Bring Downton Abbey Home: Add a Nod of Edwardian Style

The Cast of Downton Abbey

Because I know lots readers spent this Sunday evening watching the Superbowl instead of Downton Abbey (myself included), some of us may be feeling a little empty inside. I know I need my weekly Downton fix but with my native New England team up against my recent hometown New York team, I had to watch – Congrats to the New York Giants by the way!

The Masterpiece classic period drama Downton Abbey on PBS, has captivated many with its soap-opera drama and cast. Aside from the clash between servants and aristocrats, a great reason for the series’ success is the opulent, well-curated set. Many of the scenes are shot on location at Highclere Castle in Hampshire England, and no detail is left unturned. Set in the Edwardian period of England, after the heaviness, clutter and dark colors of Victorian interiors, people wanted something new and cheerful. Edwardian style was a breath of fresh air with decor in fresh, light floral patterns and pastel colors.

In my latest Ideabook for Houzz.com, I pulled together products influenced by the English taste that can be described as worldly and eclectic, gathered from travels around the world and founded on beauty, luxury and class.  You can find my entire Ideabook on Houzz [Here] but I wanted to give readers a sneak peek at my favorite pieces. Enjoy!

 

Lady Mary's Room Inspires a re-creation with both modern and vintage pieces

I absolutely love Lady Mary’s room on the Downton Abbey. The rich wooden canopy bed and the lush textiles create such a visual treat! I was thinking about how great it would be to re-create such a space. Through extensive research I think I found some really great products that could pull together a Lady Mary inspired room.

Take a trip to Boston

The Rubbish Bin

This weekend we headed to Boston for a short birthday trip.  Since my birthday was on January 2nd and most of the museums were still closed from the holidays, we decided to wait until this weekend to celebrate.  I booked a room at the Ames Hotel, which is a luxury boutique hotel that opened in 2009 after renovating the historic Ames skyscraper.  Usually, we wouldn’t be able to afford such a room, but thanks to Living Social we stayed in the Deluxe One Bedroom Suite (room #303).

Upon entering the room you are presented with a light filled open space.  The arched windows are floor-to-ceiling, and the decor of the room is crisp, chic and grand.  I especially loved the juxtaposition of the 19th century architectural details with the modern furnishings.  Even though I typically am drawn to more traditional spaces, this design of this space provided an opportunity for me to really feel like I was on a vacation.  The hotel room in itself would have been a terrific birthday gift in itself. But to make our trip worth while, we took to the streets to visit museums, soak up some history and window shop.

The Living Space

The Bedroom and Bathroom – Loved that Tub!

A Weekend Getaway & Antiques on My Budget

Kabinett & Kammer Sign in Front of Their Andes Store

In August Jack and I took a trip upstate to attend our friends’ wedding in the Catskills.  It was a bit a of journey but a trip well spent.  We had a wonderful time at the wedding, which was extremely beautiful!  We also had a great time exploring the area where we were able to partake in some terrific antiquing!  We came out on top with a fabulous new light fixture for the bathroom, Fish and Wildlife prints and a beautiful 1940s black onyx ring!

Breakfast – Door to Door service!

The few towns we visited were Bovina, Delhi, and Andes, NY.  We stayed in Bovina at the Mountain Brook Inn.  At a great price of $105.00 (+ $10 for doggies) it’s situated on a secluded little farm, where you must cross a brook to get to your room.  Each morning they serve guests a complementary breakfast of home baked muffins and fresh fruit in a sweet little basket!

Brimfield – May 2011

Not only is summer right around the corner, but so is the Flea Market and Antiquing season!  This week was the first of the three 2011 Brimfield Antique Shows, in Brimfield Massachusetts.  Luckily, a few of us from the office were able to take the trip to the show this week.  This was my first visit to Brimfield (even though, I grew up only 30 mins away) and I had a great time searching for both work and play items.  For those of you who have never been or have never even heard of Brimfield, you should definitely try to go sometime.  It’s huge!  There is just so much to see and if you’re looking for something old, vintage or antique, chances are, you’ll find it. . . or something very similar to what you have in mind.  Keeping in mind that I have to move soon, I didn’t want to purchase anything too big or specific.  I’m definitely going back in July with my boyfriend because he really wanted some “military or WW2 stuff”.  I failed on purchasing anything for him, but I feel like thrifting and antiquing is more of a personal thing.  My purchases did include:  A pair of 19th century silhouettes, a 1940′s wool nurse’s cape, and a suitcase to make into a doggy bed all for the total cost of $84.00.  Although, I only ended up bringing home a few things, I took a lot of photos of interesting booths and items.

Check it out.