BY PAULA BURNS
This article was featured in our Home & Garden Autumn/Winter 2024 supplement – you can read the full supplement here!
If you have a penchant for luxury and all things ornate, the ‘gilded age’ inspired décor is the interior vibe for you. This was the era of excess, when the new money of New York society wanted to show they were worth it.
While opulence is at the heart of the look, you don’t have to have the bank balance of a Vanderbilt to get the look.
Creating a modern take on the gilded age, is about weaving elements of decadence into your home. Subtle yet effective hints of luxury can be brought through accessories and furnishings. You want the grandeur, without the tack.
Colour code
Set the tone through a blend of deep, rich shades with accents of luxurious metallics.
Think hues of luscious forest greens and deep navy for a warm and opulent interiors vibe. Darker shades work well to create a cosy environment, so are well suited to a living room.
While fashion’s love of burgundy has put the fine wine shade back in vogue, matching your streetstyle with you interiors vibe is easy.
Look to adorning a rich velvet couch with oversized soft cushions in full-bodied shades of burgundy.
Or bring it through in your window dressing with a berry infused curtain. Paint the window frame in clashing pink for extra decadence.
Working in harmony with the short winter days, these darker tones create an inviting space that you won’t want to leave.
Ambience
Despite the atmosphere of opulence that is associated with the gilded age, it lends well to curating a homely and inviting space.
Let there be light. Well at least the shimmer of candlelight. Take the ambience up a notch under the soft twinkling of candles.
Ditch the Ikea tea lights for something a little more bougie. Look to wall sconces and candelabras in brass and gold to evoke that feeling of warmth we crave in the winter months.
Deep, dark luxuriant colours on walls, furniture and in this case, even the fireplace are beautifully accented with gold accessories.Going for gold
If you’re a natural magpie then the gilded age trend is one where you will thrive. Making it a treasure trove of little knick-knacks is a great way to introduce a personal touch to your home. Gold accessories are the perfect shimmering accents that will bring light to the moodier paint choices. Think decadent brass bookends or white vases filled with seasonal blooms.
Going for gold doesn’t have to stop at accessories.
Gold-leaf sheets are the interiors nugget you never knew you needed. Their versatility knows no bounds.
From adding the Midas touch to a black wooden stair case – place on the back boards of each step - or creating a statement mural in place of a headboard in the bedroom, a sliver of gold leaf brings a whole lot of splendour.
Texture
Texture and materials can often be overlooked, but they play an integral role in creating any interiors space. The decadence of the gilded age calls for less quiet luxury – more is more.
Choose sofa cushions covered in luxurious velvets or bold printed florals. Introducing depth through accessories will instantly evoke a sense of comfortable luxury. Window dressing is also a must. Don’t be shy. Instead dare to be bold by making the window a focal point in the room.
Dress it up with lavish brocade curtain fabrics or upgrade a lightweight fabric with a tasselled edge.
While wooden flooring remains a firm favourite in the modern age, adding some texture underfoot will uplift any room.
Rugs are also a practical way to divide an open-plan space for living and dining. In keeping with the moodier vibe look to oversized, oriental rugs. The intricate patterns and colours are a sumptuous way to introduce a sense of decadence to your living space.
Ornate, vintage-style furniture, patterned, wood-panelled flooring and gold touches combine for a classic ‘gilded age’ effect.Art meets wood panelling
In keeping with the gilded age times, let your walls do the talking. The walls of the Fifth Avenue mansions were enhanced through different mediums. Art was one that they particularly loved to showcase.
With this in mind, don’t be afraid to fill your walls with the art you love. It can be anything from quirky prints to a painting your kids did that you absolutely adore.
It’s all about how you present it. Bring the art pieces you love to life in the most ornate way.
They deserve to be housed in decorative, decadent gold frames. While a gilded frame looks expensive, it doesn’t have to be. Charity shops and vintage sellers always have a good selection of old school picture frames.
If you can’t find gold, you can always upcycle a pretty decorative frame to the shade you want with a touch of paint.
In a bid to make bland new houses a bit more interesting, the gilded age favourite, wood panelling, has made a major interiors comeback.
Of course the panelling of yesteryear was a showcase, adorned with intricate detailing and carvings, usually in gold leaf.
For the modern era, you can bring it down a gear without losing its impact. Go for rich, deep colours in keeping with the vibe of grandeur.
Heavy curtains, ornate wallpaper and accessories that hint at a bygone era.
