If you've ever explored a period property, you will be familiar with the beautiful architectural features that define them, from the oak beams, lead windows and inglenook fireplaces of country cottages, to the wood panelling, high or vaulted ceilings, sash windows, pillars, arches and open fireplaces of Georgian or Victorian abodes. Yet, whether you live in a period property or simply love the timeless charm of heritage design, finding details that stay true to the era can be a challenge.
Many of our designs are inspired by genuine vintage finds, thoughtfully reimagined for today whilst still using traditional techniques. The result is a beautifully authentic looks that suit homes of any age or location. As every period has its own unique style, its helpful to identify what they are so you know where to start with your choices. So let us help you with a quick, crash course in design styles over the ages with to see which products will lend the perfect period touches to your home.
16th CENTURY - TUDOR & ELIZABETHAN
Homes built in the 1500s are known for their ornate brickwork and timber frames - typically made from oak - and a robust, heavy interior with beams, studwork walls, perhaps wooden panelling and, as glass was first used during this period, casement windows with criss-cross latices. Most people could not afford home comforts and wealthy families toured their estates taking their belongings with them, so furniture and utensils were designed to be durable with an emphasis on
craftsmanship.
Every village had a blacksmith, so metalwork was everywhere. To achieve a Tudor look, opt for hefty looking pieces in forged iron finishes like
beeswax (a Tudor method for darkening iron) and
matt black for
kitchen cabinets,
hinges and
door and window furniture. Tudors loved a grand entrance with characterful
door knockers and great metal handles such as the
Holkham or
Shaftesbury.
For lighting, choose gothic inspired wall sconces such as our
Tyndall, or those with subtle metal details like the
Cottage or
Audley wall lights that can be used with or without shades for a more authentic 'candle-like' appeal. For pendants, opt for a lantern like the
Charlecotes or
Barnham with their decorative ironwork, or the
Globe for a contemporary twist.
Tudor décor featured motifs inspired by nature, mythology, and heraldry. Floral and foliage patterns were common, often intricately carved into wood or woven into fabrics - think Tudor Rose and
Fleur de Lys as well as intricate scrollwork - when selecting soft furnishings and fittings. Heraldic symbols and family crests added a personalised touch, while colours tended towards the rich and deep with fabrics used throughout the home for warmth.
17th CENTURY - JACOBEAN
The 17th century saw huge social changes in England, with the rise the middles classes and global trade routes starting to generate enormous wealth that was reflected in Jacobean design. Interiors were both grand and liveable, blending a medieval love for functionality with new ideals from the Renaissance with its focus on the classical.
Tudor motifs like vaulted ceilings, heavy oak furniture, panelling and four-centred arches were still commonplace but sat alongside classical ornamentation like pilasters and scrolls. In metalwork,
brass and copper became more affordable so you can mix antiqued brass and
heritage copper lighting and
kitchen fittings with forged iron
fireside tools, and brass or steel
hooks,
bathroom accessories, and
door and window furniture.
Jacobeans loved decoration. It was everywhere, growing bolder and more opulent until it grew into Baroque design that took ornamentation to the next level! Ornate patterns were carved into mantelpieces and plasterwork, while the Tree of Life, an iconic Jacobean motif, started to appear alongside mythical creatures and animals in tapestries and furniture. Look for these motifs in
soft furnishings and consider wall lighting in brass, bronze and old gold with more decorative elements like the
Hamilton Corner wall light,
Gainsborough,
Brancaster,
Feather and
Hambleton. Statement pendants like the
Hall and
Kilfinan lanterns, and
Waterford,
Romana and
Scrolled pendants will look at home in a Jacobean setting.
18th CENTURY - GEORGIAN & REGENCY
The Georgian era, from 1714 to 1830, brought an abundance of elegant town houses, stately homes and civic buildings, characterised by their classical architecture and symmetry. The style was Palladian or Neo-classical, with huge proportions, imposing facades, columns and increasingly - a radical new idea - landscaped
gardens! This gave Georgian homes a sense of symmetry and balance that brings an elegance and lightness of touch to the interiors.
Typical Georgian features include niches and alcoves, stonework, ironwork and marble with motifs like swags, ribbons, garlands, husks, and Greek key patterns. Wall lights can be as decorative as you like, with our
Versailles,
Fleur, Plantation, Reeded and
Hambleton, wall sconces all fitting comfortably into a Georgian setting. For the first time,
home furnishings were ornamental rather than just practical, with statues of Roman gods and goddesses,
classical figures,
vases and urns, real and imaginary
animal figures such as dolphins, sphinxes, griffins and satyrs, being popular.
For ceiling lights, choose larger statement pieces that stand out against the grand scale and surroundings of a Georgian room. As well as our eye catching
Sussex,
Romana, Scrolled and Florentine pendants, try the Lucie or Sofia for a classical silhouette with a contemporary twist, the Stafford for is Greek key pattern, or for a bit of opalescent beauty, traditional chandeliers like the Rococo, Devonshire, Wortham and Queensbury that you can fit with, or without shades.By the end of the century, fashionable Georgians fell in love with the French Rococo style which is light, playful and naturalistic. Rococo is all about sensuous curves and asymmetrical flourishes - not a straight line in sight! Think of our
Rococo,
Ribbon, and
Feather wall lights. The opening up of the Orient led to a heightened interest in exotica, especially from East Asia and India with depictions of Chinese figures, dragons, pagodas and fantasy elements appearing on wall papers, screen prints and carvings.
