adds elegance to any room and is the perfect color combination to create a base or framework for any style. For instance using a black and white tiled floor, or such an elegant one as a black marble with inlayed white marble accents or black stained wood with tall white baseboards all can create a solid and luxurious floor upon which almost any style can then be placed.
Use of white or ivory on walls make a wonderful canvas for frames artwork, prints and hanging sculpture – and the use of black frames especially when used with matting of red, gold, and black can add dramatic impact to otherwise modest pieces.
Another advantage to using black and white themes is they tend to make small rooms look larger and more elegant. Think of a small washroom with off-white walls and black marble countertops, white sink and gold fixtures and accessories. A few neutral towels tied up with black braids can make a statement far beyond what one would expect – and is easy to achieve.
In bedrooms white linens with black stripped bed skirts or pillows or even a black chair for sitting or reclining makes an excellent starting point. Adding seasonal colors and warm bright accents one can achieve a light and bright feeling that still is deep and comforting. Touches of black in prints or bedclothes can be used to pull the color out into the room further such as in lampshades or in the trim of tables or picture matting and hardware.
In dining rooms nothing is as elegant as white china especially with small bits of color to add a hint of sophistication. Styles such as Boch Audun and Villeroy are classics that rely on this technique, and artful placement of accent pieces with black borders or black table linens can really add to the effect.
In the kitchen common black iron skillets and other pieces which are easy to locate and normally inexpensive to purchase can add to the feeling of a lived-in and comfortable space without seeming out of place, thus adding the underlying drama in a useful manner.
The black and white style has long been a design concept both in fashion and in interior decorating and its’ recent resurgence shows that it will continue to timelessly add drama and elegance with its minimal approach to making a statement. No other combination works with any color you wish to add, nor can any other color combination portray the freshness and bright juxtaposition that these two colors in contrast provide.
When used with splashes of color as accents and with variations in tone and design as well as bits of gray the black and white approach can create truly life-long masterpieces of design. The sophistication of a simple geometric pattern in black and white or the stark contrast of one against the other never fails to capture the attention without being distasteful – and after all, isn’t that what good design is all about?
Black and White Design.
Unlike most styles which can be traced to a certain period or country, black and white has been with us since man first began to scratch on white walls with blackened charcoal. It is a staple of design that has been used successfully in one form or another in every other style since those days:
The two most primary colors which are so basic and common that they often are not thought of as color at all. These two colors can bring an amazing amount of power and drama to any room - regardless of its design style or concept.
Using black, at least, as accents even in the most pastel of rooms can make an amazing difference in the visual appear and focus of the design you are trying to present – you may be unsure at this point especially if your room is done in shades of jewels or bright neon but think about it: adding black will create a focus that will anchor a room and add sophistication.
A touch of black in an accent, fixture or in a trim serves as the period at the end of a sentence, or the arrow pointing the way to a major intersection: it gets attention without being needy. But if you want to really draw attention and create not just an accent but a real feeling of drama you need to juxtapose our friendly black with its counterpart the bright and lively white.
Using black and white together creates a sophisticated fresh look that undeniably adds elegance to any room and is the perfect color combination to create a base or framework for any style. For instance using a black and white tiled floor, or such an elegant one as a black marble with inlayed white marble accents or black stained wood with tall white baseboards all can create a solid and luxurious floor upon which almost any style can then be placed.
Use of white or ivory on walls make a wonderful canvas for frames artwork, prints and hanging sculpture – and the use of black frames especially when used with matting of red, gold, and black can add dramatic impact to otherwise modest pieces.
Another advantage to using black and white themes is they tend to make small rooms look larger and more elegant. Think of a small washroom with off-white walls and black marble countertops, white sink and gold fixtures and accessories. A few neutral towels tied up with black braids can make a statement far beyond what one would expect – and is easy to achieve.
