If you collect old china, you may have noticed how deep some of the saucers are. Have you ever wondered why? When I was a teenager, I visited a friend’s foster parents. They lived in a beautiful enormous house. I perched on a white watered silk covered sofa over an oriental rug and they handed…
Spode makes a lot of beautiful things. We all love the Blue Room Collection. But have you seen the Creatures of Curiosity Collection? Creatures of Curiosity Inspired by Spode’s illustrious design archive from the Victorian era and our obsession with all things wild and wonderful, Spode’s extraordinary Creatures of Curiosity collection has been designed for…
Since the 1720s, Staffordshire Dogs have been displayed on fireplace mantels and window sills. Victorians loved their knickknacks and these little dog pairs might be the most typical Victorian ornament ever. Pottery factories in Staffordshire, England started making these pairs of little dogs, facing each other in the early 1700s. Soon potteries all over England…
When it is cold outside, cheer up the house with some spring bulbs. You won’t believe how easy it is to grow spring flowers in your house. The earliest descriptions, from the early 1700s, describe how the Dutch balance a bulb on top of a bud vase. Special forcing vases are seen in illustrations by…
I found this measuring cup on eBay. It was listed as an antique. Maybe that one was, but they are still making it. The liquid measure cup has a pour spout. It is 3 3/4″ high. It has measure markings inside, cup on one side, ounces on the other. Blue Willow Apron I had earlier…
Grace Teaware makes a version of Blue Willow with the colors reversed, white on cobalt blue instead of cobalt blue on white. I really like it! It makes a nice contrast! The Blue Willow Design Teapot holds 32 ounces or 4 8 ounce cups. It is made of bone china, but is dishwasher and microwave…
This teapot just showed up on Pinterest. My daughter was invited to a mad hatter tea party and was saving ideas. I love it! A Blue Willow teapot with the dormouse holding a Blue Willow tea cup. This is a tea pot by Paul Cardew. I can’t believe I never heard of him before. I’m…
The Arts and Crafts Movement borrowed extensively from other cultures and periods including medieval Europe. The Victorian Gothic revival movement began in the late 1740s. It started with reproducing medieval Gothic. Neo-Gothic buildings used decorative patterns, finials, lancet windows, moldings and other architectural features from the Gothic style. This house draws on many features of…
Gothic furniture marked a change from the Victorian style. The popularity of Archeology led to a fascination with Classical Greek and Roman designs. Classical Revival drew on these influences. Then, by the mid to late 1800s Gothic Revival, also called Victorian Gothic or Neo-Gothic, drew on the Gothic style of the 12th century. The movement…
Hard to believe, but there are styles other than Mid-century Modern. One of my favorite Decorating books is Decorative Style by Kevin McCloud, a set designer turned interior decorator. “The most original and comprehensive sourcebook of styles, treatments, techniques, and materials.” It covers forty styles; Classical Town Styles, Country Styles, Medieval Styles, Renaissance Styles, Victorian…
