Decorating Ideas Used by Your Ancestors



Your ancestors had some great ideas on how to decorate their home. Here are some are the ideas they did and could be in style here.

For example, the decorating rage during the 1800s was houseplants throughout the house. Plants were most fashionable in the 1890s. The use of plants continued in the 1930s and 1940s. The most popular plants during that time was African violets along with geraniums because having them bloom was loved.

By the 1950s and 1960s exotic plants like bromeliads and palms were more trendy, to go with the popular themes of Tiki or Polynesian decor. Plants make a house feel homey and add a touch of joyfulness that is unmatched in terms of returns on investment. Many women in the old days would pick out their china and silverware patterns carefully when they got married. But, despite the best intentions a lifetime of raising children and a full set of unmarred china don’t usually got together. Over the years a collection of dishes formed, many of which didn’t match at all.

Bric-a-brac like little statues to plaster wall sculptures and decorative glass these items made it feel like a home.

Many families in the 1960s did try to buy those matched sets. 2 of everything, including chairs, lamps, wall hangings, and side tables. There was a certain balance during that time, which contrasted well with the amorphous boomerang and starburst shapes that also were found in a lot of the era. So many of our grandparents started with this style and then added on from there.

Many of those older homes had kitchens that were a colorful mashup of different hues and patterns. Thanks to steel cabinets that came in lots of colors and those wild linoleum designs for the flooring, many vintage kitchens were bursting with color. Add in some formica and chrome dining sets and you had even more bold color. But, it was all part of the look.

Check old family photos or talk to relatives to see who had these popular styles.

Photo: A colorful kitchen style.

Related FamilyTree.com Blogs:

Features of Old Homes

Shotgun Homes

Dutchdoors on Houses

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