During the Victorian Era throughout the reign of Queen Victoria I, there was mass production of houses and increasing wealth. With the drop of the window tax in 1851, new Victorian homes were built with larger bay windows to let all the natural light in and allow the homeowners to see what was happening outside their front door. Victorian homes are very unique and full of character with their high ceilings and tiled paths that often carried through to the main entrance hall, so it is important to celebrate their original features.
Homeowners of Victorian homes nowadays are renovating the interiors to bring them more into the modern design era. So, if you are one of the lucky owners of a beautiful Victorian home and are wanting to put your own personal touch into it, here are some tips to ensure you create a home that is fresh and new while still keeping to its beautiful history that tells a story.
Keep the space bright. Give the walls a fresh coat of white or neutral paint for a calming interior look. This gives the room a light airy feel and can be dressed up or down with accessories depending on the season and your personal style. If bright whites aren’t your thing, embrace your dark side. the great thing about Victorian homes is they can take on any colour you throw at them and will still look amazing. Traditional Victorian homes were usually dark and lavish, so embrace your homes original bones with rich shades such as navy, forest green and plum. These colours are perfect for all four walls, as a feature wall or as accent colours if you don’t want to go full dark.
Known for their large windows being one of the biggest design features of the era, it is important to update them while still keeping with the original design. Choosing new windows with modern double glazing can instantly ruin the homes aesthetic if done wrong so remember to do your research and do it properly to make sure that any changes made won’t hinder the character of the building. Once you have updated the windows, remember to dress them beautifully. You want to make sure your windows are pleasant to look at and draw the eye towards them. A common dressing for bay windows is, of course, our plantation shutters as they cover the windows seamlessly offering you privacy while still allowing all the natural light to stream through keeping the room bright. They also add to the style and elegance of the design of the home as well as adding value.
Make the most of those high ceilings by drawing the eye up. Paint the cornicing a different colour to your walls to let them stand out and be a feature in themselves. The picture rails have also now become an interior feature, which is the strip of moulding that sits level with the top of the windows and was traditionally used to hang pictures from. To split the wall up you could paint a darker colour on the bottom and lighter colour on top or paint it all one colour depending on your own personal style. Another trick is to paint your wall the same colour as your furniture to create a continuous look straight up to the ceiling.
Some other original features of a Victorian home you can refurbish is the beautiful wooden flooring and fireplaces. If looked after, the original flooring of Victorian homes is timeless. Alternatively, if you have old carpet in your home, peel it back and see what treasures lie beneath, you may be lucky enough to be able to restore the flooring below by putting a few coats of varnish on and let your new floor shine. Hard wooden floors also pair nicely with a luscious rug to add some softness to the room. If you have a fireplace, do not let it go. Restore it back to its former glory with some fresh paint to match your walls or if tilled give it a polish and it will become a new feature of the home. If you’re lucky enough to still use it like a fireplace it becomes an added bonus for those cooler winter nights.
Each person’s home should reflect their own personal style from the moment you enter. Decide what original details you want to keep and restore in keeping with the homes original character, then add your own modern twist to it. And remember to have fun doing it. When it comes to dressing your windows visit our photo gallery for some inspiration. To discuss the options for your windows, call us now on 020 8871 9222 or email us your enquiries.
