How to Decorate in the Elizabethan Era

Walls and Floors

• 1

  Cover at least one wall in panels of dark wood. Carved paneled walls, usually in oak, were the order of the day, adding a decorative and warm touch in the drafty, cavernous halls of the Elizabethan house.

• 2

  Panel just the lower part of the wall if you are on a budget. This is called wainscoting. Lightweight veneered panels slot together to give the appearance of solid wood. An alternative is to use panel-effect wallpaper for a lighter look.

• 3

  Paint any remaining wall space in matte heritage colors. Deeper, richer colors, such as dark red or olive green, denoted higher rank in Elizabethan times. Finish the walls with decorative crown molding around the ceiling in an acanthus leaf or rose design.

• 4

  Hang tapestries in rich fabrics on walls and use intricate woven rugs on wooden or matte tiled floors for warmth underfoot.

Furniture

• 5

  Reflect the Elizabethan era with carved, ornamented furniture. Choose solid, heavy wooden cupboards to store crockery and linen. Position them centrally along walls.

• 6

  Surround a refectory-style table with wooden dining chairs. Imitate the Elizabethan style by covering armrests, seats and backs with padded tapestry. Ensure the table has stretcher rails between its legs to act as footrests.

• 7

  Update the uncomfortable style of Elizabethan seating with a modern version of the settle, a wooden high-backed bench. Upholster the seat and back with generous padding and cover with sumptuous fabric in rich colors.

• 8

  Add splendor to your bedroom by investing in a four-poster bed with a wooden headboard. Hang velvet drapes from the posts, as Elizabethans did to keep out the cold. Place a wooden chest at the foot of the bed, adorned with a bowl of fragrant herbs or potpourri.

• 9

  Bring an authentic touch to your room with a Bible box. Use a carved wooden chest as a side table large enough to hold a family Bible. Leave the wood naturally unfinished or coat with beeswax.

Decoration

• 10

  Establish an air of pageantry and splendor with heraldic elements. Use swords on long, narrow walls, hang shields in a boxy alcove and display your family coat of arms prominently at the entrance to your home.

• 11

  Create a sense of history by hanging reproductions of Elizabethan portraits and landscapes next to the tapestries on the walls. Decorate smaller rooms with miniature portraits in ornate silver frames.

• 12

  Reflect the Elizabethan motifs of flora and fauna in soft furnishings. Use drapes, cushions and throws to soften the heaviness of wooden furniture. Replace covers with embroidered linen, velvet or tapestry embellished with running hares, nymphs or the Tudor rose.

• 13

  Display pewter, silver or walnut crafted pieces on cupboards or tables. Choose acanthus leaf, grape or floral designs to imitate Elizabethan ornamentation. Store occasional items in intricately inlaid wooden boxes.

• 14

  Complete the look with pewter or silver candle sconces. Position them so that they accent particular decorative items when lit. Use them to create a flickering backlight to your Elizabethan-style room.