The award winning Downton Abbey has inspired many of us who are interested in interior design and classic architecture. This incredibly popular period drama is set in the Edwardian era and reminds us of the romantic summer evenings of a bygone era, in golden sunlit gardens, sipping from elegant tea cups and enjoying all that’s good about life. The strength and boldness of Edwardian design is said to have reflected their confidence and eternal optimism and it is this that we are still trying to emulate to this day.
The Edwardian period is generally considered to span the years of 1901 to 1914 and came about under the reign of King Edward VII. Although a relatively short period of time, the Edwardian era saw a housing boom around the country’s cities. Middle class families moved to the suburbs where they built modest sized homes which were more manageable and easy to maintain.
Edwardian Features & Design
By modern standards, Edwardian homes displayed a much simpler approach to design than the Victorians. Although Victorian properties are equally as popular, most interior designers would agree that this simple approach to design makes Edwardian properties far easier to modernise.
Lighter paint colours replaced the dark, sometimes over powering colours of the Victorian era, and wallpaper designs became less fussy. Edwardians were fans of natural light and the entrances were built with spacious hallways and wide flowing staircases. Expensive parquet flooring was installed on both the floor and walls along with dado rails and elegant picture rails. Home comfort was inspired by the arts & crafts movement of the time and included fitted furniture and “cosy corners” such as cushioned benches beside the fireplace and fitted reading alcoves. It really does bring connotations of a great lifestyle to mind; lounging around with a book, whilst poking the fire and enjoying being at home with your loved ones. No wonder we all fell in love with Downton Abbey!
Edwardian Architecture Features
Simple but bold red brickwork adorned the front of Edwardian houses, often with flashes of colour on painted balconies and verandas. The inherited Victorian porches were given an uplift with intricate tiling and terracotta details. In fact, you will find most Edwardian features located at the front of the house. This is because a large percentage of Edwardian properties were owned by businessmen and property developers who would rent the property out. They invested money into the front of the house in order to maximise curb appeal, with little consideration for the rear of the property. If you are considering buying a property and are wondering if it is Edwardian or not, look for an impressive front facade and a less than impressive rear end.
Edwardians would never compromise on the quality of their front doors as they understood how vital it was to their prospective tenant’s first impression of the house. Strong and handsome Edwardian doors with beautifully etched stained glass were fitted to the front of their properties, often in traditional Oxford-blue or Royal-mail-red. Side panels were fitted to fill their homes with natural light.
If you would like to add a touch of Downton Abbey Edwardian style to your home today, you can view our selection of Edwardian front doors which are all available in 7 different colours and a selection of different styles. You can also customise your door using our door designer tool.
If you think your property may be Victorian, you can read our blog “How to tell if your property is Vicotrian” to double check.