Purchasing an Edwardian property is an excellent choice. While they are beautiful, elegant period homes, they also tend to be less prone to problems like damp than slightly older Victorian or Georgian buildings. Once you’ve picked an Edwardian property, it’s time to decorate it in a classic Edwardian style. Here are a few tips on how to achieve Edwardian elegance in your home.
Many different styles influenced Edwardian décor. These included art nouveau, baroque and rococo, and many of these styles remained popular since the Victorian period.
- Your Edwardian Furniture
Bamboo and wicker furniture became popular during the Edwardian era, so these would make an excellent choice for an Edwardian room, particularly a living room or conservatory. High quality bamboo and wicker furniture is still available today, which makes this an easily accessible style to choose. If wicker furniture isn’t your first choice for an elegant home, other styles of furniture can also be used. Chairs and sofas with upholstery in chintz or damask are a stylish option. Floral patterns in pastel colours would also have been popular for upholstery in the Edwardian era. To decorate the room further, hand-embroidered cushions with floral motifs would make a cosy addition to a living room.
Fireplaces had been the centrepiece of rooms in previous eras, and in the Edwardian period they remained an important part of the home. However, Edwardian fireplaces were generally smaller than in Victorian homes. Edwardian fireplaces were decorated with tiles, and would have had iron or copper hoods.
- Choose Decorative Lampshades
Electric lighting began to be introduced during this time, so decorative lampshades became a popular part of Edwardian décor. Choose fabric lampshades with tassels and frills for ceiling lights, floor lamps and table lamps. Choose a lampshade in a pattern that matches or compliments the patterns of the rest of the furniture. Curtains would have also been matched to the walls for a colour coordinated look.
- Choose Patterns and Colours
Oriental style was a strong influence, as it was in the Victorian era. Oriental rugs on polished oak floorboards are a classic Edwardian style. On the walls, oriental inspired or floral wallpapers are an excellent choice as they were very popular in the Edwardian period. Stripes were also a popular wallpaper pattern. Patterned wallpaper was generally used on the lower part of the wall, up to the dado rail, while the top half was painted or papered in a plain colour. Lincrusta wallpaper was also introduced in this time, which had a rubber-like texture, and was embossed with patterns, and it would then be painted over. Pastel colours were popular, in floral tones to match the flower patterns found in the rest of the house.
The Waldorf Hotel in Central London is a beautiful example of an Edwardian building, with each room decorated in an authentic Edwardian style, which may give you inspiration for decorating your own home.
