During the later Victorian period, designers began to use much more decorative gingerbreading on houses as well as relying on a natural, color scheme that included a lot of browns, greens, and autumnal shades. This reference to the presumed style of the Laphams, house is a direct cut at the modernity that Mr. Seymour is attempting to instill in the house it directly offends the more classical style demonstrated by the Coreys, whose home is described as being very elegant and spare, with a preponderance of white and marble decoration; this is a far cry from the more ornate style that is in vogue.