Be inspired by Bridgerton

From the Resene decorating blog

There’s been some hugely popular and extravagantly produced period drama on our televisions in recent times; from the melodrama and romance of Bridgerton and Downton Abbey to the stately royal goings on in The Crown. Part of the fun of these shows is admiring the opulent, often over-the-top interiors. So much so it’s inspired a whole new design trend: Regencycore.

A regencycore style lounge painted in jewel colours

Jewel colours and luxury fabrics make this a very elegant, classic space. Rear wall painted in Resene Indian Ink, floor in Resene Bastille, large coffee table in Resene Persian Red and small side table in Resene Negroni. Sofa cushions and throw from Contempa, lamp and tray from Freedom, artwork from Endemic World, basket, rug and sheepskin from Bo Concept. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

While we might not have a butler, valet or ladies’ maid at our beck and call, we can all add a touch of period glamour and some decorative details to our interiors using Resene paint and wallpaper, without the need for an inherited fortune or aristocratic title.

Start small

As with most renovations projects and inspirations it’s a good idea to test the principles on a small room or area first, with a set budget. Going full Georgian opulence might be a bit much in a modern home and test your tolerance for the era as well as your budget. You don’t want to paint every room in a different shade of Bridgeton blue only to find it’s not for you.

Take a closer look at the interiors on the shows and pick out elements you particularly like. It might be ornate wallpapers and light fittings, or vivid colours, high back chairs and gilt-edge mirrors. To bring key period looks into your modern home it’s all about the right mix of elements that suit the space you have.

Devotedly recreating every detail from parquet floors to marble plinths and leather chaise lounges will start to tip your space into pastiche and end up looking like a film set so choose some elements you like and think about why you like them. That will help you recreate the look in a liveable, modern way. It also means you don’t need to strictly adhere to the styles of a particular period such as Bridgerton’s Georgian era or Downton’s Edwardian look. Those stately homes were passed down through generations so they too were a curated collection of things their inhabitants loved!

Layer upon layer

The simplest, most cost-effective way to build your period drama inspired interior is to build up layers of colour, texture, pattern and shapes.

If you have a plain oblong room in a modern apartment or home you can still create the look of a stately home. Start with a couch or chair. If you can opt for a couch in a plush textured fabric such as velvet, if not add layers of throws and cushions that add that luxury texture, and colour.

Source a mirror or picture frame from a second-hand or antique store and repaint them Resene FX Metallic tinted to Resene Gold for a gilded finish. Tie curtains back with tasselled silken ropes, and add a plush jewel coloured rug to the floor. Sculptural vases filled with flowers and greenery add another layer of luxury and look for ways you can add deep coloured wood or cane.

Metallics, particularly gold, brass and copper tones definitely take your space in the state home direction, and ideally give them a slightly worn ‘inherited’ look, rather than painting them to a perfect shiny finish.

Glass and mirrors are another important touch to a period space, if you can source older ones with that slightly lived-in look, so much the better. Other glass features in light fittings, trays, and cabinets help light bounce around the room, and give everything a touch of glamour.

The key to mixing different textures, patterns and colours in a single space is to focus on something that connects them all. If it’s not a specific historic period, is it a specific colour? Is it a style or pattern?

Your colour choices can definitely help bring cohesiveness to your layers of opulence. It’s a good idea to keep your colour palette to about three colours to avoid things feeling too overwhelming. And think about the 60-30-10 rule, using your main colour over 60% of the room, a second colour for 30% and an accent colour for the remaining 10%. Within that you can still choose subtly different shades to add extra variation for the eye.

An elegant lounge with a central fireplace

Elegant accents and a showcased central fireplace make this a timeless sitting room. Walls painted in Resene Triple Merino with hand painted pinstripes above the mantle in Resene Double Cod Grey, mantel in Resene Raven with a painted arch in Resene Double Cod Grey and hearth in Resene Half Raven, floor in Resene Kensington Grey, chess table in Resene Double Cod Grey and Resene Seashell, bowl on mantle in Resene Leather and tall cylindrical vase in Resene Balderdash. Armchairs from King Living, rug from The Ivy House, cushions from Citta, hex cushion from Allium, stool from Thread. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

Colours

When it comes to choosing a colour palette for a Georgian, Edwardian, or any other historical period really, colour is key. Our modern commitment to neutral interiors really only became the norm in the late 20th century.

