dolls house source information

The Victorian Dining Room

The Dining Room would be found on the ground floor of a Victorian house, close to the kitchen. It would be relatively masculine in style, whilst still providing the necessary impression to the guests.

Walls tended to be papered with rich dark papers, wood panellings and moulding and furniture would be large and heavy. Dado and chair rail were fitted to protect the expensive wall coverings from wear and tear. A large fireplace and oil and gas lamps would provide heat and light to give the room a warm and welcoming feel.

The dining table typically had extendable leave to enable ten to twelve people to be seated at the table when required. Numbers between six and twelve were common for dinner.

A large and heavily ornamental sideboard would occupy one of the walls. Displayed on top of the sideboard would be various dishes, plates and porcelains that, either would be used for the meal in progress, or simply displayed on a set of shelves above the unit. The drawers and cupboards below would be used to store more plates and dishes, table linens and glass ware.

As if this didn’t fill the room other items of furniture included:-

Chairs

Sofas

Plants and plant stands

Secondary sideboard or cupboard

Side and serving tables

In keeping with the masculine feel of this room, furniture was usually made of dark wood and seating might be upholstered in leather ( less likely to retain the smell of food or smoke.) Likewise, expensive and heavy fabric window coverings were often substituted with simple curtains or shutters to reduce the lingering smells of food.

Furniture was solid, substantial and heavy. Tables often had heavy feet, smaller tables might be on casters for easy manoeveurability.

Chairs came in various styles from the balloon backed chair, popular in the 1850’s to the arched and pointed Gothic designs. Chippendales and Belter chairs were also very suitable choices

Dining room accessories included:-

Pots

pictures

Jardinieres

Pots

Figurines and china ornaments

Table curios

Dining room centerpiece – rose bowl or epergne or display of fruit

Stuffed heads of animals – particularly ones with antlers!

Dinner gong

Tantulus holding decanters, winer, sherry and port glasses

The choice of subject for paintings to be displayed in the dining room was typically themed around fruit, flowers, still life, hunting or outdoor scenes and landscapes.

A good hostess would always use her best china and most elegant dinner service when entertaining important guests. Royal Doulton along with individual miniature pieces of glass and china ware were typical