The 'Downton Abbey' saga reaches it's grand finale on December 25th. This day had to come eventually. What will we do without it? Will you be watching? It seems Brits still fall head over heals in love with periods of the past! That's one reason why 12 million of us tuned in every winter week for the last 5 years, apart from the drama of course! Why? We appear to be darn right gluttonous when it comes to period costumes, architecture and history!
Detailed panelling bringing depth to a palatial room*.
'Downton Abbey' took us back in time to 1912, post Edwardian and through to those Roaring Twenties when the Modernist era was born and Art Deco took centre stage. 'Downton' portrays the 'upstairs, downstairs' scenario that existed for a time and it's decline after world war II. The aristocratic 'Crawley's,' traversing their palatial 120,000 square ft Victorian castle, socialising with the elite amidst large extravagant rooms draped lavishly with the finest materials and decor whilst their servants appreciated life's simple essentials below deck!
Style, Opulence & Decadence
So why do so many of us find ourselves smitten with those Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and splendid Roaring Twenties eras? Why can we not just let go and move on? After all we're going back as far as the early 1700's!
Bold colours make a room
rich & indulgent.
Maybe it's because those era's were saturated with style, opulence & decadence and all those other luxuriant descriptive words! They were spaces in time that were shamelessly exuberant, tasteful and dramatic. Decor only the rich could enjoy! Paintings framed with crafted woods and gilded in gold leaf; floorings and furniture made of the finest oak, mahogany and walnut woods; plump heavily upholstered furniture laden with fabrics consisting of chenille, silk, satin and crepe. These were indulgent era's in history where gold, silver plates, pearls and gems dazzled their lustre plenty and jewellery, ribbons and lace were at the fingertips of only the wealthy. Could this be the answer to why we're so smitten? Could it be, we simply can't let go of the past because we wish to adorn our modern sleek abodes with a soupçon of grandeur, history and style. Am I right?
'Become an Earl or Countess of Your Modern Abode!'
Detailed patterned tiles give flavour to a potentially bland hallway.
Today our 21st century living consists of stark geometric shapes, under-furnished austere spaces, all rooted from the modernist era and transcending into what we call contemporary living that continues to evolve. A minimalistic, clean lined, clutter free way of living! Wonderful in it's own right, but quite the contrast from the grandiose earlier periods we've already mentioned, when decor was rich in colour, heavy with detail, dressed with sumptuous upholstery and crammed with many ornamental pieces that oozed drama and demanded a peering eye .
Rich colours & traditional accessories
give this kitchen character & mood.
So what about bringing those two elements together? Modern and period. What if we desire both? What if we like all those modernist geometric clean lines with under-furnished spaces but we want a splash of rich bold colour or furnishings from the earlier periods. What if we just love a little bit of Georgian, neo-classical styling with it's clean, symmetrical lines and pastel coloured palette? What if we just can't resist the Victorian age of imitation & reproduction with it's gothic, rococco flavours found in detailed tiling and wallpapers featuring rich dark colours? Then I ask the question, why not have both? Why should we compromise? Why not bring a dash of your favourite period to your modern sleek abode?
Authentic wall panelling? Or imitation panelling papered onto a feature wall? What do you think?
This particular one is from 'Graham & Green' at £45.00 per 10 m x 53 cm roll.
A cheaper option to the lovely 'Fine panel' traditional wooden panelling available in 9 styles, 6 heights & 2 widths.
This freestanding bath tub made of copper
brings tradition to a room of simplicity.
Is it really true that many of us are still head over heals in love with the periods of the past? Or are we just a mere few Jane Austen romantics! Well on your next adventure out to your local paint supplier or B & Q you'll notice that period colour paints greedily take up a large shelf space and vary in numerous brands such as Farrow & Ball, Craig & Rose - 1829, Sherwin Williams, Crown & Dulex etc. Has wall panelling made a come back too? Surely not? It's origins go as far back as the 15th century! Peruse the internet and you'll notice how popular English & French wall panelling has raised it's lovely head again and are available in a variety of sizes and designs which are easy to assemble onto your walls. Ooh la la! If panelling proves too tiresome to your wallet then don't worry, wallpapers are available too, giving you a similar effect for a much cheaper price.
So in conclusion, maybe we do still have a fetish for these periods that we cannot manage to outgrow! Why, because they were too darn good! Those Georgians, Victorians and such knew exactly what they we're doing! They had a refined class all of their own!
The symmetrical Georgian look.
But how do we go about infusing the nuances from era's we've never tasted first hand into our modern home successfully? Why not have a look at the links included below for inspirational tips and ideas on how to 'bring a taste of 'Downton' to your home,' and become an Earl or Countess of your modern abode!
Peruse our ideas catalogue of 64 inspirational pics we've put together in our Houzz account: Click here - 'Period Homes Ideas Book.'
Bringing Modern & Period flavours together: 'How to Mix Styles and Era's In Your Home."
Find beautiful paneling available at: 'Finepanel.co.uk'
Panelled Wallpapers: Graham & Green
Need help bringing your ideas to life?
Give D K Joinery a call for a 'Free no obligation Estimate' today!
Tel: 07986 44 50 31 or Email at: admin@wirraljoinery.org
In the meantime, get ready to tune into the Aristocratic 'Downton Abbey' saga at 8:30pm, Dec 25th, 2015 as it reaches it's grand finale!