If you’re a committed Bridgerton fan you may want to consider basing your colour scheme around Resene Wedgewood. Production designers for the TV show have said they wanted the interiors of the Bridgerton family home to resemble Wedgwood ceramic.

To try the effect at home try the cornflower blue of Resene Wedgewood with a white such as Resene Alabaster or more muted Resene White Pointer. Layers of Resene Duck Egg Blue or the smoky tones of Resene Rhino will work well, as will highlights in Resene Champagne.

By comparison the fictional family’s more colourful, in every sense, neighbours the Featheringtons are defined by brighter yellows and greens. For a fun combination try pale pistachio Resene Deco with the gentle mauve of Resene Fog and bolder Resene Daisy Bush.

Beyond the specific colours associated with the show your colour palette is fairly open. Jewel or deeply saturated colours of emerald such as Resene Green Pea, ruby like Resene Livewire, sapphire such as Resene Sapphire, deep turquoise like Resene Patriot, purple such as Resene Hot Purple or bold yellow like Resene Buttercup inherently lend a sense of luxury to a room. But pastels and more muted shades such as the fresh green of Resene Laurel, the sorbet tones of Resene Tuft Bush or the soft pink of Resene Cinderella will lend your space a refined elegance.

A lounge with a muted colour palette

This room’s muted colour palette makes this layered design style relaxing rather than overwhelming.

Walls painted in Resene Waiouru, floor in Resene Bubble N Squeak and chest of drawers in Resene Napa topped with colourful plant pots in Resene Sunbaked and Resene Double Ash. Armchair, lamp and floor cushion from Freedom, hide and artwork from Shut The Front Door, lambskin cushion from Lapco. Project by Annick Larkin, image by Bryce Carleton.

A retro green interior with a checkerboard floor pattern

Vintage green puts a fresh, earthy spin on a classic checkerboard floor painted in Resene Dingley and Resene Quarter Spanish White.

Rear wall painted in Resene Pale Leaf, cabinet in Resene Clover, chair in Resene Brown Pod, shelf and hooks in Resene Toorak and vases in Resene Triple Spanish White and Resene Half Villa White. Basket and throw from Blackbird Goods, candle and book from Paper Plane. Project by Gem Adams, image by Wendy Fenwick.

Wallpaper

We can’t talk about decorating your space like a stately home without talking about wallpaper. Bold florals, fleur de lis patterns and even Chinoiserie inspired designs are a key feature of those grand dining rooms, plush bedrooms and cosy drawing rooms.

Try the muted teal and brass luxury of Resene Wallpaper Collection 24110 or go for an on-trend bold floral of Resene Wallpaper Collection KEN001.

If going all floral seems too much just cover a feature wall or, scale it back even further by papering over small sections of ply and framing them to hang in your space. Try an artistic repeating design like Resene Wallpaper Collection FJ41102 to resemble a tapestry.

If you can find ornate second-hand frames, paint them in Resene Gold metallic paint or try and replicate an elaborate cornice by painting in a plaster-toned neutral such as Resene Rice Cake or Resene Bianca.

Resene Anaglypta textured wallpaper is another really effective way of adding both texture and pattern into your room. Try Resene Wallpaper Collection RD0648 painted in your favourite Regencycore inspired paint colour to suit your colour palette.

Fun and fast Regencycore design ideas:

Focus on the floor. Black and white checkerboard tiles are an instant classic, and easy to replicate in paint with Resene Black White and Resene All Black; go high gloss for extra glamour.
Upcycle. Trawling local second-hand stores and antique shops can yield some great finds. Sand, paint, polish or reupholster as required for cost-effective objects to complete your stylish space.
Bedrooms can lend themselves to a little opulence. Paint in a warm inviting colour such as a charcoal Resene Bokara Grey, then add a luxury crimson pink throw in velvet or wool, and DIY yourself a headboard wallpapered in the cream swirls of Resene Wallpaper Collection 64302. Flowing curtains or roman blinds would complete the makeover.

Once you have finished adding your favourite Regencycore touches you will have a home fit for a Queen… King or perhaps a princess or prince or two.