What would you say if I told you that you can get some amazing Victorian style furniture at a fraction of the price? Well, you don’t have to wait until the 19th century anymore. There are plenty of modern options that look great and are affordable.
You’ve probably seen beautiful antique furniture before, but did you know that they are often expensive? In fact, the average cost of buying new furniture can easily exceed $1,500. That’s why it makes sense to consider purchasing vintage pieces instead.
Queen Victoria ruled England from 1837 until her death in 1901. Victoria’s reign saw the development of new technologies such as photography, electricity, steam power and the telegraph.
The Victorian era also saw the rise of modern architecture and design, and the creation of some of the world’s most iconic buildings.
Vintage furniture has become very trendy over the last decade or so. If you want to give your living room a unique touch, then you should definitely check out these gorgeous Victorian style items. They are perfect for adding a classic vibe to your space without breaking the bank.
If you’re looking for more inspiration, be sure to visit our post on the best mid-century modern sofa sets. You’ll find lots of ideas there!
The first thing that comes to mind when we think about the word “vintage” is old things that are worn out and no longer in use. However, this doesn’t mean that everything from yesteryear was ugly. On the contrary, many of them were simply well-designed.
So, if you love Victorian era decorating style then you should definitely check out our new article on ‘Victorian Era Interiors’ where we share some of the best interior design trends from the 19th century.
Victorian Home Styles
The Victorian era was a time of great change. The Industrial Revolution had begun, and the country was undergoing massive social and economic changes. This period also saw the rise of modern science, literature, art, architecture, and fashion.
This period is known for its lavish use of color in both decor and textiles, such as wallpapers, carpets, curtains, bed linens, upholstery, furniture and even food.
In this post, we will take a look at how to create an elegant Victorian-style living room by combining different styles and periods. The Victorians loved to embrace large, gothic buildings and to draw on the kind of majestic architecture of their past.
We will start with the most important piece of furnishing: the sofa. You can find many beautiful sofas in antique shops that are made of wood or wicker. However, if you want your living room to have a more sophisticated style, you might consider buying a leather or fabric upholstered sofa.
Next, let’s talk about the rug. Rugs were usually used in the Victorian era as area rugs, not door mats. They were placed over the entire floor, including the fireplace. Rugs were often very large, colorful and patterned.
If you do decide to go with a rug, make sure it has enough space around it. A small rug next to the edge of the sofa could be dangerous because it may get caught under someone’s feet when they sit down.
You can also add a decorative table lamp. These lamps were quite popular during the Victorian era. They come in various shapes and sizes, but all have one thing in common – a shade made of glass or metal.
A mirror is another essential element of any living room. Mirrors were extremely popular in the Victorian era, especially those made of silver or gold.
A good way to bring together several elements of the Victorian style would be to combine them into a single vase. For example, you can put flowers inside a vase decorated with a pattern from the past. Or you can place a crystal vase filled with fresh flowers in front of a painting depicting a scene from the past.
Another idea is to mix old and new items. For example, you could hang a picture of a famous person from the past above a contemporary clock.
As you can see, there are lots of ways to incorporate the Victorian style into your home. It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for something simple or elaborate; just remember that the key to creating a successful Victorian-era living room is balance.
How To Design Your Home Like A Victorian
Now that we’ve explained exactly what makes a Victorian room, let’s look at how you can take inspiration from history to make a home truly your own.
If you want a Victorian home, then you need to know what one would have looked like. We’ve generated some handy hints and tips so that you can reproduce your Victorian home in a perfect way and ensure that your home is exactly as you want it to be.
Look At Old Photographs
You may be able to find an image of your home from this era. Old photographs are particularly inspiring because they show Victorian people and their homes exactly how they were, not simply how people in history books think they were.
The Victorian era was one which was captured so thoroughly by the camera that you can easily recreate wonderful Victorian homes based on these photographs, something that is much more difficult for the previous era.
Check Out Local Newspapers
Newspapers often have articles about real estate transactions. This is especially true if the property is located in a city. Local newspapers will also give you an idea of what kind of things the Victorians had in their homes because they will sometimes list auction lots for houses.
This will give you an idea whether you want to exactly replicate a Victorian home or whether you simply want to take inspiration from it and mix it in with other parts of your own style.
Therefore, you can make an educated judgment on how much inspiration you take from one part of the period or another.
Local newspapers are also great for describing what the outside of homes looked like and so you can ensure that, if you want to decorate your home exactly like a Victorian house, you can do so both inside and outside.
Search Online
There are many websites devoted to finding information about historic homes. Searching online is a great way to find out more about how to style your home like a Victorian because it is free and incredibly easy to use.
