The Victorian Era was a transformation for the British. Victorians were a refined people and some of the most influential and enduring works of art and literature were created.

This period brought significant cultural change, and also paved the way for tremendous economic growth. The Victorian Era was during the onset of the Industrial Revolution. The middle class prospered during this period and had the ability to afford the kind of furniture only aristocrats could previously get their hands on.

In this style, we see Victorian pieces with an excess of fringing, tufting, pleating and gathering of of the furniture fabric, except it should be done in a more modernized – abstract way. 

The Victorian Era is what people refer to as the period when Queen Victoria was crowned (1837) to when she died (1901). It was 64 years worth of development and big changes that led to the transformation of England from an agricultural to an urban country.

Massive population growth in England enabled the expansion of the British Empire, and with social reforms such as child labor, safety in factories and mines, education, public health and the end of slavery within the British Empire.

A Victorian Home Re-Imagined

During the Victorian era, society held a strict set of guidelines on etiquette and decorum. There were people who wrote many books on management of the home and decoration.  

In that time having a bare room was considered a lack of taste by the authors, meaning that a house that was cluttered with Victorian furniture was desired back then. You don’t have to have a time machine to know what Victorian style is; we’ve put together a few suggestions for how to make your home Victorian Style with a more Modern twist:

Victorian Home Decor

Rooms back then were crowded with furniture. Think button-backed chairs to get started.  Then think about a beautiful Victorian style rug and then pair it with a carved Victorian wooden table in the middle. Fill empty areas on the table with framed photographs and gaudy flower vases. Perhaps add a centerpiece to make a bigger statement. We recommend oak or walnut wood furniture because that was the most popular back then. A Victorian period detail you may want to add to your list is stained glass, which can turn your themed Victorian interior from ‘nice’ to ‘awesome’, especially when sunlight is shining through it.

A room with lavish heirlooms and antiques with high-end modern chairs 

A perfect mix when creating a Modern Victorian Style.

 

Wallpaper and Paint

Victorians absolutely loved patterns and put them everywhere from the curtains and carpets to wallpaper. Because the Industrial Revolution sparked a surge of wallpaper production, interest grew significantly. If you don’t care for the patterned look, you could try painting the walls with soft or subdued colors. Your eyes will rest somewhere amid the organized clutter.

Patterns and Colors

A popular feature of the Victorian style is the way fabrics serve as accents to set the tone of the room. The most popular fabrics then were silk or velvet for the curtains. Cushions and pillows were usually made from toile and chintz, decorated in eye-catching floral patterns.

Flooring

One of the first things you see when entering a Victorian themed home is the floors. Flooring with traditional Edwardian or Victorian designs are available for this design scheme. These are great for halls, similar to what you might find in Victorian cathedrals. Or you could try polished or stained pine floorboards, especially in the bedroom or living room for a nice warm, comfy feel.

Lighting

There are two important features when thinking about Victorian Era: a grand chandelier overlooking the main room with a fireplace glowing and spreading its warmth. In addition you can also add decorative table lamps, sconces, floor lamps and candle stands as well as chandeliers to give the room a soft warm light to contribute to the overall ambiance. This will provide a level of grandeur that completes your interior.

Merging Modern and Victorian Interior Design

A Victorian-style home is alluring because of the character it exudes. But achieving this look can be costly. That’s why it might be smart to create a Victorian Era design with a modern twist instead. This can achieved in two ways: adding Victorian style to a modern design, or creating a modern twist within a Victorian style to tone down the heaviness of the Victorian style. Glass tables with steele frames with button-backed chairs surrounding it can create a perfect mix between Victorian and modern. These are a few of the combinations you can create in order to add the style to today’s standards.

Most homeowners who own a Victorian home want to maintain some sense of a modern design, and people who do not own a Victorian home crave the Victorian level of quality and overt character that is not easy to come by these days.

 

A modern Victorian interior design scheme can be accomplished by meshing the two styles together. Make sure you go about this carefully — otherwise you may end up creating a messy combination that can make your home look like it was designed by a couple grandma’s who mixed in some modern furniture store pieces.

Exercise considerable care when merging the two styles–make sure not to have a clash of mixtures. Introduce a majority of carved wooden furniture. Wooden floors are fabulous too. Decorate the walls with classic fine art and oil paintings as opposed to the more modern framed wall art, lithographs, photographs, and giglee art prints.

The Victorian Era Can Live On Inside Your Home

Designing your home in Victorian style is simple but a large task if you don’t have exceptional knowledge of the Victorian era. It’s important to follow specific principles in order to revive and replicate this era properly, or to re-imagine this historic look. For instance, introducing mass produced, cheap items will be an obvious eyesore. However if you do it properly, you’ll find all of this to be rewarding and joyful. And when you complete your project and start re-living the home that the Victorians would appreciate.

 

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About Posh Lamps & Fine Home Lighting 

PoshLamps.com carries over 10,000 hand-selected home accessories such as table lamps, floor lamps, chandeliers, wall mirrors, wall clocks , home decor and wall art. We continually expand our inventory in order to provide additional choices for our customers.