Household Elegancies

Victorian interior design is easy with period decorating ideas, tips, and advice culled from authentic period sources.

White Window Treatments for City Windows

White Window Treatments for City Windows

In some Asian and Slavic cultures, white is considered to be a color that represents death; a feeling shared by the author of this brief article which was published in the March 1896 issue of The Ladies’ World. I personally think that white makes a nice contrast against the red brick and brownstone of Victorian [...]

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Digital Scrapbooking, Meet Victorian Scrapbooking!

Digital Scrapbooking, Meet Victorian Scrapbooking!

Perhaps you are a digital designer on a quest for digital scrapbooking freebies and downloads? Scrapbooking has a fascinating pedigree; the majority of free vintage clip art images on this website were derived from antique Victorian era scrapbooks that have survived the ravages of time. Some of the more interesting scrapbooks in my collection are [...]

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A Victorian Window-Screen

A Victorian Window-Screen

A Victorian Window Screen, from Ingall’s Home Magazine, 1877 The foundation of this window-screen is made of woven netted lace, on which white woven braid is hemstitched in lattice-shape with black split zephyr worsted. The braid is ornamented in herring-bone stitch with similar worsted. Stretch this foundation in a frame of varnished black cane.

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Make a Victorian Braided Rug

Make a Victorian Braided Rug

Those acquainted with the manner of making the “quilled braid,” as it was called in the old days, can apply it to the manufacture of beautiful and serviceable rugs, for parlor or sitting-room floor. The materials required are wide, woolen braid or strips of cloth of two or more colors, a piece of canvas or [...]

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Beautiful Back Windows

Beautiful Back Windows

To shut out a disagreeable view from a back window, the glass may be rendered ornamental, and the obnoxious objects shut out, by a very simple plan, which makes a very fair imitation of ground glass. This is effected by cutting out stars or diamonds upon a piece of white muslin, tarlatan, or common tissue-paper, [...]

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Grotesque Victorian Hooks part 2

Grotesque Victorian Hooks part 2

I literally picked at this today. Using the soy-based paint remover called for patience, but I’m satisfied with the end result. I used dental tools to pick out the gunk in the crevices. At this point, I’m thinking that it is neither brass or bronze, but cast steel, with some sort of plating. I wish [...]

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