The Master Bedroom
The master bedroom was a private room separated from rooms with public use by stairs or passageways. The style and decoration was typically a very personal one, furnished with taste and comfort. The use of lighter colours gave the room a brighter, airier feel and cleaniness and hygiene were all important.
From 1840 onwards matching bedroom suites became fashionable. They might include the bed, wardrobe, dressing table, washstand and commode. The bed could be a four poster, either full or half canopied, with a wooden head and footboard or a more fashionable wrought iron. All were decorated.
The wardrobe was an important piece of bedroom furniture. Often with a mirror, the frontage might be double, triple or quadruple fronted with decoration to match that on the bed.
The washstand might be backed with fabric or tiled splashback with a marble or wooden top. Sometime it was hidden behind a screen. There would be space on top to hold a decorated pitcher and washbowl and often a couple of shelves, cupboard or drawer underneath to hold, a chamber pot of decorative nick-nack. Other pieces of furniture depended on the remaining space and were of an individual choice. Possible additions included:
- Writing desk
- Chair
- Footstool
- Ottoman
- Mirror
- Chaise longue
- Small table
- Towel rail
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