About Antique Victorian Furniture

Victorian furniture was made in England in the nineteenth century. During the Victorian era, Britain ushered in industrialization and mechanization, which fueled the economy and prompted consumerism. Wealthy industrialists purchased big estates while the middle classes explored ways to upgrade their homes. Furniture and interior design were of great interest, and furniture-makers took advantage of innovations in production to engage in mass production.

Features

Features of antique Victorian furniture include imposing structures, curving silhouettes, dark woods, glossy glazes, rounded corners and lots of flourishes and ornamentation. Victorian design favored combining elements and world traditions. Wood furniture was typically made of mahogany, oak or rosewood. Some elements in Victorian furniture were still done by hand, such as the creation of pin hinges, dovetail joints, turned handles and turned bun feet.

Types

There are various types of furniture that can be classified as Victorian. In general, feminine and delicate designs reigned, and comfort was prioritized with cushions on armchairs and dining room chairs. By the late nineteenth century, Victorian furniture-makers sought to replicate the Sheraton, Chippendale and Tudor styles, incorporating dark finishes and high quality construction.

Time Frame

The early years of the Victorian era saw some aspects of Regency furniture styles, with curves, scrolls and woven elements. By the middle of the nineteenth century, styles had shifted again, adding more rounded elements, shiny finishes, carved ornamentation and upholstery. Furniture of the late Victorian age lost some of its feminine grace in favor of chunky construction. This age also saw the birth of two popular styles, Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau.

Effects

Designers Hugh Baillie Scott and Charles Rennie Mackintosh were the pioneers of England's Art Nouveau movement, which reinterpreted elements of Victorian furniture design. Carving and adornments remained, but became Gothic and medieval in theme. On the other end of the spectrum was the Victorian Arts and Crafts movement, made famous by artist William Morris. The style eschewed decoration in favor of simplicity, reveled in its handmade look and celebrated farmhouse style. Rather than using the dark mahogany of Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts furniture designers left pieces unvarnished and lighter in tone. However, the style often incorporated hand-painted panels or elements, in an effort to show the beauty of the individual piece over items of mass-production.

Misconceptions

Although the term Victorian when applied to furniture evokes images of lacy scroll work and flowered tea cups, the fact is that the Victorian era did not have a singular style of furniture. Instead, designers sampled from styles around the world and throughout history, particularly borrowing from Gothic, Tudor, Rococo, Elizabethan and neoclassical traditions. What typifies the Victorian era in design more than anything else is its eclecticism. Designers felt free to borrow from history, the Middle East, Asia and more in the creation of furniture, wallpaper, art, fittings and interior decoration.

Resources

• The online magazine "Victoriana"