Season 3 of Downton Abbey premiered over the weekend. Did you watch? The plot, characters and fashion aside, it’s the interior design that keeps us looking forward to each episode! Filmed onsite at Highclere Castle and set at the end of the Edwardian Era, Downton’s set reflects an eclectic range of styles and influences. In particular: pastel colors, lightweight fabrics and furniture designed with delicate lines and upholstered in fabrics with floral design.
Image from Highclere Castle
Highly polished wood floors with oriental rugs (above) appear in the music room, flaunting ornate style with its baroque ceiling, Italian tapestries and gilt details. Located at center is a simple English tea table.
Image from itv
The Grantham family embraces gorgeous gilt details in the drawing room as well, on frames, molding and French-style armchairs. During this time, electric lighting was just beginning to be introduced in grander homes, seen here in a chandelier that’s dripping with cut glass. Pastel green damask wallpaper and needlepoint tapestry pillows with floral accents add a touch of Edwardian femininity.
Image from Highclere Castle
In one of the bedrooms, a charming four-poster bed is decorated with 18th century silks and matching furniture. Although smaller in size than those from the Victorian era, which preceded the Edwardian era, fireplaces remained common in upper class bedrooms.
Image from Highclere Castle
Colors tended to trend slightly darker in Edwardian-era living rooms, or in this case Downton’s Gothic-inspired saloon – which serves as the heart of the home’s social gatherings. Wall coverings made of leather, as well as Japanned furnishings and an ornate fireplace, create an impressive gathering space for guests.
Image from Highclere Castle
No dinner scene was complete without candelabras, which were used to create ambiance even as electricity came into wider use. Of course, the era’s formalities also called for glass goblets and silver place settings, while centuries old portrait paintings keep close watch over the Granthams and their dinner guests.
Image from itv
Downton Abbey has certainly been influential in bringing back Edwardian style, and there’s no reason you can’t adopt a little of the Granthams’ surroundings into your own home! Whether you want to start small with a silver candelabra, or go big with a crystal chandelier or bed featuring satin upholstery, these are our top picks for getting the look.
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