Period interiors are rooms decorated and furnished in the style of a particular historical era, either surviving from that time or recreated using appropriate antiques, materials, colours and architectural details. Common reference points in Britain include Tudor and Jacobean, Georgian, Regency, Victorian, Arts and Crafts, Edwardian and Art Deco interiors.
Creating a convincing period interior involves understanding how rooms were originally used and arranged, including architectural features such as cornices, panelling, fireplaces, doors and floors; wall treatments such as paint colours, wallpapers and fabric hangings; lighting appropriate to the period; and furniture, textiles and objects of suitable form and scale. Historic houses, museums and published pattern books provide valuable guidance. Today, many homeowners prefer a more relaxed approach, using period features and well-chosen antiques as a foundation while introducing modern comforts and contemporary pieces. Antiques are central to period interiors, bringing authenticity, craftsmanship and a sense of continuity that reproductions struggle to achieve.
