Period Luxury

I love spending time roaming around the rooms of our wonderful stately homes, castles and palaces. Great Britain is steeped in history and some of the grandest homes in the UK perfectly embody the rich luxury and opulence of times gone by. While we may not all be able to afford the antiquities and priceless pieces that adorn these homes, we can recreate the look in our own interiors with some accessories, decor and furnishings that create PERIOD LUXURY within the home.

Wood is a staple feature of many stately homes with mahogany and walnut being a popular choice not just for furniture but for flooring, wall panels and ceilings. Opt for chunky and sturdy furniture items with some ornate carvings and detailing such as a large oval dining table or a pedestal style coffee table and team these with twisted or carved spindle dining chairs and traditional dressers for a dark and rich interior finish.  Wall panels will look great positioned along the lower parts of your walls and work well when teamed with period colour schemes such as fern green, maroon and  royal blue or pair with a traditional wallpaper featuring tapestry style floral designs, fleur-de-lys or baroque style flocked patterns that will look great on a large feature wall or chimney breast area.

No period style home would be complete without a grand four poster bed that will take central position in a bedroom interior. Opt for a traditional design featuring carved posts or floral detailing in rich mahogany, walnut or solid oak. If your bedroom is small then you could always choose a white painted design that will create a sense of space within your room. Add some heavy velvet, satin or embroidered curtains to your windows and choose oversized drapes that can be hung in large swathes and secured with classic tasselled tie backs. Include a large tapestry style rug in the centre of the room and add some traditional cushions to a bed or seating area in rich velvet and satin fabrics or gold embroidered designs featuring rococo or baroque style patterns.

Add traditional accessories to your chosen room that will reflect the elegance and opulence of period interior design. Silver and gold candlesticks and ornate photo frames will look great arranged along a central mantelpiece or sideboard; creating a focal point within the room. Include some traditional paintings in gold or wooden frames featuring classis rural landscapes or portraits that will look great as standalone pieces or displayed in a group formation on a main feature wall or staircase area. If you have chosen a large dresser as one of your furniture items then use this to display an array of period china and ornaments as well as any crystal or glassware that can be placed in a central position in your living room or dining room interior.

For more ideas on creating a splash of period luxury in your home interior, take a look at this week’s latest Pinterest board - Pinterest - Period Luxury.