Victorian & Edwardian Furniture

Victorian Style

• Victorian style is known for its ornate details and dark colors, earning Victorian style the nickname of Gothic furniture. Traits to look for in wood include frilled carvings; thick, dark wood with less useful space; and velvet linings. Draperies for the Victorian period were heavy, dyed dark royal colors and had tassels.

Types of Victorian Furniture

• The Victorian era ushered in some new furniture designs along with its style. Among the most popular to this day is the sleigh bed with its curved top edge. The commode was invented during the later part of the Victorian period and was made of a single long drawer with cupboards underneath.

Edwardian Style

• The Edwardian period was associated with good cheer and lightheartedness. Edwardian furniture did away with most carving, replacing it with grape leaf and feminine form engraving. The primary influences for this period were the art deco and Neoclassical artisans. The more popular furniture piece that was invented during this era was the wing chair.

Edwardian Misnomers

• Not all furniture that was crafted during the Edwardian era will have the Edwardian style. With the Industrial Revolution in full swing in England, many pieces were machine made and still followed the basic lines of Victorian furniture but had elaborations that were Edwardian. These pieces are still considered Edwardian for evaluating.