What Are the Features of Victorian Furniture?

A Victorian-styled tea room

The Victorian Era of design began during the reign of Queen Victoria of England in the mid-1800s and continued for most of that century. The style of the period was an eclectic mix of several revival styles: Greek, Gothic, Rococo and Renaissance.

Chests of Drawers

A commode, or low chest of drawers, was made of exotic woods atop cabriole legs and often heavily decorated with marquetry, leather and marble tops. A new type of chest, the tall slender filing cabinet, became popular during this time.

Chairs

Armchairs were built for comfort, with padded arms, backs and seats. Easy chairs were fully upholstered and padded. Design styles were diverse, including Rococo, Gothic and Neoclassical.

Sofas

The desire for comfort reached its fullest expression with the invention of coiled spring supports and thickly padded seats. Backs were also upholstered, and the entire sofa was framed with carved wood.

Tables

Smaller tables became popular and were designed for various uses: card tables, worktables, "torchères" for holding candlesticks, consoles with rounded fronts and flat backs that stood stand against walls, tripods for holding tea trays, and "jardinières" for holding plants.

Buffets and Sideboards

Buffets and sideboards were filled with niches and compartments for storing serving items. They were often very large and elaborately carved and topped with curved backs.

Garden Furniture

An iron garden bench reminiscent of Victorian style

As gardening became an increasingly popular pastime, Victorians decorated their outdoor spaces with elaborate cast iron furniture painted in shades of blue, green or white. Rusted wooden furniture satisfied those who enjoyed handcrafting.

References

• "The Abrams Guide to Period Styles for Interiors," Judith Gura; 2005
• "Furniture," Judith Miller; 2005