The Victorian Furniture Style spread under Queen Victoria, whose passion for ornate design styles influenced public opinion.
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Who was Victoria?
Queen Victoria inherited the throne when she was 18, after her all her uncles passed away. As they left no legitimate children to ascend to the throne, Victoria became Queen of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Her reign lasted 63 years and seven months, which is now called the “Victorian Age.”
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The Biggest Achievements of the Victorian Age
Science and technology, in the Victorian Age, were very important, and the inventions made during this period had great influence. London was the location of the Great Exhibition of 1851, organized by Henry Cole, Prince Albert, Queen Victoria, and several members of the Royal Society. It was a celebration of modern industrial technology and design, for which The Crystal Palace was built.
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Exhibition#/media/File:Crystal_Palace_-_Queen_Victoria_opens_the_Great_Exhibition.jpg
About the Style
Architecture of this period has distinct characteristics. Moreover, architects took ideas from Gothic architecture and other movements throughout history and nature. Here are the names of some important architects:
- Richard Norman Shaw: A British urban designer who worked on many influential country houses in the “Queen Anne” style for town and country
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- George W. Bourne: Designed the Wedding Cake House in 1825, in Kennebunk, Maine. Like several mansions in the Victorian era, they have wooden Gothic decoration, added in 1850, to keep up with architecture trends.
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This style has many distinctive features, such as two to three floors, asymmetrical shapes, mansard roof, porch, towers, and vibrant colors.
The Victorian Style Today
Today we can find many buildings still decorated in the Victorian Style. For example, the famous “Painted Ladies of San Francisco,” are a row of colorful Victorian houses located in the neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury in California. The name “Painted Ladies” refers to the three or more paint colors used to show their architectural detailing.
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Info source: https://buffaloah.com/a/DCTNRY/v/vic.html
