Edwardian

Nowadays the Edwardian era is no longer considered to be confined solely to the reign of King Edward VII. The period known as the Golden Age lasted from 1890 to the outbreak of the First World War – almost a quarter of a century. During the height of the Industrial Revolution, invention and initiative gave England an outstanding position in the world; its businessmen became rich, and the fashion for furnishing one’s own four walls was supported with capital. Interior designers and architects were in high demand and held in high esteem, making houses more open and interiors more welcoming. Rooms were connected and new ones created; the heavy look of old gave way to a new lightness; filigree replaced thick textures and light colours took over from dark. Prosperity was reflected in the lavish use of accessories, valuables and decorations. In the bathroom, efficiency and functionality were coupled with the elegance and new-found sophistication of the age.