Hi cuties! How’s your March going? Honestly, the weather has been so all over the place that I kind of have been laying low and catching up on the new shows. My fave? “The Gilded Age” on HBO, of course! This show has a great cast and plenty of drama and intrigue…but what really has me hooked are the brilliant turn-of-the-Century sets! Swoon!!!
The 19th Century interiors of the Russell, Brook, Van Rhijn, Chamberlain, and Astor homes are a dream for design nerds such as myself! I can’t stop geeking out over the gilded moulding, the opulent upholstery, the perfectly placed accessories on every surface! Many of the interiors were filmed in the famous Newport, RI, mansions, and others on soundstages…but they all have me feeling very inspired.
“Now, I know we can’t all have a full household staff on hand to set our tables for every meal in traditional English style, or help us dress for carriage picnics and debutante balls (one can dream)…but it is easier than you might think to bring “Gilded Age” elements into your own home!”
Check out the show’s trailer below and you should be nicely inspired to shop some of my fave 19th-Century-inspired KKH pieces…all worthy of the both old and new money crowds up and down the Avenue!
Dine in Style
While many “Gilded Age” viewers might be more absorbed by Oscar Van Rhijn’s sneaky courtship of Gladys Russell (despite the fact that she’s not out in society yet!) or the railroad dealings of Mr. Russell…I have to admit that when the new money Russells sit down for dinner, I’m more focused on the gorgeous table settings and dazzling crystal chandelier. I wouldn’t mind having a few handsome butlers at the ready too…but alas!
The first thing to do if you want to bring the “Gilded Age” to your home is to invest in glamorous tabletop essentials. Gilded glassware, plenty of ornate pewter (my fave!), designer candles, and obviously the sparkliest chandelier you can find!
The Russell family dines with Oscar Van Rhijn on “The Gilded Age”; photo via HBO
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The Best in Bedroom Decor
Okay, whether you love or hate (or hate to love) the social-climbing Bertha Russell one thing is undeniable: She knows how to get the day started! Breakfast in bed while she reads the news, complete with elegant food tray and a stunning silver tea set at her side? #Goals, honestly!
Even if your morning routine is more quick-shower-and-coffee-to-go than luxe-meal-amongst-the-finest-pillows, you can add some 1860’s luxury to your bedroom design and breakfast ritual with a few select KKH faves.
“In my humble opinion, I think every household needs a pewter teapot so consider this your sign to order one!”
Bertha Russell enjoys breakfast in bed on “The Gilded Age”; photo via HBO
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All That’s Gilded
Though their presence in New York high society is a subject of controversy, the show’s Russell family (based on the Vanderbilts) has all the other characters intrigued thanks to their ginormous “palace on the Avenue.”
“The old money crowd might not want to call on Bertha and George, but they all want to peek inside the over-the-top mansion! And the show’s sets really do not let us down!”
Every corner is decorated to perfection–they call it the “Gilded Age: for a reason. Gold leaf, ornate decor, beautiful textures, patterns, and details are all hallmarks of the time period and show themselves in the furniture, decor, and architecture. Gahhh…I just love it! Someone hold me back before redecorate my whole home as if I’m the heiress to a railroad fortune!
Bertha Russell at home on “The Gilded Age”; photo via HBO
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A Golden Age for the Decorative Arts
I also love the emphasis that “The Gilded Age” puts on the fine art of the time period. The controversial (read: “had an affair with a married man”) Mrs. Chamberlain character casually displays her Edgar DeGas pieces as if they were prints from a museum gift shop! Can you imagine?!
So, in that spirit…my final “Gilded Age” tip would be to indulge all of your artistic impulses! Fill your walls with art that you love and make sure to invest in worthy frames as well–and if they happen to be gild frames, all the better!
Marion Brook at the home of the infamous Mrs. Chamberlain on “The Gilded Age”; photo via HBO
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