Eastlake Style: Guide to This Decorative Victorian Movement

The Eastlake style was an artistic movement of the late 19th century, encompassing architecture and furniture. 

Charles Eastlake, a British writer and architect, began the Eastlake movement. He promoted the use of furniture made by craftsmen that took pride in their work. 

The Eastlake style was an artistic movement of the late 19th century, encompassing architecture and furniture.

Charles Eastlake, a British writer and architect, began the Eastlake movement. He promoted the use of furniture made by craftsmen that took pride in their work.

Eastlake published his book, Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery, and Other Details, in 1868 in England. His ideas made their way to the United States in the early 1870s.

What is Eastlake Style?

Eastlake Architecture Style
Image from @theamericanhome

Charles Eastlake disliked much of the Victorian movement’s furniture and designs. Early Victorian furniture featured ornate curves and high-relief carvings that were difficult and expensive to create. Instead, Eastlake promoted angular, rectilinear, and other geometric shapes.

He encouraged ornamentation with natural motifs like vines and flowers. Eastlake’s ideas produced furniture that was practical, functional, and beautiful.

Even though Eastlake discouraged machine-made furniture, United States manufacturers translated his ideas into designs that were easy to replicate with machines. These decorative elements included geometric brackets, low-relief carvings, and spindles that the new turning machines made possible.

Eastlake-style furniture became popular with the growing middle class throughout America because of its lower cost. It was also easier to clean and maintain.

Eastlake Architecture

Eastlake Architecture
image from @theamericanhome

The movement also generated a specific Victorian Eastlake house style. An Eastlake-style house features many of the same design elements of Eastlake furniture.

Exterior Characteristics of an Eastlake House

  • The use of decorative ornamentation applied to the exterior of the house’s facade rather than integrated into the house’s structure.
  • Decorative natural motifs of flowers, plants, and vines and also the use of geometric detailing
  • Homes with an Eastlake design feature asymmetrical facades
  • Facades that utilize textures, shapes, and various materials to create interest on the exterior surface
  • Decorative lathe spindle work and surface wall decorations
  • Practical and functional designs

Interior Characteristics of an Eastlake House

  • Decorative interior details with geometric forms, including wallpaper and wood detailing
  • Functional and practical interior designs, including built-in elements like bookshelves, room dividers, and seating
  • Dark wood ornamentation featuring walnut or mahogany with low-relief carvings
  • Natural motifs in wallpaper and wood carvings
  • Use of vibrant colors in wallpaper and fabric to create a comfortable and warm atmosphere

Decline of Eastlake Style

Eastlake furniture and architecture were popular throughout the latter years of the 19th century. It declined in favor after the rise of more simple and modern styles like Art Nouveau and the later Arts and Crafts styles of the 1890s. It also decreased in popularity due to the high volume of machine-made Eastlake-style furniture.

Custom furniture makers could not compete with the influx of inexpensive machine-made products and moved toward furniture designs with greater simplicity and traditional craftsmanship.

Examples of Eastlake Architecture

There are many examples of well-preserved Eastlake architecture.

The Winters House

The Winters House is an Eastlake Victorian house that businessman Herman Winters built in 1890. The exterior features decorative ornamentation and vibrant colors. Some key exterior decorative details include sunburst wall decorations, dentil molding, and a decorative balustrade with spindles. Fluted molding frames all the windows with a sunburst above the second-story windows.

William S. Clark House

Architects built and designed the William S. Clark House in 1888. The house features decorative geometric molding along the bays, gables, friezes, and porch. The interior remains in its authentic Eastlake style. It has unpainted interior trim, wallpaper, and antique furniture that present an authentic Victorian style.

Taylor House

Architects constructed the Taylor House in 1890 for the use of businessman George Taylor and his family. At the time of its construction, the designers painted this home in a polychromatic color palette. This home is a prime example of using varying exterior textures to create interest.

Eastlake published his book, Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery, and Other Details, in 1868 in England. His ideas made their way to the United States in the early 1870s.