Plus, many sites offer virtual tours of homes from different eras, especially the Victorian era because it is a period that is not only well remembered but especially popular.
So, if you are interested in designing your home along similar lines then you will be able to easily get pictures up which you will find helpful to your design so you can therefore use the 3D walk around to make sure you see exactly how the homes were decorated.
This will allow you to easily recognize unique period features.
Use Google Earth
If you’re looking for a specific location, use Google Earth. It’s free and it will show you images of any area on earth. Google Earth will also allow you to see the fronts of Victorian homes that are still standing today so you can see exactly what they are like.
Visit Museums
Museums often feature exhibits of historical items such as furniture, clothing, and household items.
Museums also allow you to actually see what kind of decor was used for yourself. Rather than relying on images or descriptions you will actually be able to see the items for yourself and be able to fully understand exactly what it is that you want to have in your home.
Museums will also allow you to see the full scale of the change in styles and tastes that occurred during this era.
Attend Antique Shows
Antique shows are held all over the country each year. These events usually include antiques dealers selling everything from jewelry to china. Antique shows also allow you to see what is on the market and for what price.
Whilst online selling is great, you can often be bidding against people around the world for the items you most want.
At Antiques shows you will simply be dealing with other people who are present and the dealers themselves meaning you are much more likely to get a great bargain than if you were attempting to do so online.
Read Books
Books written by authors who lived through this era give you an insight into the lives of these people.
Reading books will also allow you to gain valuable descriptions of what it was like living during that period and also what kind of designs were followed in relation to the room size and to the interior décor.
Victorian novels are often very descriptive (which is why some people find them heavy going) however they do ensure that you get a true feel for the period and are able to properly understand how your Victorian inspired home should look.
Watch Movies
Movies made during this era provide insight into how people lived and will give you a better idea about the interior décor of the period and what is deemed suitable.
For example, by watching films that are representative of the period then you will be certain of what kind of quality furniture that was used and how best to copy it in your home.
Now that we’ve given some expert tips on where you can source inspiration for your home, let’s move on to pointing out some key period features which will allow you to perfectly replicate a Victorian home in your own home.
Victorian Period Features
There are some particular traditional Victorian period features that you need to look out for when looking to decorate a home to a Victorian standard.
Curved Bannisters
Many Victorian homes utilized curved bannisters because they gave off the illusion of space and made the ascent up and down the stairs seem more fluid and languid.
Red Brick Work
Although red brickwork buildings have been built for centuries, it was the Victorians who were especially keen on it. If you spot a red brick house in good condition then there is a high chance that it is a Victorian property.
Patterned Wallpaper
Again, whilst wallpaper has been used for a while, particularly florid pattern wall paper was especially common during the Victorian era. So, if you see wallpaper that is especially vivid then it is likely to come from a Victorian home.
Large Rooms With Big Windows
Victorian designers, particularly of homes for the upper classes, wanted to emphasize space and scale. This is why so often many of the houses that they built focused on having big rooms that had very big windows.
If you think a house is Victorian then it is likely to be so if it has large rooms and large windows.
Final Thoughts
The Victorian era was a time of great change. From the Industrial Revolution to the advent of electricity, the Victorians had their hands full. They also had to deal with the challenges of urbanization, industrialization, and other social changes.
Victorians were fascinated with nature and natural science. They loved gardens and architecture. Their houses reflected their love for nature and their fascination with the natural sciences.
Victorian homes featured many new technologies that we take for granted today. For example, they used gas lighting instead of candles or kerosene lamps. They also used electric lights in some places. And they had indoor plumbing!
This is why it is so important, if you are fascinated with the past and the past of design, that you know how to design your home like a Victorian.
Whilst some people may see them as stuffy and remote, they were in fact innovators; ahead of their time in many respects and a group of people who knew how to make a room and a house stand out.
If you want to ensure your home stands out to others then there is no better way of making that happen then making it like a Victorian home is surely the best way to do it.
So if you do want to have a home that is inspired by the Victorian era then you don’t need to worry about what kind of features you need to bring into your home because this article will have shown you all the features that you need.
So make sure to get out there now and get all the designs that you want and the furniture that you need and bring your ideal Victorian home to life to day – you certainly won’t regret it!
I’m Ida Oliveira, and now I want to impart my knowledge of all things interior design onto you. If you’re going through the same process of designing your house, I want to help.
So, I hope that you’ll find everything you need to know on my website. If I make the process even a little easier and more fun for you, Alexander and Pearl will have done its job.
![ow To Design A Room Like An Interior Designer [Step By Step]](https://alexanderandpearl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/How-Much-Does-A-Pop-Up-Camper-Weigh-33.jpg "How To Design A Room Like An Interior Designer [Step By Step]")
