One might first notice the color of the room. In the earlier years of the Victorian era, wallpapers with exuberant patterns were common. However during the Gilded Age, wallpaper designs became more delicate and started depicting patterns like a creeping vine and other natural forms. The Worsham-Rockefeller room showcases beautiful wallpaper with a stylized floral pattern and slightly gilded hue. Besides being fashionable and a reflection of an Aesthetic palette, it was also practical for rooms of that time to be darker in color. A room with pale green walls couldn’t go a day in the city without being covered in soot from surrounding factories as well as cigarette residue. Over the years, this bedroom suffered serious smoke damage, not only from residents smoking tobacco, but from the fireplace.
The ornate fireplace, however, would have been something Arabella Worsham-Huntington simply wouldn’t have done without. During the Victorian era fireplaces were not only a way to keep warm, but they were also a sign of wealth. A fireplace meant not only that you could afford the marble mantle, designed tiles, and gilded edging, but you were wealthy enough to have servants to tend your fires. Another example of the room’s astounding opulence can be seen in the matching wood inlay in every piece of furniture.
From the doors to the desks and vanities, a delicate flowery pattern can be seen in the dark wood. Although they are virtually empty in the room today, one could imagine the desks and vanities filled with items. In the Victorian era, emphasis was put on the idea of collections. In bedrooms, tables would have been covered in anything from silver picture frames to, crystal perfume bottles, and even seashells.
Even though, to 21st century eyes, this room appears to be ornately decorated, it would not have been the most lavish in the house. Other than family members and servants, almost no one would ever see the bedrooms of a house. It was even considered improper and a bit risque to catch a glimpse of what was considered a secret area of the house. The drawing room, dining room, and other meeting areas of the house would have been decorated in a manner even more magnificent than the Worsham-Rockefeller bedroom, so guests would be aware of the owner’s immense wealth and fashion.
Explore the Bedroom
Download a Quicktime panoramic view of the bedroom here.
Explore More:
Story of the Worsham-Rockefeller Bedroom
Inside the Worsham-Rockefeller Bedroom
Conservation of the Worsham-Rockefeller Bedroom
Worsham-Rockefeller Bedroom: Interview with Curator, Susie Rawles
Worsham-Rockefeller Bedroom: Interview with Deputy Directory, Stephen Bonadies