Bridgerton who? Here's how to get Miss Austen’s regency look at home
Houses are important in Jane Austen's work. In Pride and Prejudice, the first line of dialogue concerns the news that "Netherfield Park is let at last". In Northanger Abbey, the titular property is a source of obsession for Catherine Morland. Sense and Sensibility begins with the Dashwoods moving into a new home.
Miss Austen, the new drama airing on BBC1, follows the life of Jane Austen's sister, Cassandra Austen. An often-maligned figure in history, Cassandra is famous for having destroyed almost all of Jane Austen's letters after she died.
The series, based on the Gill Hornby novel of the same name, explores why Cassandra might have decided to burn her sister's letters. It's an engrossing drama of family secrets – and of course, we couldn't help but admire the interiors.
However, if you're expecting Bridgerton-level romantic opulence, you would be mistaken. Miss Austen's interiors are all about subtle embellishments, clever motifs and carefully chosen Regency patterns.
Most of the filming took place at Adwell House, the stand-in for Kintbury Vicarage – which was demolished in 1860. Scenes were also shot at Shottesbrooke House and Chawton Cottage, where Jane Austen spent the last eight years of her life. Here, Austen wrote Emma, Sandition and Persuasion. It was a place that inspired productivity and fearless creativity.
Here's how you can bring some of that Jane Austen magic to your interiors.
1. Use colour to create mood rooms
When watching the show, two colours immediately stand out: striking yellow and blue, as seen on the walls in Kintbury Vicarage.
Blue was a particularly popular colour during the Regency period and in the show, it’s associated with Cassandra’s memories of Jane. To recreate the look, use emotive colours on your walls to create different moods in your house. Blue walls would be perfect for a reading nook or quiet study whilst yellows can provide a backdrop to the more social parts of a house.
Blue Verditer™
Yellow-Pink™ (46)
Craig & Rose 1829 Regency Cream Chalky Emulsion paint, 2.5L
2. Splash out on some nature-inspired wallpaper
If pattern is more your thing, Miss Austen also has its fair share of wallpaper. From Toile de Jouy to botanically themed patterns, there are ideas for jazzing up an empty wall.
At the actual Chawton Cottage, nature-inspired wallpaper was reproduced from fragments found in the house. If you want to get the look, try Osborne & Little's Mansfield Park wallpaper collection, which brings designs from the English countryside into your home.
Netherfield Wallpaper by Osborne & Little
Sotherton Wallpaper by Osborne & Little
Onism Pearl Wallpaper
£130.00 at woodchipandmagnolia.co.uk
3. Add brass embellishments
In Miss Austen, the interiors of Kintbury and Chawton are contrasted with the ostentatious opulence of Edward Austen's home. Where neoclassical busts and chandeliers adorn the Austen brother's rooms, at Kintbury, a subtler approach is preferred. Brass candles and gilded frames are your best friends here. Alternatively, try a brass drawer pull for an easy regency update.
Gold Ornate Arched Triple Dressing Table Mirror
Hampton Candle Holder
Castelion Brass Regency Drawer Pull
4. Invest in neoclassical furniture
During the Regency period, interiors were strongly influenced by Neoclassicalism and the styles of ancient Greece and Rome. In Miss Austen, Cassandra’s sister-in-law Mary (played by Jessica Hynes) is frequently seen reclining on a chaise longue. This, or a bed with curled ends, would add a perfect classical twist to your room.
windsor bed
Evie Bed Frame
£899.00 at furniturevillage.co.uk
Wisteria Velvet Chaise Lounge
5. Consider an animal motif
From brass fish to ceramic dogs, animal motifs are repeated throughout the homes of Miss Austen.
Whilst in Mary Jane Dexter's home, taxidermy and animal skins symbolise the oppressiveness of empire in the show, at Kintbury Vicarage, ceramics dogs pay homage to Cassandra's love of the animal.
In your home, consider adding brass ornaments or simple animal prints. They can provide a nod to both the tastes of the period and Jane Austen’s signature wit.
Laura Ashley Bronze Sitting Dog Ornament
ELEMENTAL JELLYFISH print: orange/ gold
$10.00 at thecuriousdepartment.com
Cast Iron Hare Door Knocker
6. Always make space for books
We wouldn’t be following in Jane Austen’s footsteps if we didn’t consider a place for books.
In the Regency period, mahogany and rosewood were popular materials for furniture but a sabre-legged bookshelf full of your favourite books can add an elegant touch.
If you want to go full regency, consider adding some leather-bound decorative books. Jane Austen was often found reading Lord Byron and Ann Radcliffe but here, you’ll get to design your own shelf.
Giselle Tall Shelving Unit
Old French Decorative Books
£25.95 at thewisteriatree.co.uk
Jane Austen: The Complete Works - Penguin Clothbound Classics
7. Add a dash of chintz
It wouldn’t be a Regency interior without some chintz. This iconic pattern can be found on cushions and sofas all over Miss Austen. There is always a fear that chintz will look dated in a modern home, but not to worry, a bold recoloring can quickly update the look. Use chintz patterns to bring colour and drama into your home.
Surely, Jane Austen would want us to be as bold with our décor as she was in her writing?
Wild Flower Cushion Cover in Blue
Embroidered Folktale Floral Cushion
Simone Floral Effie Tripod Dining Chair
$698.00 at anthropologie.com.uk
You Might Also Like
