As usual, I am very late to the Boxset party and finally watched Bridgerton last week. Oh my! In fact, I said oh my several times. Where do I start? The costumes, oh my! The Duke, oh…. Ok, you get the picture.

I watched with bemused interest as everyone was falling over themselves to re-enact scenes from the show and pretend to be Daphne Bridgerton. It was a far cry from Lockdown 1’s obsession, Tiger King. Lockdown 3 had us all lusting after the Duke.

But once again, as much as I admired the Regency fashion and fancied myself swanning around in beautiful dresses wearing a corset so tight it would give me sores only a bad pair of hiking boots after climbing Ben Nevis could give me, I was drawn to the interiors.

Bridgerton debuted on Christmas Day and within 28 days, 63 million households had streamed the programme. It has held the number one slot on Netflix’s Top 10 rankings in 76 different countries. It followed Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of the influential Bridgerton family, as she made her debut onto the London scene in the Regency era.

The Regency Period

The Regency period was short, from 1811 to 1820. It was named after George, Prince Regent who was the temporary king of Great Britain whilst his father, George III was ill.

During this time, it saw the rise of many well-known authors and artists such as Jane Austen and William Turner and our very own Brighton Pavilion was commissioned in 1815 to become the fantastical Oriental Palace that we can still visit today.

Regency architecture

It is no secret that I absolutely love Georgian architecture and the Regency era would have been in the latter stages of the Georgian period. Architects were extremely experimental and would draw from styles including Indo-Chinese (like the Brighton Pavilion) and Egyptian architecture.

Georgian architecture is mainly recognised because of its symmetry and that is probably why it is one of my favourite types of classical architecture. Window and door placement is symmetrical and most buildings were built with brick from local material.

The Bridgerton Interiors

And so, to interiors! Because I know that’s what you are all here for really! Could you imagine being on the set designer team, sent around the UK trying to find suitable palaces and castles to provide the backdrop for the series? Where do I sign up?

The interiors of the Bridgerton set are extravagant, decadent and opulent and that is no surprise when the whole cast were playing Kings, Queens and the Upper Class. 19^th century colours included rich, deep tones with pastel blues and soft champagnes. Patterns are adorned across the soft furnishings and walls and decorative wall motifs are in abundance. 

Regencycore has become a hugely popular interior trend in the last year and it incorporates all the glamour, considered colour choices and regal patterns of the Regency period. I wrote about the Interior Trends for 2021 here. 

Daphne’s Bedroom 

A huge oversized statement bed, vintage furniture, layers of blues and champagne tones in the soft furnishings and decorative details displayed in the panelling on the wall and carved into the furniture. Daphne’s bedroom is the perfect place to start when describing the regencycore trend.

Bridgerton Family Sitting Room

The pastel blue and champagne tones are also carried through to the Bridgerton sitting room with sophisticated furnishings, chandeliers and vintage furniture dotted around the room. Panelling is huge in the interior world in 2021, but how about mixing it up by adding panelling to your wall and introducing wallpaper in the panels.

Blue is the signature colour of the Bridgerton family which was represented not only throughout their home, but with the clothes they wore. The production designer, Will Hughes-Jones, purposely chose Wedgewood Blue as a specific hue which is indistinguishable with English fine china.

A Garden fit for a Ball

You’ve probably had more than a lifetime’s worth of blue pastels and opulent chandeliers by now, so let’s move out into the garden! Several scenes in Bridgerton were set outside including the first kiss between the Duke and Daphne Bridgerton and the Duke and Duchess’ courtyard ball.

Many gardens in the Regency period were kept tidy and simple with plenty of seasonal flowers in beds, orderly hedgerows, cast iron gates and fountains. It would include pathways which would take you around the flowerbeds with ornamental gardens, stonework, treasures and urns. 

Just don’t forget your floral parasol and champagne flute!

I adore vintage interiors, floral patterns and walnut furniture and the interior and garden trends of the Regency period are right up my street! I would love to spend my days wistfully drinking tea out of dainty china cups whilst engaging in tittle tattle with the neighbours and bump into my very own Duke of Hastings at a garden party. I was definitely born in the wrong era! 

What were your favourite items of the Regency period?

Mel x