Term for the Day: Eastlake

An ebonized Eastlake pedestal.

The Nineteenth-Century Eastlake Movement in architecture and the decorative arts takes its name from Charles Eastlake, a writer and architect. Popular during the late Victorian period, the Eastlake Movement’s influence is seen most heavily in home furnishings and in the gingerbread ornamentation of the late Queen Anne Style. Charles Eastlake’s book, Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery, and Other Details, set the standard for furnishings and design of the time and argued that objects for the home should be hand-crafted or, at the very least, made by machine-workers whose pride in their work was unquestionable.


The Eastlake style is broadly defined by geometric patterns, incised decorations, heavy cornices, spindles, finials, alternating wood tones, and carvings inspired by the lines of nature. Charles Eastlake’s desire was that his furnishings would be easy to maintain and be long-lasting. And, long-lasting, they were. Eastlake style furnishings have stood the test of time and can often be found in extremely good condition.