Wonky-Wooden frames were often made of wood, which was popular in England at the time. They would frequently distort, causing many early Tudor homes to seem crooked. The timbers distorted as the wood cured, forcing the homes to bend at unexpected angles.
Tudor houses were usually built with wooden frames and plaster walls. The floors might be made of stone or dirt, but most likely had a rug placed over them during warm months. There were no real windows until late in the era, when glass began to be available in large quantities. In its earliest days, England didn't have any functioning police forces, so residents within their boundaries must have felt safe walking home alone at night!
Early Tudor houses had only one door and window for every room in the house. If there were two people living in the house, they needed more doors and windows! Modern architects add porches and other features to their homes to make them more comfortable and attractive. The Tudors didn't have access to lumber like we do today, so they made do with what was available to them. That means sometimes they used small bits of wood in places where we would use a lot of wood. For example, they might use a little bit of wood in a chair back instead of cutting a full piece of wood out.
Tudor furniture was built of locally sourced timber, most typically wood. The impoverished Tudors slept on straw pallets or rough mats covered by a sheet. There were undercovers, and instead of a bolster or cushion, a log was utilized. The affluent Tudors invested on four-poster beds. These large beds were often made from oak that had been generously planed down to produce a soft sleeping surface. The headboard was usually carved from one solid piece of wood, while the legs might be split logs or wooden tubes. The footboard was often decorated with carvings or paintings.
Other furnishing included tables, chairs, chests, and benches. The Tudor table was relatively small, about two feet long, for example. A larger table could be used as a desk. Chairs were usually made of wood and had thick curved legs for support. They looked something like modern-day patio chairs. Chestes were large wooden boxes used to store clothes and other valuables. Benches were flat-bottomed chairs used for sitting and enjoying the sun. All of these items would have been owned by the king, his wife, and their guests.
The average Tudor home was not very spacious. It might have had only one room downstairs and another upstairs. There was no such thing as a kitchen. Cooking was done in a fireplace or oven. Meals consisted of meat (usually pork) and vegetables. Alcohol was expensive so drinking parties didn't happen very often.
The style is Tudor, and the material should be stone or tile. Use heavy, elaborate wood furniture such as trestle tables, benches, massive chests, and carved four-poster beds when decorating a home in this style. Look for couches with silver fringed skirts and tufted furnishings while adorning your Tudor abode. Add decorative touches such as painted flowers on doorways or windows, sconces, candelabras, and other light fixtures.
A Tudor kitchen should have dark colored wooden cabinets with white-painted interior walls and ceilings. Have a look at Kitchen & Bath Designers for some inspiration on how to style your own Tudor bathroom or kitchen. If you want to go all out, there are plenty of websites that can help you design something unique.
Tudor homes were built with privacy important, so most had no exterior wall decoration except for maybe a few bricks or stones. However, if you wish to add to your décor, then Gothic shutters or panels made from wood are good options. They can be bought online or at home improvement stores.
There you have it! Just by looking at these pictures, we can see that each piece of furniture has a different look and feel, which shows that even though they're all called Tudor, they weren't designed by the same person. That's what makes American history so interesting!
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