The Antique Victorian Furniture Blog

Have you heard of the Victorian bathing machine? Evidently it was all the rage back in the day when modesty prevailed at the beach.

The Victorian bathing machine was a little hut that was wheeled along the beach. At appropriate spots it would be backed into the water. Women would enter the hut through the door in front, change into their bathing outfits, then exit through a rear door, where a cradle was waiting to lower them into the ocean. The point was to allow them to bathe safely and unobserved, especially by the young men armed with telescopes!

Click here to read an article in the Telegraph about the plans to restore one of these remarkable machines in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. There’s a delightful old photo with the article that shows a man and a little girl taking a look at one of them.

Technorati Tags: Bathing, Doors, Modesty, Restoration, Victorian

I am in awe of people who have the knowledge, energy, and other resources to restore homes that look to me beyond repair. In my quest to find the best material on antique Victorian furniture, I came across a site put up by a couple named Craig and Yvonne, devoted to the restoration of their 1875 Eastlake Victorian home.

It’s one of the best sites of its kind that I’ve seen. It goes room by room with countless photos and has a great mouse-over feature that allows you to see many of the areas in their pre-restoration state.

The house has 38 Victorian doors, and we are treated to a step-by-step gallery of photos as one of the doors goes from bleak to beautiful. Hat’s off to these two, both for the incredible work they’ve done on their home and for the exceptional site they’ve built to share it with us.

As far as furniture goes, you’ll see some nice pieces in the reception hall and the dining room. I’d love to get more of their thoughts on furnishing the home now that they’ve done such an amazing job of restoration.

Click here to see Craig and Yvonne’s restored Victorian home.

Technorati Tags: Doors, Eastlake, Furniture, Home, House, Restoration, Victorian

I was happy to find this photograph of two Victorian doors, taken in Brighton by a very talented photographer and posted on the Digital Camera Magazine. I find the colors and the columns to be particularly striking.

See the Victorian doors here.

Technorati Tags: Doors, Photography, Victorian

Here’s a post on the House of Lime blog, featuring some excellent photos of Victorian doors. Michelle, the author of the blog, took the photos with a lot of care and attention to detail, including close-ups of doorknobs and doorbells. Her appreciation for bygone craftsmanship is wonderful.

Enjoy the post!

Technorati Tags: Doors, Photography, Victorian