Here’s my first pass at sprucing up the Twigthorne Manor parlor.
Crown molding and a picture rail have been added. I kept them all white to match the existing trim, but I might experiment with something darker.
Fun Fact: There is no difference between crown molding versus moulding — except for the spelling, of course. “Moulding” is the British spelling while “molding” is the American version.
There are countless types of moulding out there. We do want Victorian-era styles, and to take the existing style into account – so that narrows it down a bit. But not much.
For some, the epitome of Victorian-style crown molding is a plethora of dentils, acanthus leaves, egg-and-dart details. But Arts and Crafts was also Victorian – late, but Victorian – and it was all about clean lines.
Twigthorne has the clean lines. Although, who knows how much it has changed over the years.
Currently, there is little crown moulding in the place. The dining room, the side entrance, and the butler’s pantry have crown moulding. The molding of the latter two seems more related to the rest of the house’s trim and is, I’m guessing, original. The dining room crown moulding is of a different style and was probably added later.
Now, crown molding in the dining room make sense. But it also seems that the parlor should have some. Certainly, you would put crown moulding in the parlor before you put it in the butler’s pantry. Wouldn’t you?
To me, it seems likely the parlor did at one time have crown moulding. There could be evidence under the wallpaper.
And another strange thing – there’s beadboard wainscoting in these three aforementioned rooms, and the kitchen, but nowhere else. Is this another feature that was installed when the house was built only to vanish later? It’s a mystery.
For the frieze and wallpaper, I used Bradbury & Bradbury Woodland Set. Of course, this isn’t how these would look if applied in the real world. The Deer & Rabbit frieze is much larger in real life and wouldn’t actually fit our border area. Maybe without the crown moulding… And the Sweet Briar wallpaper isn’t to scale.
I just wanted to try some things.
With future configurations, I’ll get more serious about making it true to life.
The lamp is meant to mimic a Tiffany – it’s my own design.
And speaking of my own design – I’m half tempted to try my hand at designing some wallpapers and friezes.
Check out Twig & Hermit – Twigthorne Interior Design.
We’ll by trying some William Morris designs, as well.
Morris & Co. was founded by William Morris in 1875.
The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America.
Initiated in reaction against the perceived impoverishment of the decorative arts and the conditions in which they were produced, the movement flourished in Europe and North America between about 1880 and 1920. It is the root of the Modern Style, the British expression of what later came to be called the Art Nouveau movement, which it strongly influenced.[4] In Japan it emerged in the 1920s as the Mingei movement. It stood for traditional craftsmanship, and often used medieval, romantic, or folk styles of decoration. It advocated economic and social reform and was anti-industrial in its orientation. It had a strong influence on the arts in Europe until it was displaced by Modernism in the 1930s, and its influence continued among craft makers, designers, and town planners long afterwards.
The term was first used by T. J. Cobden-Sanderson at a meeting of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society in 1887, although the principles and style on which it was based had been developing in England for at least 20 years. It was inspired by the ideas of architect Augustus Pugin, writer John Ruskin, and designer William Morris. In Scotland it is associated with key figures such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Check out Twig and Hermit – House Page
Twig & Hermit 