In bedrooms white linens with black stripped bed skirts or pillows or even a black chair for sitting or reclining makes an excellent starting point. Adding seasonal colors and warm bright accents one can achieve a light and bright feeling that still is deep and comforting. Touches of black in prints or bedclothes can be used to pull the color out into the room further such as in lampshades or in the trim of tables or picture matting and hardware.
In dining rooms nothing is as elegant as white china especially with small bits of color to add a hint of sophistication. Styles such as Boch Audun and Villeroy are classics that rely on this technique, and artful placement of accent pieces with black borders or black table linens can really add to the effect.
In the kitchen common black iron skillets and other pieces which are easy to locate and normally inexpensive to purchase can add to the feeling of a lived-in and comfortable space without seeming out of place, thus adding the underlying drama in a useful manner.
The black and white style has long been a design concept both in fashion and in interior decorating and its’ recent resurgence shows that it will continue to timelessly add drama and elegance with its minimal approach to making a statement. No other combination works with any color you wish to add, nor can any other color combination portray the freshness and bright juxtaposition that these two colors in contrast provide.
When used with splashes of color as accents and with variations in tone and design as well as bits of gray the black and white approach can create truly life-long masterpieces of design. The sophistication of a simple geometric pattern in black and white or the stark contrast of one against the other never fails to capture the attention without being distasteful – and after all, isn’t that what good design is all about?
Rustic Design
Rustic is so often spoken with the additional word charm, the two have become inseparable. With the addition of a couple more words like comforting or relaxing and in very short order you will have summed up the appeal of this decorating form.
The great outdoors might seem a world away from the city where you live but bringing it home shouldn’t be an obstacle. Nor is it necessary to sacrifice modern sensibilities in the acquisition of a little charm.
Most likely it isn’t feasible to capture all the elements of a primitive mountain cabin. But, enough can be done to copy exposed log walls, rough-hewn beams, stone and other rough creations to impress the style deep into your senses.
Color and textures
This is one deep woods decorating style where color and texture share the same palette. Neutral, natural and earth tones are taken from nature. The shades are those occurring in weathered construction timbers and stone, and in preserved wood furnishings and wall panels.
The only exceptions you’ll find is bleached woodwork finished with varnish or color wash paint applications on boards and plaster. Washes introduce the only variation, a muted cousin to vivid color. These milk paint concoctions, mostly in gray-blue and green, and lacking in solid depth, allow wood grains to show through, much in keeping with the natural look. Modern powdered versions are available to you in most paint stores. Use these in your work to achieve color correctness.
Texture is everywhere. Use woods that aren’t finely planed and don’t be overly concerned about imperfections. Plank floors can be interrupted with entry areas of flagstone or unpolished granite. Massive stone hearths and exposed rock in plastered walls are prevalent and impressive.
Everything natural, naturally
If you want to take the look further, use stone to build a room dividing wall. Make it appear structural and add some timber beams across the room in the ceiling.
Animal hides, rag rugs and coarse woolens add to the list of heavily textured materials you will be sourcing to use.
Finding the right Country Furnishings
When set against a pale, neutral background, furniture made with logs, planks or knotted woods can create a commanding feel. Look around in flea markets and garage sales for simple yet sturdy pieces. Let the form of the wood do the talking without help from carved or applied ornamentation. For a well used homey look try pieces with natural or worn finishes.
You’ll often find suburban hobbyist furniture makers set up in parking lots selling pole log beds and sofas, stick chairs that are tied together without nails or adhesives, Adirondack slat chairs, rustic “time of day passing” rocking chairs, sliced tree trunk coffee tables, driftwood lamps and routered out country humor signs.
All this out of the back of a pick-up truck and every last piece has a place in Rustic decorating.
To me, a "tree trunk coffee table" are probably the most familiar piece of furniture for a rustic style home decor, try to add it whenever is possible.
Dining areas are always important family areas in Rustic homes. They are usually dominated by a long plank table flanked by benches along the length and wooden arm chairs at each end. A classic harvest table makes a great side board while a bakers stand makes for an attractive highlight piece.
