| I'm a great reader of mystery fiction from England, | | | | these designs. (In actual fact, Rome borrowed its |
| Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie and the rest of | | | | designs from the Greeks.) |
| the queens of crime. They always reference the | | | | Chippendale (name of a furniture maker): : This |
| furniture in classic terms...but what do they really | | | | furniture was designed to a generous scale - the |
| mean? | | | | Chippendale chairs are considered more "masculine" |
| When you chat with a home decorator about the | | | | than the Queen Anne chairs. |
| various styles that have been popular throughout the | | | | Hepplewhite and Sheraton: These two furniture |
| years, you hear a lot of terminology that you might | | | | makers were competitors fro a time. Their furniture |
| not be too familiar with, or that you've only read | | | | was made from 1775 to 1800. Hepplewhite featured |
| about in books. | | | | "Well-scaled" chairs with a distinctive shield-shaped |
| These classic styles are old - from 500 years onward | | | | backs, while Sheraton furniture is delicate, with |
| - but there is an old saying... everything old is new | | | | "neoclassic elements and design motifs." |
| again, much as with clothing styles. Any of these | | | | Adam is in the reference books, but I've never heard |
| styles can be combined with the more modern styles | | | | it described in the classic cozy English murder |
| to create wonderful living spaces. | | | | mysteries that I read so avidly. However, their |
| In this article I discuss classic styles from England and | | | | furniture is described as "finely designed, delicately |
| France. | | | | scaled, and elaborately detailed." The colors are their |
| Styles from England | | | | most distinctive feature - dulled blue, pale |
| The Renaissance style from Italy didn't reach England | | | | yellow-green light grey, and lavender. |
| until about 100 years after they'd already had their | | | | The Victorian period, named after Queen Victoria, of |
| day in Italy...arriving during Tudor and Elizabethan | | | | course, started the trend toward factory-made, |
| times. (Tudor times start from Henry VII, who | | | | rather than hand-made furniture, thus making it |
| obtained the throne in 1485, and Elizabethan times | | | | affordable to the newly arising middle class. |
| started when Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1558, | | | | Styles from France |
| and ended with her death in 1603). | | | | Louis XIV: Characterized by large-scale furniture, lots |
| These styles are identified by its furniture: | | | | and lots of ornamentation, and a strong color |
| Queen Anne (1702-1714): The furniture created in this | | | | contrast. |
| decade featured curvilinear design and Oriental | | | | Regency: According to experts, this style lasted from |
| influence. | | | | 1700-1730. Economy of design was the watchword, |
| Georgian (named after King George): Again, those | | | | graceful scrolls and curves. |
| classical details from Greece and Rome, influenced | | | | |