19th CENTURY - VICTORIAN
Victorians had a passion for combining earlier design styles in diverse ways meaning that rather than one style that defines the age, there were several revivals - Gothic architecture alongside
Asian, Middle Eastern and Japanese art. Medieval influences were everywhere, including fleurs de Lys patterns, heraldic motifs and quatrefoils, while popular mass-produced wallpapers such as flock and damask styles were in large, bold prints of flowers and foliage. Furniture was heavily carved with overstuffed button-back armchairs, sofas and ottomans, and fabrics were highly patterned or strongly coloured, in
velvets, lace, festoon
blinds and sumptuous
window dressings.
During the 19th century candles gave way to gas as the main form of light, leading to glass being used in wall and ceiling lights. For a Victorian feel in your home, opt for brass wall sconces with a pared down design and glass shades such as our
Morston range, Chesterfield Pendant,
Bonham Lantern,
Orfila lights,
Gosford and
Rowsley wall lights.
During the Victorian era homes were separated into public and personal spaces with
kitchens and
bathrooms becoming more integral and rooms
ear marked for entertaining with surfaces filled with objects that showcased the owner's interests and aspirations. The industrial revolution and mass manufacturing made household items more affordable enabling families to fill their homes with
textiles,
furniture,
exotic plants and curiosities.
Typical Victorian features include spires, buttresses,
decorative ironwork and pointed arch surrounds on
doors and windows, which are more often associated with churches.
Lanterns were popular indoors and outside, whilst ornate marble, slate or cast-iron
fireplaces were fashionable, inset with patterned tiles that were echoed on floors and stained and etched glass, especially above front doors.
EARLY 20th CENTURY - EDWARDIAN, ARTS & CRAFTS
During Edwardian Britain, cities expanded rapidly and new suburbs were built around them. These suburban homes typically more space, with
generous hallways, wider
staircases, larger
windows - often
bays - and front gardens with large
porches to differentiate between neighbours. Families no longer had servants, so
kitchens moved up from the basement and electric light replaced gas leading to the wide use of
decorative lampshades to hide the glare of bulbs, and the need for
switches and sockets, generally made from metal or ceramics.
Edwardian interiors were eclectic with Tudor influences still seen the in half-timbered exteriors, curved windows and elaborate mouldings of the time, mixed with the high ceilinged, airy brightness of Georgian-style rooms. Stained glass windows were popular, often subdivided into small panes and Art Nouveau style decorations also had a moment, with floral flourishes turning up on tiles, soft furnishings, and in glass.
Thankfully, when it comes to lighting, it means the options are endless. Try our
Cottage and Classic,
Gosford or
Smugglers wall lights in beeswax or matt black for a hint of gothic, or go for more decorative pieces in antiqued brass such as our
Grantham,
Mayfield,
Reeded,
Station, and
fluted glass wall lights.
The
Arts & Crafts movement that rejected industrialization in favour of traditional crafts became hugely popular at this time, so William Morris-style wall papers and ornately carved banisters and wooden carved details were commonplace. Our
Woodland, and
Cow Parsley fabric collections channel William Morris, while our
Bloomsbury,
Foster, Kersey and
Ickworth pendants have a hint of the Edwardian about them, as do bar pendants like the
Wellesley,
Kenton, Grantchester,and
Barchester.MID 20th CENTURY - ART DECO, MODERNISM
Few architectural and design styles are so instantly recognisable as
Art Deco, with its distinctive lines, geometric patterns and unashamed opulence. Think of Manhattan skylines, luxurious cruise liners, cinemas and grand hotel lobbies. It flourished in the 1920s and 30s when the upheaval of the First World War gave way to a period of optimism and bold creativity in architecture, furniture, textiles and decorative arts.
Art Deco style is symmetrical, geometric, streamlined and pleasing to the eye. Key features include: bold linear patters, zig zags, chevrons, sunbursts and stepped forms, the use of opulent materials like steel, chrome, gold and black with shiny or lacquered surfaces and inlays. Colours were vivid and contrasting - think gold and black or navy blue with orange or emerald green - and influenced by stylised Egyptian, Aztec and African art.
Lighting is an excellent way to bring an Art Deco wow factor into your home as it embraces function with luxurious materials. Choose striking wall sconces with
fluted glass or a bold silhouette such as our
Cheltenham,
Fisher,
Chiltern and
Allegra wall lights. Opt for one of our
Reeded lights collection or our angular
Elmwoods. Frosted glass was much sought after, such as our
Hinton,
Morstons, and
opal lights.
Ceiling lights were as extravagant as you can get, designed to take centre stage and draw your eye upwards to patterned cornicing and soaring ceilings. Our
Orla,
Greenwich and
Ava glass pendants add a little Art Deco pizazz to your scheme, as do the
Elmwood 3 and 4 Armed pendants.
Table and
floor lamps like our
Salisbury and
Wandsworth have a touch of the Art Deco about them, while for door and window furniture, select pieces in brass with bold lines in the detail like our
Bromley and
Chester ranges or
Reeded and
Shaftesbury door knobs. For further inspiration on how to achieve an Art Deco look, see our
Art Deco collection and blog on
Crash Course on Art Deco style.