The Royal Ontario Musuem

During my holiday, I went to the Royal Ontario Museum. As told by our teacher, I went to see the Canadian furniture located in 1B, under Canadian Heritage.

Firstly, the Victorian Bedroom, made throughout 1840-1869 period, had rich colours and strong patterns. The flooring in the bedroom was stained or oiled prior to rugs. Window treatments were pale pastel floral patterned. Drapes with lace inset or finished with hand painted borders. Furniture consisted of a bed, armoire, washstand and a dressing table. For much of the century, dark woods, like mahogany, rosewood and walnut were fashionable.

Secondly, the Victorian Dinning Room based on the year 1830-1850 period bird's eye maple has become the most favored hardwood in Ontario. For example, in this showcase, they displayed a set of China, made from England in 1868. It was made by white ironstone and decorated with maple leaves. They also had a bird's eye maple cupboard, which was made in Agincourt Ontario, by William Thompson during 1840-1855 periods.

The Royal Ontario Museum and Bloor Street West. To...

Interior of the Royal Ontario Museum. Toronto, Can...

Frances Noyes (LOC)

The furniture was generally masculine in appearance. Empire, Gothic styles in mahogany walnut and rosewood were popular. The most important pieces of furniture was the sideboard. It was fitted with a mirror, shelves, drawers and cabinets, and had a creative carved decoration. At dinner parties most dishes were placed on the sideboard and served from there by servants. This left the center of the table free for floral arrangements.

Thirdly, the design and styles were unique in each showroom. Furniture was produced in New France by trained cabinetmakers. Their furniture followed the styles of the Louis X111 periods in France. The cabinet makers of New France depended on local woods. Large cabinet pieces such as armoires, cupboards, and chests, were typically made of pine and usually painted chests of drawers and chairs were generally of unpainted hardwoods such as maple, birch and butternut.

Fourthly, due to the war little furniture survived from the period of New France. The loyalists who settled on the South West shore of Nova Scotia joined an existing Maritimes population centered on Halifax. Their commercial architectural of lumbering, fishing, and merchant shipping made the Maritimes a prosperous region. The materials used were local wood. They also furnished the more fashionable monogamy, which was easily imported from the West India. For example like the sewing table-desk-Sheraton style. This desk was made of maple and mahogany.

The ROM was an exciting place to visit. It is suitable for all ages. ROM is a place where a person could be having fun and learning as well. Also, after viewing these interesting showcases, it allowed me reflect my feelings towards furniture and the way it changed over the past centuries. Therefore, in conclusion not a lot of furniture material, patterns and styles have changed. People still love Victorian furniture styles and many have duplicates of it at home.

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Image taken from page 10 of 'History and General D...