Arrange seating in close groupings for homey conversation. Define the space with a large oval rag rug. Set the seen for relaxation with a couple of rockers by the fireside. A bear skin rug set between supplies additional warmth.
Plain linen and cotton covered cushions keep things simple.
Becoming accessories
Patchwork quilts always make things cozy and there’s a whole history behind the making of these pieces of Americana so there’s lots to talk about and compare if you leave them laying about. A particularly special quilt makes a colorful addition, corner pinned to a panel wall.
Even if you’ve never left the city, there’s always several rustic or country theme restaurants nearby. They’re loaded to excess with ideas you can use in your Rustic decorating project.
Traditional Design
Home decoration’s ageless favorite
The comforting elegance of grander times and the classic furnishing designs of gracious living converge into a traditional style that is clearly America’s most popular decorating theme. Based upon styling first popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries, Traditional deco rating’s long history and survival comes from an ability to adapt to lifestyle changes. Avoiding signs of aging is Traditional rare hallmark.
Traditional Decorating pedigree
Color or texture might be the primary element in some decorating styles. In yet another, it could be the geometry of the design. Traditional decoration relies upon the commanding presence of finely crafted woodworking for it’s pedigree.
Three hundred years after their introduction, Queen Anne colors, Chippendale and Thomas Sheraton furniture designs are conceded to be the universal benchmark of craftsmanship and lines of design.
Modern renditions have relaxed the historical code to suit. But, enough of the classic identifying remain.
Gracefully refined Queen Anne pieces are characterized by ball and claw footed cabriole legs, violin chair backs, inlay surfaces, s-curve lines, shell motifs and decorative turned finials. Some pieces are oriental lacquer finished, most are varnished.
Chippendale elaborated on the Queen Anne styling for his own distinctive fashion. Some lines were straightened but, in a gentle way. Greater and more elaborate use of artistic embellishment account for most of the recognizable differences. Motif and ornamentation come in more choices, greater use of carving and the addition of fretwork perfected the Chippendale trademark.
You should start with choice furniture pieces, then work out from there. Don’t be afraid to mix these two anchoring sty lings. Antique and newer replica versions can be placed side by side.
A sofa addition for example, can even be a complete departure from these main sty lings and still be a very nice fit. In fact, you should work toward developing a discriminating eye for pleasing yet versatile combinations throughout the entire breadth of your Traditional decorating project.
Lots of freedom
You’ll be happy to know once some choices have been made about furniture pieces; the door to the Traditional home is open for lots of personal preference. What’s right for you is probably one of the main reasons Traditional provides such personal warmth and has managed to keep it’s place against all comers in the popularity race.
Traditional Color and Texture
Key here is to keep in mind that most everything you do is designed to let the main furnishing stay center stage.
Paint for walls are generally in the mid-tone range –nothing startling. Rather than going to the color samples with a pre-determined idea of what you are after, try reviewing them with the idea of pausing on those tones which impart a feeling of comfort upon your mind. Once you have found the range, work combinations of wall colors which blend into one another in a manner that minimizes distinguishable transition lines. Room changes should be subtle as well. Let color flow through the home without jarring changes.
Generally use the lighter tones on your walls. Introduce slightly deeper hues in your choice of window covering and upholstery fabric. Deepen the hue ever so slightly again when choosing accessory fabric and floor coverings.
Fabrics in a traditional room tend to take the middle road as well. Texture isn’t coarse but neither are they too shiny. Commonly used fabrics are chintz, crewel, or velvet in solids, tone on tone, and faintly detailed all-over patterns.
Hardwood strip flooring with area rugs under furniture settings is a widely seen practice. Most homeowners continue to enjoy the warmth and sound damping qualities of wall to wall carpeting but, note that a shift to Berber is the popular way to go.
