Sofas in the Victorian Period

Gothic Revival

• The Gothic style of furniture was heavily influenced by Tudor architecture and is identifiable by its perpendicular lines. These sofas were adorned by sumptuous fabrics such as velvet or damask. The wooden accents were styled in straight lines using rich dark woods. The Gothic style was predominant during the early years of the Victorian era.

Rococo Revival

• Sofas of this time were particularly ornate, featuring curved legs and framed by carvings of roses, birds, leaves and grapes. Some sofas during this period featured an ornate framed oval or round medallion at the center or the back. Sofas and loveseats came in a variety of lengths, with elegant curved lines. Into the 1860s, some sofas began to sport round padded arms.

Renaissance and Neoclassical Revival

• Sofas during the Renaissance revival can be distinguished from their Rococo counterparts in that they are much heavier pieces, no longer displaying the elaborate curves of the past. Carvings adorning these pieces no longer displayed flowers or grapes but became heavy ornate scrolls. In Neoclassical, a period that overlapped with Renaissance, furniture took on a simpler style. These sofas moved away from the ornate carvings; now simple curves were more predominant.

Jacobean Revival

• This period is marked by the movement from deep, romantic carvings and ornate flowers to machine-cut design,s often repetitive in style. Sofas and chairs were more angular and displayed less of the curves that were popular during the early part of the Victorian era. Instead of ornate designs, sofas were now adorned with moldings appearing more solid looking and heavy than the romantic lines of the early part of the era.