Style & Design
Victorian Style Homes
Victorian Style is a subset of Traditional Style. Strictly speaking, in the design world Victorian refers to the style and trends that existed during Queen Victoria's reign from 1837 until her death in 1901. With the use of modern appliances and technology, Victorian Style homes built today are interpretations rather than true representations of the style.
Typical Décor
The Victorian color palette consists of rich tertiary colors (colors that result from an equal mix of primary and secondary colors). Similar to French Country Style, Victorian Style homes often showcased a tasteful mix of lavish patterns in their décor. From upholstery, to curtains, to wall paper, popular patterns were depictions of flora, fauna and simple geometric patterns.
Upper class families of the era commonly used their home décor as a means to showcase their wealth through the use of rich materials and pieces of artwork. Middle and lower classes would mimic the look of elaborate woodwork, rich wall papers, and other details with advanced painting techniques to achieve the desired effect without the exorbitant cost.
Victorian Style Kitchens and Bathrooms
If you're building or renovating a Victorian home today, your kitchen and bathroom designs will be similar to French Country Style kitchens and bathrooms. Traditional colors, materials and décor are the most important factors when designing a kitchen or bath for a Victorian Style home.
Architecture
Many Victorian Style homes feature one or more architectural details that were popular during Queen Victoria's reign. Bay windows, columns, dormers, clapboard siding, front-facing gables, porticos, Mansard roofs, transoms and turrets are all architectural details from the Victorian Era. Victorian Style homes tend to be more ornate and with decorative woodwork trim on both the exterior and interior of the home.
Famous Examples Of Victorian Style In The United States
The Painted Ladies in San Francisco, California are famous examples of Victorian Style homes. Their colorful name is derived from their exterior paint schemes that use three or more colors to enhance the detail in their woodwork.
The Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883, is an example of the Gothic Revival movement popular during the Victorian Era.