Accessorizing the Traditional way
This is your opportunity to give that comfy, homey, feel to the scene you’ve set. The most successful traditional interiors are those that accessorize somewhere well below the limit of becoming “clutterizing”.
You’re best striking a distinguishable balance by using objects in pairs. A pair of lamps. Two potted plants, two but not necessarily matched urns. A matched set of framed prints. Do things this way and you telegraph your personal sense of order to visitors.
Lighting is direct and classic. Lamps with plain shades, sconce lighting, a bankers lamp on a desk are all familiar and expected.
The dinning room and bedrooms will feature crisply clean linens. White for dinning and perhaps a muted plaid worked with slightly off white for the bed. Predictability is expected. Comfort food that’s by no means boring.
The final word
Your traditionally decorated home is a success if you can feel wrapped in a comfortably homey, understated ambiance. You will be using many of the same Traditional trademark items such as fine woodwork and graceful lines as others undertaking their own projects but you can still show your own underlining identity.
Rome
Architecture
One of the symbols of Rome is the Colosseum (70–80 AD), the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire. Originally capable of seating 60,000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial combat. A list of important monuments and sites of ancient Rome includes the Roman Forum, the Domus Aurea, the Pantheon, Trajan's Column, Trajan's Market, the Catacombs, the Circus Maximus, the Baths of Caracalla, Castel Sant'Angelo, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Ara Pacis, the Arch of Constantine, the Pyramid of Cestius, and the Bocca della Verità.
Medieval
Often overlooked, Rome's medieval heritage is one of the largest in Italian cities. Basilicas dating from the Paleochristian age include Santa Maria Maggiore and San Paolo Fuori le Mura (the latter largely rebuilt in the 19th century), both housing precious 4th century AD mosaics. Later notable medieval mosaic and fresco art can be also found in the churches of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santi Quattro Coronati, and Santa Prassede. Lay buildings include a number of towers, the largest being the Torre delle Milizie and the Torre dei Conti, both next the Roman Forum, and the huge staircase leading to the basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli.
Renaissance and Baroque
Rome was a major world centre of the Renaissance, second only to Florence, and was profoundly affected by the movement. Among others, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture in Rome is the Piazza del Campidoglio by Michelangelo. During this period, the great aristocratic families of Rome used to build opulent dwellings as the Palazzo del Quirinale (now seat of the President of the Italian Republic), the Palazzo Venezia, the Palazzo Farnese, the Palazzo Barberini, the Palazzo Chigi (now seat of the Italian Prime Minister), the Palazzo Spada, the Palazzo della Cancelleria, and the Villa Farnesina.
Many of the famous city's squares - some huge, majestic and often adorned with obelisks, some small and pictoresque - got their present shape during the Renaissance and Baroque. The principal ones are Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, Campo de' Fiori, Piazza Venezia, Piazza Farnese, Piazza della Rotonda and Piazza della Minerva. One of the most emblematic examples of Baroque art is the Fontana di Trevi by Nicola Salvi. Other notable 17th-century baroque palaces are the Palazzo Madama, now the seat of the Italian Senate and the Palazzo Montecitorio, now the seat of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy..
In 1870, Rome became the capital city of the new Kingdom of Italy. During this time, neoclassicism, a building style influenced by the architecture of antiquity, became a predominant influence in Roman architecture. During this period, many great palaces in neoclassical styles were built to host ministries, embassies, and other governing agencies. One of the best-known symbols of Roman neoclassicism is the Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II or "Altar of the Fatherland", where the Grave of the Unknown Soldier, that represents the 650,000 Italians that fell in World War I, is located.
