VICTORIAN ERA

The Victorian Era was noted to be from 1837 to 1901 through the reign of Queen Victoria in England.  It was a time of great advancement in political reform, religious movements, artistic styles, and social reform.  Males over 21 could now vote and children under the age of 9 could no longer work. 

In Science, there were great technological advances.  Darwin’s Theory of Evolution was proclaimed.  Novelists such as the Bronte Sisters, Sir Walter Scot, and Charles Dickens brought great joy through their works.  Poets such as Rudyard Kippling and Lord Tennyson wrote with great eloquence.

Oil lamps and candles were used until the advent of gas lamps in the 1860’s, leading to the electricity of the late 1880’s.  Oil lamps and candles continued important even after the advent of electricity.

DRESS

Women wore corsets, balloon like sleeves, and crinolines which later gave way to the bustle look and then slowly the bustles became smaller, going out of style by the 20^th Century.  Men wore stove pipe pants and ties known as cravats.

HAIR

Men wore facial hair; mustaches and mutton chop sideburns.

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BEDROOMS

The husband and wife actually had separate bedrooms with connecting doors and each had their own dressing rooms.  Beds were made of heave dark woods – mahogany, rosewood, and walnut.  Often beds were 4 poster beds with canopies.  Dressing tables were covered with muslins or lace.  Scented sachets, ivory, tortoiseshell, or silver combs and brushes were displayed on the dressing tables.

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DINING ROOMS

Dining rooms were very important places of entertainment.  Often they were very decorative with dark lower walls of mahogany or walnut, a dado rail and above the dado was patterned wallpaper.  Chandeliers were elegant and electrical.  Draperies were made of velvet and often looped back with gold tassels.  Wall sconces and candles were still used.  An important piece of furniture in the dining room was the sideboard where the servants served the meals from.  Mirrors, shelves, and drawers in the sideboard provided space for all the servants needed to serve.  Woods were carved and decorative.  There were usually place settings on the sideboards.  Dining room tables were decorated with flowers.

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DRAWING ROOM

The drawing room is more commonly known as the parlor.  It was a place where people showed their prosperity to the community when they entertained.  Because of this the room was highly decorative.  It had to reflect the status of the family.  Often spacious, it usually had a feminine touch.  Fireplaces, wall paper, decorative ceiling moldings, and rich fabrics were common place.  Drapes were velvet, brocade, silk, scalloped and gilded.  Valances and lace added to their elegance.  Furniture was Queen Anne style; upholstered sofas, button backs or rich color and fabrics.

Furniture was gilded, and made of decorative mahogany.  Sofas had wavy backs; one end being high, the center very low, and the other end a medium height.  Chairs were decorative and often had cushions on the backs and seats while the wood may have been more open in the back.

KITCHENS

The kitchen was not often seen by outsiders.  It was a place occupied by the servants.  There were ancillary rooms off the kitchen for storing food and equipment such as large pots, larders, and butter pantries.  There were usually no built in cabinets but if there were, they had glass fronts for easy viewing.  The center of the kitchen was a large table with shallow drawers and shelves underneath.  Displays of utensils and cooking pans made them more readily available to the servants.  Coal iron or wood stoves were used.  Dishes were washed in the scullery.  There was a free standing wooden server with shelves and hooks to store and display chinaware.  An icebox was used and was at that time an insulated wooden cabinet.  Floors were made of brick, marble, or varnished/oiled hardwood, quary tiles of red, blue, or buff. 

Rag rugs and carpet remnants were used in the kitchens which were usually a bottle green or chocolate brown.  Walls were usually a light tone of paint or wallpaper.

Kitchen furniture was usually pine or oak.

BATHROOMS

The claw foot tub was the tub of fashion.  Often this tub had a high back for leaning against while in the tub.  Sinks were wall or pedestal.  Pull toilets were the latest thing.