This ivory inlaid mantelpiece dates from around 1860 . I went into this design with the azure tiles of the billiards room in mind, roaming the borders for purples, deep greens or flowers with punch. We associate the Victorian era with dark tones and heavily draped over-stuffed rooms in part because Queen Victoria was in mourning, but new shocking colours were also in vogue. The elopement of aniline dyes saw magenta, violet and mustard surge into favour. The red/pink Schizostylis stands up to the blue here. I chose Epimedium x versicolor 'Rubrum' for its glossy leaves that mimic the sheen of the tiles, but also because it reminded me of a houseplant, another fashion of the period. The lady fern gives a nod to the Victorian practice of placing ferns in front of the fire grate. 