Bridgerton, Our Love Affair With Regency Interiors
Celebrated as the ‘age of elegance’, the Georgian era is the backdrop for Netflix’s sumptuous series Bridgerton.
As Bridgerton returns to our screens, we take a look at the stunning Georgian interiors that continue to inspire us today. If you're yet to watch the record-breaking period drama, the plot follows two competing families in London in the early 1800s: the understatedly elegant Bridgertons and the ostentatiously wealthy Featheringtons. The exquisite interiors reflects each family’s social standing, with a refined palette of blue, white and champagne reserved for the Bridgertons, whilst bold citrus shades dominate both the home and wardrobes of the Featheringtons. This synergy between the sets and the costumes makes for a visual delight that beautifully captures the grandeur and flamboyance beloved of the Regency period. We take inspiration from Bridgerton’s lavish interiors and share how we have weaved elements of Regency style into our own luxury residences.
'Regency style was synonymous with splendour. From furniture upholstered in silk to damask wallpaper, no expense was spared.'
Regency style, which was popular with the British Royal Court during 1813, was synonymous with splendour. From furniture upholstered in silk to damask wallpaper, no expense was spared. Spanning 1811-1820, the Regency period was Neo-Classical in style, inspired by the many discoveries aristocratic gentlemen returning from their Grand Tour had experienced in Ancient Greece and Rome.
Their travels informed the art, furniture and architecture of the era, which was distinctly classical in feel. This is best captured in the Bridgerton’s residence, which reflects their long and distinguished family history. Shades of blue and cream, from powder blue to deeper tones, adorns their family home. This deliberate colour pairing reflects the love of Wedgewood China during this period, which surged in popularity when Queen Charlotte commissioned a tea set in 1765.
'The Featherington’s home leans towards extravagant colours and patterns with its gilt-frame mirrors, damask covered surfaces and bold citrus shades.'
By contrast, the Featherington’s home leans towards extravagant colours and patterns with its gilt-frame mirrors, damask covered surfaces and bold citrus shades. Their interiors reflect their desire to own the very best and ‘be seen’ in high society.
The homes of the Bridgertons and Featheringtons are further distinguished by a subtle use of family insignia. These symbolic motifs adorn not only their interiors but also their elaborate costumes and hair. The Featherington’s symbol is a butterfly, which represents their desire to change their image in the eyes of high society.
'We use various decorative techniques popularised in the Georgian era within our luxury homes.'
The Regency period continues to inform many of our luxury design schemes due to its timeless elegance and appeal. For instance, wallpaper became popularised during this period, especially simple repeated patterns or chinoiserie sourced from the Far East. Today, stunning chinoiserie designs by Fromental and de Gournay adorn our residences, such as the Willow wallpaper in our Belgravia Townhouse dining room and the hand-embroidered and hand-painted blossom design by Fromental in our Mayfair Residence.
Similarly, in our Walpole Mayfair project, we exclusively collaborated with Cole & Son to create two bespoke wallpapers from previously unprinted Georgian prints in their archives. Furthermore, we use various decorative techniques popularised in the Georgian era within our luxury homes. Gilding, the process of applying thin layers of metal such as gold and silver, can be seen in our most opulent interiors. For example, working with specialist artisans, we gilded the coffered ceiling in one of our Walpole Mayfair residences, to further highlight and enhance the dramatic architectural detailing.
History has shown that in times of social and economic change, we seek escapism. Bridgerton offers both visual relief and inspiration at just the right time, presenting an exaggerated world of maximalist interiors that we can lose ourselves in. For us, the allure of the Regency era with its ornate plasterwork, delicate furniture and fine sense of proportion is timeless. Like the interiors of Bridgerton, we look to celebrate the classic beauty of the era, whilst adding our own contemporary take.
One of our greatest assets is our little black book of trusted artisans and makers who believe in championing hand crafted techniques and are as passionate about delivering the world’s finest, as we are. It was at Walpole’s launch of ‘luxury in the making’ that we had the pleasure of hearing Richard Brendon speak passionately about British heritage craftsmanship and what needs to be done to ensure it survives. Here we talk to Richard about his beautifully crafted tableware that perfectly bridges the gap between traditional craft and contemporary design and the passion he has for all things food and drink.
One of our greatest assets is our little black book of trusted artisans and makers who believe in championing hand crafted techniques and are as passionate about delivering the world’s finest, as we are. It was at Walpole’s launch of ‘luxury in the making’ that we had the pleasure of hearing Richard Brendon speak passionately about British heritage craftsmanship and what needs to be done to ensure it survives. Here we talk to Richard about his beautifully crafted tableware that perfectly bridges the gap between traditional craft and contemporary design and the passion he has for all things food and drink.
It was a pleasure to attend this year’s Walpole British Luxury Summit, a truly unmissable event in our calendar, we were delighted to hear from a diverse range of exceptional speakers, all exploring the future trajectory of British luxury. Here, we share some of our key takeaways from the day, along with reflections and impacts on our own work here at Oliver Burns Studio.
It was a pleasure to attend this year’s Walpole British Luxury Summit, a truly unmissable event in our calendar, we were delighted to hear from a diverse range of exceptional speakers, all exploring the future trajectory of British luxury. Here, we share some of our key takeaways from the day, along with reflections and impacts on our own work here at Oliver Burns Studio.
At Oliver Burns Studio, fragrance is something that connects us all, whether it is the bespoke scent we carefully create for a project or the familiar aroma of a candle burning in the studio. This shared experience of scent holds extraordinary power because it can unlock deeply personal olfactory memories and transport us back to a place or time. As part of our ongoing monthly theme, ‘Designing for the Senses,’ we’re focusing on scent and its essential role in design, recognising smell as a fundamental sense that shapes the experience of a space. As the fragrance market continues to grow, we turned to one of our favourite brands, August & Piers , to learn more about their personal experiences building the brand and their approach to designing fragrance.
At Oliver Burns Studio, fragrance is something that connects us all, whether it is the bespoke scent we carefully create for a project or the familiar aroma of a candle burning in the studio. This shared experience of scent holds extraordinary power because it can unlock deeply personal olfactory memories and transport us back to a place or time. As part of our ongoing monthly theme, ‘Designing for the Senses,’ we’re focusing on scent and its essential role in design, recognising smell as a fundamental sense that shapes the experience of a space. As the fragrance market continues to grow, we turned to one of our favourite brands, August & Piers , to learn more about their personal experiences building the brand and their approach to designing fragrance.