Fascist architecture
The Fascist regime that ruled in Italy between 1922 and 1943 developed an architectural style that was characterised by its links with ancient Roman architecture. The most important Fascist site in Rome is the E.U.R district, designed in 1938 by Marcello Piacentini. It was originally conceived for the 1942 world exhibition, and was called "E.42" ("Esposizione 42"). The world exhibition, however, never took place because Italy entered the Second World War in 1940. The most representative building of the Fascist style at E.U.R. is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana (1938–1943), the iconic design of which has been labelled the cubic or Square Colosseum. After World War II, the Roman authorities found that they already had the seed of an off-centre business district of the type that other capitals were still planning (London Docklands and La Défense in Paris). Also the Palazzo della Farnesina, the current seat of Italian Foreign Ministry, was designed in 1935 in Fascist style.
Parks and gardens
Public parks and nature reserves cover a large area in Rome, and the city has one of the largest areas of green space amongst European capitals. The most notable part of this green space is represented by the large number of villas and landscaped gardens created by the Italian aristocracy. While many villas were destroyed during the building boom of the late 19th century, a great many remain. The most notable of these are Villa Borghese, Villa Ada, and Villa Doria Pamphili. Villa Doria Pamphili is west of the Gianicolo hill comprising some 1.8 km2. Also on the Gianicolo hill there is Villa Sciarra, with playgrounds for children and shaded walking areas. In the nearby area of Trastevere the Orto Botanico (Botanical Garden) is a cool and shady green space. The old Roman hippodrome (Circus Maximus) is another large green space but the main attraction is the ancient site of the chariot racing and it has few trees. Nearby is the lush Villa Celimontana, close to the gardens surrounding the Baths of Caracalla and Rose Garden (‘roseto comunale’). The Villa Borghese garden is the best known large green space in Rome, with famous art galleries among its shaded walks. It is close to the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo. Rome also has a number of regional parks of much more recent origin including the Pineto Regional Park and the Appian Way Regional Park. There are also nature reserves at Marcigliana and at Tenuta di Castelporziano.
Fountains and aqueducts
Rome is a city famous for its numerous fountains, built in all different styles, from Classical and Medieval, to Baroque and Neoclassical. The city has had fountains for more than two thousand years, and they have provided drinking water and decorated the piazzas of Rome. During the Roman Empire, in 98 A.D., according to Sextus Julius Frontinus, the Roman consul who was named curator aquarum or guardian of the water of the city, Rome had nine aqueducts which fed 39 monumental fountains and 591 public basins, not counting the water supplied to the Imperial household, baths and owners of private villas. Each of the major fountains was connected to two different aqueducts, in case one was shut down for service. During the 17th and 18th century the Roman popes reconstructed other ruined Roman acqueducts and built new display fountains to mark their termini, launching the golden age of the Roman fountain. The fountains of Rome, like the paintings of Rubens, were expressions of the new style of Baroque art. They were crowded with allegorical figures, and filled with emotion and movement. In these fountains, sculpture became the principal element, and the water was used simply to animate and decorate the sculptures. They, like baroque gardens, were "a visual representation of confidence and power."
Statues
One of the statues representing angels in the Ponte Sant'Angelo.
Rome is well known for its statues but, in particular, the talking statues of Rome. These are usually ancient statues which have become popular soapboxes for political and social discussion, and places for people to (often satirically) voice their opinions. There are two main talking statues: the Pasquino and the Marforio, yet there are four other noted ones: il Babuino, Madame Lucrezia, il Facchino and Abbot Luigi. Most of these statues are ancient Roman or classical, and most of them also depict mythical gods, ancient people or legendary figures; il Pasquino represents Menelaus, Abbot Luigi is an unknown Roman magistrate, il Babuino is supposed to be Silenus, Marforio represents Oceanus, Madame Lucrezia is a bust of Isis, and il Facchino is the only non-Roman statue, created in 1580, and not representing anyone in particular. They are often, due to their status, covered with placards or graffiti expressing political ideas and points of view. Other statues in the city, which are not related to the talking statues, include those of the Ponte Sant'Angelo, or several monuments scattered across the city, such as that to Giordano Bruno in the Campo de'Fiori.
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