Living and breathing Victorian interiors, buildings and history
When most of us think of ‘Victorian colours’ browns, darks reds and greens spring to mind, but not blue. Even The Victorian Society House Book of The Victorian House (usually very spot on!) said: 'Very few blues are evident in the Victorian colour cards that survive, which suggests that blue was not extensively used in... Continue Reading →
What comes to mind when you think of a Victorian kitchen? Knick-knicks, dark colours and fussy details? Not something you want in your kitchen, eh? However, whilst this was the case in Victorian living spaces, in domestic areas such as the kitchen this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, it was often the... Continue Reading →
“If you can’t afford, fake it” was certainly the mantra of many Victorian homeowners with their love of wood graining and marbling around their home. It’s a design concept that continues to this day. Take a look at the vinyl and laminate flooring available today which are facsimiles of real wood or tiles. This post... Continue Reading →
Restoring an iron fireplace can be a joy. However, there's the dilemma of whether to freshen the fireplace up or strip and black lead it if it's painted. What is black lead I hear you ask? It’s basically a black liquid stove polish that protects the iron against rust and gives the fireplace an even... Continue Reading →
Have you ever regretted a room makeover as soon as you've put the paint tins away as I have during my period house restoration? Yes, we’ve all been there. Sometimes the colour just isn’t what you imagined or it doesn’t suit your room. Over time we also want a change or a different look. I’m... Continue Reading →
Linoleum was the wonder invention of the Victorian period and led the way for the vinyl flooring we know today. Unlike vinyl flooring today, homeowners up until the 1960s didn't just use linoleum in kitchens and bathrooms. The middle and working classes also fitted the product in bedrooms as it had antibacterial qualities. This was... Continue Reading →
When many of us think of the festive period we think of a Victorian Christmas. After all, the Victorians made Christmas trees and yuletide decorations popular and Charles Dickens's Christmas Carol is so closely linked with this period. Many Victorian Christmas customs that endure today originated in Germany. The turning point was the London News... Continue Reading →
Reinstating a Victorian fireplace can help bring back the character to your period home. It's also a joy to know you've put back a feature similar to the original fireplace sadly ripped out years before. However, it can be difficult to work out what the original fireplaces were like in your house. Don’t make the... Continue Reading →
Deciding to sacrifice our dining room into a vintage grocery shop was probably my maddest of ideas. Well, we all have mad ideas – well at least I hope so! My dining room was originally a shop which closed in the 1960s and the shop window was bricked up in the 1980s. It was originally... Continue Reading →
Who doesn't love the look of a Victorian pantry in a country house or museum. But is a pantry or larder a practical solution for storing your food items? Let's be clear from the outset, I’m not influenced by the likes of Kirsty Allsopp who bleat on about the benefits of their pantry! Many of... Continue Reading →
Victorian patchwork was the original form of recycling so finding a new use for your waste is nothing new. One of the things I love about the Victorian period is their hate of waste and making the most of what they had. We could all learn a lot about their penny-pinching ways! We’ve all heard of... Continue Reading →
The simple no-frills Edwardian bathroom is a timeless design classic that endures to this day. It is surprising that bare white, functional spaces aren't the preserve of the modern minimalist home. White painted walls and simple fittings are key Edwardian features which are easy to replicate in a bathroom today. I'm going to briefly outline... Continue Reading →
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