Have you been inspired by the lavish sets of the blockbuster British period drama Downton Abbey? Considered injecting some aristocratic glamour into your house?
It doesn't matter if your home is more Kath & Kim than stately manor, you can enjoy the opulence of the Downton era wherever you live.
We asked Australian interior designers for their ideas in recreating the stylish surroundings of the upper-class Crawley family and their servants at the country estate of Downton Abbey from 1912 to 1922.
Melbourne designer Virginia Blue has more than 20 years experience as a commercial and residential designer and runs her own interior architecture and building design studio, Blue Fruit. One of her main areas of work involves bringing heritage properties into the 21st century without losing their original integrity.
“The Edwardian and 1920s style (a la Downton Abbey) is a particular favourite era” she says. “I have just finished an Edwardian property, with a complete overhaul from top to toe, but where the client was very keen to retain and reinstate the original Queen Anne detail.”
The style of this period in Australia was the same as in England but with the use of Australian native flowers, says Blue. "To recreate this glamorous style in a modern home, think of elements which are sumptuous yet simple, with an element of nature in their pattern or shape, and focus on pastel colours with white as a contrast. There are three rules: Simplicity of pattern, obsession with nature [floral patterns and flowers everywhere] and lightness."
Blue says the early 1900s were a time of great change in interior design. “Out went the heavy, cluttered style of the Victorian age and in came electric lights and heating. No longer did walls have to be painted dark green and red to conceal the smoke from coal heating and oil lighting. Instead, pale colours were to be found on walls, celebrating all that was light, bright and clean.”
“Windows became larger, fabrics became paler; furniture was either highly polished or painted white to reflect the light."
Sydney interior designer Meg Tuckett defines the Downton aesthetic as “glamorous, opulent, confident but at the same time warm and welcoming.”
Tuckett says to get the Downton look choose a strong, rich colour scheme, keeping ceilings and woodwork white. “My favourite white is from Resene, called Alabaster, which works with everything,” she says.
“For the walls choose Starbell, a mellow and warm yellow. If using wallpaper, Ralph Lauren has many beautiful designs in particular Abbeywood Damask in Balmoral Red, from The Archival English Papers 11 Collection.”
Blue agrees walls must be elegant. "Soft pistachio green, lilac, dusky rose, pale peach-apricot or soft grey would all work as wall colours, with timber mouldings picked out in crisp white" she says.
Or she says choose paintable wallpaper, embossed with stylised floral patterns. Alternatively go for a wallpaper of swirling Art Nouveau roses, wisteria or native Australian flowers like waratah and gum blossom below the dado rail, with a matching plain paint colour above.
Choose highly polished timber floors with an Oriental or Turkish rug. “The floor rug that could reflect the paint or wallpaper colours. Whitecliffe Imports have a wonderful selection” says Tuckett.
For a bedroom as grand as Lady Mary's, get a painted or fabric covered three piece screen or use wallpaper and add aged brass studs on the edges, she says. “You could also buy a button backed bedroom chair - something with turned legs. There's a glorious new velvet collection from Ralph Lauren called Velvet Library.”
Blue suggests upholstering a deeply buttoned chaise or armchair in pale lilac velvet, trimmed with pearl grey tassel.
“Add a crystal and brass chandelier, a vintage brass bed made up with white linen, masses of fresh flowers in old silver teapots and the room becomes one of Edwardian glamour.”
So before the start of season four of Downton, scheduled for early 2014, settle down on your new velvet chaise with a cup of Earl Grey and wait for inspiration to strike.
by Sandy Smith