Interior Design Palettes through the ages - Regency
Many historians refer to the Georgian era as the long eighteenth century, as the period we study spans over 100 years. The specific dates are argued over, but the period is generally from c.1714 to c.1837. This includes the Regency Period, c.1795-1837, which you may recognise from Jane Austen novels such as Pride and Prejudice or tv shows such as Bridgerton.
Alt Text: Watercolour illustration of Bridgerton House inspired by the TV series Bridgerton. Illustration by Ashley Thomas-Pate.
It is therefore impossible to boil down the Georgian era into one style as it would have evolved over the century, as well as having regional differences and including many diverse personal preferences! For the Regency era, however, many agree on typical design features including the following:
Classical architectural orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian), Neo-Classical or Neo-Palladian architecture, and a focus on symmetry and order.
Pastel colour schemes including pale grey, cream, pale violet, pink, and pale blue. Be sure to look out for low or no-VOC paints that are vegan (don’t contain casein or other animal products) for better indoor air quality.
Items collected from abroad, the Grand Tour of the continent undertaken by young European upper class gentlemen (and some women!).
Dark mahogany and rosewood were popular for furniture, as well as exotic and ebonised woods. Exotic woods aren’t sustainable, many are harvested from tropical rainforests which leads to deforestation, and then there is the carbon cost of shipping around the world. If you still want the same look then a better option than buying new is second-hand or vintage.
Many interior architectural features within a Georgian or Regency home may already be existing when you move in, such as cornice moulding, original doors and frames, timber panelling. You may already have original oak or pine timber flooring, but if not, there are plenty of companies that salvage and sell reclaimed planks.
Don’t forget to bring in some indoor plants to improve air quality and mental health. If you’re terrible at gardening and can’t keep plants alive, know that even an image of nature can improve your mental health by connection to nature. Georgian painter JMW Turner created romantic landscapes, some of his paintings are available as prints from the Tate.
The following mood board is inspired by the Regency era, and aims to use as many sustainable and vegan finishes & furniture as possible.
Alt Text: Regency-inspired interior design palette, including as many reclaimed, sustainable, and vegan options as possible. Design by Ashley Thomas-Pate.
1. peace lily (this one from Patch Plants), 2. egg & dart moulding, 3. ionic column candlestick by Pentreath & Hall, 4. soy wax candle ‘calming’ by Neal’s Yard Remedies, 5. gilded mirror, 6. reclaimed fireplace (this one from Retrouvius), 7. pendant lighting ‘Sorrento’ by Laura Ashley, 8. english ivy, 9. oak plank flooring, 10. jute rug (this one from Ikea) 11. vegan wall paint ‘gossamer’ by Graphenstone, 12. wallpaper ‘broad stripe’ by Little Greene, 13. Tintern Abbey, JMW Turner, 1794 (print from the Tate), 14. gilded frame, 15. regency era side table (this one from Auctionet), 16. clothbound Jane Austen collection by Penguin, 17. usb lamp ‘Wick’ by Graypants, 18. reclaimed marble column (this one from Retrouvius)
Sources:
Courses taken while studying at University of Oregon for my Bachelor of Interior Architecture (History of Interior Design, History of Western Architecture) and at University of York for my Masters of Arts in Conservation of Historic Buildings (Analyzing Historic Buildings and Interpreting Historic Buildings)
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/architecture/interior-design-through-the-ages
https://georgiangroup.org.uk/georgian-architecture/
https://v2.wellcertified.com/en/wellv2/mind/feature/2
https://www.usgbc.org/leed/v41
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/houseplants/for-human-health
