| Can't tell your Chippendale from your Hepplewhite? | | | | The Georgian era of design was named after |
| Then it is time to explore the subtle tell-tale | | | | England's King George. Influenced by the classical |
| differences in the major English furniture styles. Born | | | | styles of Greece and Rome, Georgian style is heavy |
| in the 17th and 18th centuries, traditional English | | | | in proportion and detail. |
| furniture design has remained popular in today's | | | | The Hepplewhite style is named after George |
| traditional home décor. But the English design genre | | | | Hepplewhite, a furniture maker by trade but there |
| can actually be broken down into seven distinct | | | | are no pieces known to exist by either Hepplewhite |
| styles. So before you go mixing cabriole legs with | | | | or his business. Nonetheless, Hepplewhite created a |
| marquetry, let's take a minute to set the record | | | | distinctive style with his characteristic shield back |
| straight. | | | | chair. The shape is still seen in modern furniture |
| The Adam Brothers, who were Scottish brothers | | | | design. |
| born in the 1720's and 30's, were actually architects | | | | The Queen Anne style is named for England's |
| by trade. While John and James remained in the | | | | monarch who reigned from 1702-1714. While she did |
| background, designing furniture, their brother Robert | | | | not design the furniture for which she is a namesake, |
| went on to study classical design in Rome. He | | | | she did influence its style. The furniture style features |
| returned to England and eventually established a | | | | curvy lines and Oriental influence. It is best known for |
| furniture manufacturing facility for the family business. | | | | its cabriole leg, which has distinct generous curves |
| Because of his time spent studying classical design in | | | | that often end in a ball or claw foot. One of the big |
| Italy, his architecture and furniture took on a distinct | | | | three English furniture designers, Thomas Sheraton |
| Roman Greco flavor and became one of the | | | | created a more delicately scaled style that featured |
| footholds of the classical revival period in England. | | | | Neoclassical elements and motifs. |
| The signature marks of Adam brothers' furniture are | | | | The last major period of English influence in furniture |
| its delicate scale and elaborate detail. The upholstery | | | | design was the Victorian era, which lasted from 1837 |
| colors were especially trend-setting in dull blue, pale | | | | until the Queen's death in 1901. Victorian furniture is |
| yellow-green, lavender and light gray. | | | | characterized by the decorative excess of the era, |
| Chippendale is another famous name in traditional | | | | incorporating nostalgic elements of Gothic, |
| English furniture. Born in 1718, Thomas Chippendale | | | | Renaissance, Moorish and Oriental designs. |
| was one of the more hands-on furniture designers | | | | All of these designers and periods influenced the |
| and actually made quite a few of his own pieces by | | | | English furniture design that we now lump together |
| hand. The Chippendale style is known for its large | | | | as "traditional" furniture design. But now you know |
| scale and is considered more masculine than curvy | | | | that there are subtle, and not-so-subtle differences |
| Queen Anne pieces - Hepplewhite and Sheraton | | | | between them. And that your mother's Duncan |
| seem lighter-scaled in comparison to Chippendale. His | | | | Phyfe table is not the only example of traditional |
| chair backs were open and show Gothic influences in | | | | English furniture. |
| their designs. | | | | |