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The idea of painting and varnishing woodwork was introduced with the intention of covering a grain that was not as fine as oak. Whole rooms were decorated to resemble marble, and this fashion was not confined to the larger homes alone. One of the most charming examples of this that I have found is at Nether Lypiatt in Gloucestershire-the sunk panels with their bolection moulding are the perfect groundwork for marbling. So skilfully has this been done that it is difficult to believe it is not actually marble. Later, in the 18th century, wallpapers were produced in quantity with much the same effects, though of course without the lasting quality of painted wood.
Another innovation for covering the irregularities of panelled walls was that of japanning' or lacquering; this became increasingly popular towards the end of the 17th century.
Floors were also a particular feature in these new homes, tiles or marble slabs were used in many of the downstairs rooms, particularly in the entrance hall, and fine inlaid floors of wood were arranged to display the family crest or some other decorative central design.
Niches and cupboards, book-cases, side-tables, and seats could all be built into these new rooms; there was, indeed, a considerable amount of built-in furniture-again this idea had been taken from the Italian villas. Niches were for the safer accommodation of `busts' or objets d'art, for a new enthusiasm for such things had taken the country by storm.
Though silver and gold plate had disappeared from the during table, it now reappeared in the elegant chocolate-pot, the tea service and the comfit-box or sweet-meat dish which held dainty sugared morsels to eat with the fashionable drink. Chinese tea services of fine porcelain were imported at great cost and adorned the table when the hostess was entertaining, but for the most part these priceless acquisitions were put away in a glass-fronted cupboard. This same cupboard was built to hold the more valuable table appointments and permit their beauty to be seen by all without danger to their fragile substance. This idea of alcoves and cupboards with shelves built into the rooms was fairly general from a few years before the close of the seventeenth century right through the eighteenth. Such alcoves quickly assumed an importance almost equal to that of doorways, windows and chimney-pieces and became a natural feature of the modishly panelled room.
Of furnishing, generally, we find three distinct phases. That of Charles II and James II, William and Mary, and Anne. The first was inspired by French example and a curled and scrolled decoration particularly suited to the curled periwigs and laced and ribboned ornaments of contemporary dress is marked. The second was frankly Dutch, and Holland had already been influenced by Orientalism, therefore we get lacquer and other Chinoisine interests as well as marquetry and parquetry and a considerable amount of heavier furniture as well. The third phase, that of Queen Anne, is the walnut era, brought about after some years of experiment in many types of wood, because of its very lovely grain and variety in colour. The furniture now termed, rightly or wrongly, Queen Anne, is of incomparable elegance and charm. The cabriole leg with its claw-and-ball foot was of Chinese inspiration, but quickly became Anglicised when reduced to a minimum of ornament, and the scallop-shell, that much used motif, appeared on the `knee'.
There are a considerable number of mirrors from the time of Charles II still in existence, and many of them were decorated with amusing portraits of the King and Queen executed in stump work and a fine embroidered framework fished with some elegant wood or tortoiseshell. Embroidered pictures of the same type were a special feature of the smaller or more intimate rooms. Pepys had his panels decorated by the contemporary landscape artist, Henry Dancre, who painted pictures of the Royal Palaces to fill the framework of four panels. These pictures were carried out in a sort of tempera medium, for Pepys mentions that although he preferred the appearance of an `ogle' picture, 'Dankers' was going to paint these particular pictures in distemper mixed with egg `to keep off the glaring of the light.'
An extract from Pepys' Diary on January 22nd 1668 gives us a pretty insight into the added pleasure of an elegantly appointed room and table. `To the Exchange, calling at several places on occasions relating to my feast tomorrow, on which my mind is now set; as how to get a new looking-glass for my dining room, and some pewter, and good wine, against to-morrow; and so home, where I had the looking glass set up, cost me £6.7s.6d. At the Change I met with Mr. Dankers, with whom I was on Wednesday; and he took measure of my panels in my dining-room, in the four, I intend to have the four houses of the King, White Hall, Hampton Court, Greenwich and Windsor. Mightily pleased with the fellow that came to lay the cloth, and fold the napkins, which I like so well as that I am resolved to give him 40 s. to teach my wife to do it.
