The Bridgerton Season 3 premier has landed, and just like that, our interest in Regencycore interiors at home is piqued once again. Truth is, my dear readers, that even though greige spaces and macaroon-toned palettes have had us obsessing for years (we just find fancy new words to define them every season), our fascination with over-the-top, gilded mansions has never really waned. When done tastefully, Regencycore interiors can be a fabulous backdrop to our lives, bringing the touch of the extraordinary to the every day.
What is the Regencycore interior style?
Think of the Regencycore interior style as the posh cousin of Cottagecore. Bridgerton sets aside, a quick Google search for ‘noble homes’ will set you in the right direction. Instead of the quirky charm of Cottagecore, Regencycore relies on creating a sense of formality, hence a focus on proportion, be it via paneling and cornices, or dado rails and exaggerated door and window frames. Luckily, much as these grand architectural gestures help, you can nail the Regencycore look for less… less money, less effort and lesser permanence.
The Regencycore style evokes opulence of a time gone by, and by that measure, investing in vintage and antique pieces – from furniture and lighting, to rugs and tableware – is an easy solution. But even simpler measures, such as repainting walls (and ceilings) in dusty hues of pink, grey, green and blue (or yellow, if you prefer the Featherington style), or adding tassels to the furniture and beaded trims to curtains you already own, can instantly lend glamour to your home.
How to copy the Bridgerton interiors at home?
The series, set in Georgian London and various stately homes in the English countryside, sparked a trend for ornate furniture, ice cream colours and floral motifs when the first season premiered in December 2020, bringing with it an array of exquisitely detailed and scene-stealing interiors that fetishised the delicate arts of tea-drinking, ball-hosting and gossiping. Here are five ways to capture a sense of that high-society style at home. Ahead of the Bridgerton Season 3 premier, here are our 5 top tips to recreate Regencycore interiors at home, without breaking the bank.
1. Pursue pretty for Regencycore excellence
The Bridgerton look is a confection of candy colours – rose pink, lemon yellow, powder blue and pale eau de Nil – albeit executed in a sophisticated manner. It’s also shot in perpetual spring, so blossoms and blooms abound over every surface, inside and out, in a similar pastel palette. Every salon has at least one French-style carved wooden daybed with scrolled arms; elaborate cornices and ceiling mouldings embellish the rooms like frosting; and gildied details feature heavily. Stately vintage furniture is complemented with delicate antique china tea sets and cut crystal champagne glasses that make an appearance in every episode. Get the look with an antique daybed or cane chair from 1stDibs, or accessorize with homeware brand Addison Ross’s new collection of pretty floral-print accessories, including lacquer trays, tableware and picture frames.
2. The Bridgerton interior look is all about the walls
The walls in the various Bridgerton homes are works of art in their own right and worthy of some study, particularly the panelling. In the Bridgerton family house, for instance, the wainscoting on the lower parts of walls is picked out in a soft blue that matches the drapes at the windows; while above, crisp white mouldings frame panels of damask-motif wallpaper. It’s quite the look. Elsewhere, birds and botanicals romp over wallcoverings courtesy of brands such as de Gournay, whose intricate chinoiserie papers were used for the sets.
3. This is no time to be a wallflower
The Regency look is not for the minimalist. Maximalist glamour is a guiding principle: think flamboyant chandeliers and sconces, enormous gilt overmantel mirrors, and be-swagged curtains with elaborate pelmets. And then, of course, there are the beds: four-posters became a breakout trend on the release of Bridgerton’s first season. However, while this is undoubtedly a full-on look, clutter is not the point: Georgian interiors were relatively sparse when it came to layout, with plenty of space around the furniture to allow each piece to shine.
4. Switch off the big light
To create the elegant ambience of a classical, period room, lighting is crucial. Aside from the aforementioned chandeliers, overhead lights were not a feature of the Regency home, and light emanated mainly from candles. Achieve a similar, flattering glow minus the fire hazard via LED candles and strategically placed floor and table lamps with fringed shades.
5. Invest in regal rugs to nail the Regencycore interior look
Never was a chance passed up to give a room a little extra in the Regency home, and not a surface was left unembellished, including the floors. To get the look, cover polished floorboards with extra-large, investment-quality rugs that almost reach the walls; the interior designer Alidad, who has worked on many a Regency-period property, recommends that the rug should reach around 50cm from the skirting board. For a modern twist on the look, rug brand Ruggable has just launched a new collection of Regency-style rugs in partnership with the Netflix series, with opulent Bridgerton-style motifs in understated, contemporary colourways.
