Comments on: Upholstery Choices Giving “Victorian” A Bad Rap

By: quantumcat

quantumcat — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:01:26 +0000

That couch color does look a bit…intense but I’ve seen that color mellowed in context with an oriental rug with touches of grenadine and other jewel-toned accessories.

If done properly,the overall decor can take an otherwise garish element and make it synergestic rather than overpowering.

The wear of time and a bit of solar bleaching can also mute a nuclear fusion fuschia into an elegant rose’.

Tastes do vary but a certain respect for style and workmanship will help those appreciative of Victoriana avoid acid green in favor of more subtle choices such as absinthe or olive.

While bright hues and heavy ornamentation are not to be feared or despised,they should be executed with sufficient confidence that they don’t stray into being aggressive or cloying but succeed in being part of an authentic whole.

By: John Werry

John Werry — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:34:33 +0000

Sorry, do not know who made this one.

By: mw

mw — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:50:01 +0000

Do you know who the maker is of this couch?

By: English Classics

English Classics — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:13:40 +0000

I’ve never heard of any popular aversion to Victorian styles of furniture, although that fuschia does look, in my opinion, horrendous. As far as architectural painting goes, I live in a neighborhood with many Victorian houses, and they tend to have muted or earthy colors. Even those that do have pink and other vibrant colors are rather calm; I can’t imagine that the Victorians had either the taste or the capability to produce some of the irradiated colors we see today.

By: monkecmonkedo

monkecmonkedo — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:41:51 +0000

I agree that historical exterior color schemes were more muted. I am not an expert in this area of Chemistry, however; I believe this resulted from a general lack of vibrant inorganic pigments (most were sourced from nature and hence are more “earthy”) and the use of lead oxide as the paint base. Chemistry has come a long way since then; we now have vibrant colors that can withstand the elements. This is because we have a broader range of raw materials and our processing capabilities are much better. For example, titianium oxide yields a much whiter white.

When it comes to fabric, I believe there is historical precedence for bright and muted colors. Take a look at the Brooklyn Museum’s collection of Hunzinger pieces that retain their original upholstery: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/artists/6872/George_Jacob_Hunzinger you see earthy greens, but also crimson and pink. I think the difference with fabric is linked to the use of organic dyes for color. These brightly colored compounds historically came from plants and animals. Such materials would never survive outside, but when protected in an inside environment, they can last for centuries.

By: 1881victorian

1881victorian — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:53:09 +0000

I think that my wife would recommend the book “Mauve” (link below).

Although the previous owners of our house selected the “Razzle Dazzle” (pink), “Naples Sunset” (purple), and “Spring Lilac” color combination, we have opted to maintain the colors. The black-&-white photos from the 1890s show a similar level of contrast, sanding the siding down reveals a more-or-less similar body color (hard to tell, really), and the Victorians did seem to have a love of color (even if not universally-loved on the exterior of their homes).

As for upholstery choices, I have yet to go the way of fuschia, but I am certain that this would be a good match for the exterior colors of the house (if we ever felt the need to match the exterior of the house).

http://www.amazon.com/Mauve-Invented-Color-Changed-World/dp/0393020053

- Jason

By: Marnie

Marnie — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:22:39 +0000

People need to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and do what they like. Why upholster for the next owner’s taste?

I’m in my 30′s and my friends were horrified when they saw I had put up wallpaper in my period house. I was told “No one will want to buy it if it has wallpaper instead of ‘Pottery Barn’ colors.” If everyone else is too ignorant to realize wallpaper is appropriate in my house, too bad for them. Please shoot me if I ever care what the mainstream thinks.