The Secret Life of Victorian Houses - Softcover

What secrets could the decor of Victorian homes reveal? Fascinating information on social history and the birth of domestic conventions that rooted themselves so deeply into the social fabric of America that we still live by them today, even as we move into a new century. "The Secret Life of Victorian Houses" explores how the now classic and ever-popular style of 19th-century American residences and their interiors directly reflected the changing socio-economic structure of its day -- such as the changing role of women, the beginning of mass-produced goods and consumerism, middle-class aspirations, and the new morality. The readable, informative text by historic preservationists Elan and Susan Zingman-Leith offers fascinating insight into how the industrial revolution created a middle class with pretensions to aristocracy, thus setting in motion a transformation in how Americans lived. It is an eye-opening look at Victorian life-revealed by the wallpaper, furnishings and designs that remain as popular today as ever. Photographer Tim Field's spectacular, naturally-lit photographs of Victorian museum houses and historic bed and breakfasts throughout the United States and Canada perfectly complement the text. Part social history and part decorating inspiration, "The Secret Life of Victorian Houses" takes the reader on an intimate tour of some of the finest examples of those grand domiciles and insightfully explores their legacy.