April's Bonus Content: Designating Homes

There are two main styles of the era that I've come to reference when it comes to describing the decorations and layouts of wealthy homes in London in 1742: Baroque and Palladianism.

Baroque interiors are characterized by their opulence, grandeur, and rich ornamentation. In a Baroque-style home, you would find elaborate carvings, gilt furniture, and sumptuous fabrics such as velvet and silk. Rooms are often designed to impress, with dramatic lighting, large-scale paintings, and intricate plasterwork on ceilings and walls. Baroque interiors exude a sense of luxury and theatricality, with every detail carefully crafted to create a sense of awe and magnificence.

Palladian interiors, inspired by the classical architecture of ancient Rome and Greece, emphasize symmetry, proportion, and classical motifs. In a Palladian-style home, you would find rooms with balanced proportions, classical columns, and pediments. The color palette is typically restrained, with an emphasis on soft neutrals such as cream, pale blue, and gray. Furnishings are elegant and refined, often featuring clean lines and classical ornamentation. Palladian interiors exude a sense of harmony and grace, with a focus on timeless beauty and classical ideals.

In keeping with historical accuracy, to ensure consistency, and to make up for my lack of imagination when it comes to architecture, I have been using real world examples of building layouts and facades built before or around 1742 in some places.

Main Character

You can't help but think of James when you consider the MC's lodgings—the townhouse and the family's country estate—because he was the one who chose them. James reflected his character's fundamental desire for power in the attributes he chose. Similar to the rural estate, the townhouse is designed to be a showpiece for the esteemed visitors. Every detail, from the lavish entryway to the elaborate furnishings, has been meticulously chosen to amaze and terrify visitors. James utilizes the townhouse not only as a place to live and host his political friends, but also as a base of operations to further strengthen his dominance. The inside of the townhouse was designed in the Palladian style, which is austere yet majestic, reflecting James' desire to make an impression and demonstrate his authority. James' methodical approach to politics and social hierarchy is reflected in the symmetry and classical aspects of Palladian design, which also evoke a feeling of control and order. "Just having a house does not make it a home," goes the old adage, and the story's impersonal elements, which cause the MC to feel marginally detached from it, confirm this.

I decided to base this townhouse in the heart of London on St. James's Square: No 31, Norfolk House. This location allows for easy access to the political hub of the city, where James can further solidify his power and connections.

As you can see in the diagram, it occupies a whole city block and is a massive townhouse. For James, the presence of a garden (the empty area in the center) is irrelevant, but for Tamsin and Thomas—about whom I shall say more later—it fulfills a crucial purpose.

Edith/Edward

Home is seen very differently by Edith and Edward. A profoundly personal longing drives their pursuit of the pinnacle of luxury, rather than merely a desire to impress onlookers. They have not one, not two, but five magnificent townhouses in the middle of London, giving them even more opportunities to consolidate their power there. The homes' prime locations give them easy access to London's political and social elite, allowing them to further entrench themselves in the city. The main house is where they hold all of their business meetings and host important and important-looking guests. The other houses are used as private retreats on a rotating basis to throw off potential assassins with their unpredictable routine. Furthermore, every townhouse is equipped with a multitude of hidden rooms and corridors that were constructed by several construction companies. This ensures that no one knows all of their locations, save for the owner.

They have lavished every cent on the exquisite Baroque furnishings for their residences. Intricate gold leaf detailing and sumptuous textiles decorate everything, creating an atmosphere of extravagance. They have also amassed a collection of rare antiques and expensive artwork throughout the years, and nothing less than the best is accepted. As their sole pursuit, it is something they relish doing, and they take immense pleasure in amassing and arranging their collections, which they update regularly.

I decided it would be better not to have any concrete floor plans to refer to due to the large number of their properties. In order to make things ambiguous but believable, I am familiar enough with the typical layout and design of these houses to know where rooms typically go. If the main character is perplexed by the expansive floor plans, then maybe I should be too.

Tamsin/Thomas

This month's short story gave me the opportunity to explore a room that is very unlike the others—the one belonging to Tamsin and Thomas. Being an estate servant makes their room much more intimate and cramped compared to the lavishness of the the townhouse of which they serve, but it also allows for a unique perspective on the lives of those who serve in the shadows of luxury. Their room may lack in wealth and opulence, but it is adorned with cozy furnishings and personal touches that create an atmosphere of home, and they prefer it that way. It is a place of functional means and cherished trinkets, making the objects in the room much more important than the space itself. The disparity in housing just helps to emphasize the vast economic gaps between them and the MC, which they must constantly contend with, because it serves as a perpetual reminder of why they cannot give in to their emotions.

Despite the fact that they could afford a small place of their own, Tamsin and Thomas choose to remain on the estate because it is where the MC, and by extension, Francis, returns to every year during the London season. Seeing the MC, even for a moment, is enough to keep them going, and the convenience by which it allows Francis to join them after the day's work is a luxury that they cannot sacrifice. Having grown up on the estate alongside the MC, Tamsin and Thomas find it an odd mix of familiarity and comfort, along with anguish and yearning.

Henrietta/Henry

Henrietta and Henry's house is arguably the most crucial even though it is, at this time, given only one chapter. It serves as the catalyst of the MC's growth as the location of the perhaps life-altering party. So far, it's the only place where you may access the majority of its rooms. Being the sole heir to a remarkable dukedom, Henrietta and Henry exploit their position to throw wild and unlawful parties, thus the need to find a private place that can handle all the guests. The arrangement was only approved by their parents if they promised to be discreet. For these reasons, their estate is a stand-alone house located at the edge of the capital, where it has access to all the necessary amenities and is secluded enough to avoid unwanted attention.

Chiswick House, located in London's Chiswick neighborhood, is the manor I chose to depict Henrietta and Henry's home. Notably, it takes design cues from Roman bath complexes, most notably Rome's Baths of Diocletian. If you're familiar with the history of those bathhouses, you'll know why this spot is perfect for the celebration.

Henrietta and Henry aren't particularly concerned with the decor, and their ability to host lavish parties would be compromised if the house were overrun with furniture. Therefore, I plan to focus more on the decorations specific to the party and the overall feel of the space rather than the house itself. This will allow me to maintain the essence of the their lifestyle without overwhelming the setting with unnecessary details.

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That was quite the post! What do you think of how the characters live? Did anything surprise you? I'd love to hear about it!