A Victorian gazebo provides a romantic backdrop for a wedding.
A gazebo is a multi-sided, freestanding, outdoor structure originating in the Victorian period. These post-and-beam buildings contained many of the design elements of Victorian design, including fretwork, corner brackets, friezes, turned posts, roof design elements and balusters. In the 1900s, the Industrial Age forced homes to be built closer together. Gazebos were created as an open-air escape for garden gazing, intimate entertaining and meditation. Does this Spark an idea?
Architectural Basics
Ornate millwork is a telltale feature of Victorian architecture.
The iconic elements of Victorian design are popular with gazebo enthusiasts. Corner brackets (gussets) are installed in the triangular opening created by the horizontal roofline and each post. Also called carpenter's lace, bric-a-brac, or gingerbread, these corner brackets add a Victorian detail to dress up any gazebo.
Friezes -- bands or lines of wood beneath the roofline -- are additional Victorian elements that can stand alone or combined with corner brackets. Curling scroll work or quatrefoil and four-leafed design cutouts are telltale touches of Victorian fretwork. Wrought iron elements were popular in the Victorian era and make characteristic touches when incorporated as corner brackets or railings in place of wood.
Accents
Victorian settees featured elaborate detailing.
Furniture placed in Victorian gardens was almost as elaborate as the indoor d cor. Wrought iron tables, chairs, and settees will add an elegant touch to your outdoor room. The more intricate the design work, the better. Wicker and rattan furniture are also good choices for a Victorian gazebo. Wall sconces or a central ceiling fixture that simulates old gas light fixtures add a historic touch. Add a tin ceiling to your outdoor structure for texture and an authentic feel.
Plantings
Place a window box with small boxwood and geraniums on your gazebo rail.
A flower garden works well as a border around your gazebo. Place the tallest plants closest to the gazebo railings and successively shorter plantings spread out from the structure. Roses on a white lattice trellis or a lattice wall section on one side of the gazebo add a romantic Victorian touch.
Vines were often used in Victorian landscapes so plant nasturtiums or morning glories next to your outdoor structure, allowing them to climb posts and railings.
Stone or concrete planters in and around the gazebo should be filled with begonias, caladiums, heliotrope, zinnias or lobelia for an appropriate touch.
Water Features
Victorians adopted water features to accompany geometric garden beds.
Water features were a popular addition to Victorian landscapes. Surround your gazebo with a runnel -- a narrow channel of water. Filled with rocks or water-loving plants, a runnel adds a soothing touch, especially when combined with a circulating water source. A sculptural fountains can be placed at one side or in the center of your outdoor building. A man-made fishpond next to your gazebo is an appropriate Victorian touch. Birdbaths were also popular additions to the landscape.
Tags: your gazebo, your outdoor, corner brackets, outdoor structure, combined with, design elements, elements Victorian
