Victorian Interior Design

Despite originating over a hundred years ago, Victorian interior design remains popular. Homeowners are drawn to the intricate patterns and ornate surfaces of this interior design style and often seek to replicate it in their own homes.

Victorian interior design is a product of the Industrial Revolution, where machinery made it possible for the middle class to own highly ornate pieces. As the middle class became more affluent, they sought to demonstrate their newfound wealth with items that had previously only belonged to people of the upper classes. These items included architectural features that are common in Victorian decorating, such as tin ceiling panels, wall sconces and tapestries.

For most Victorian households, having lots of decorative items was considered as sign of good taste. Sparse furnishings indicated that the home was owned by someone of a lower class.

Elements of Victorian interior design can be replicated in your own home if you follow a few simple design principles. Keep in mind that making the Victorian look work in your own home will most likely require choosing only a few of these principles to emulate in your own decor.

Mood lighting in dining rooms and entryways was considered essential to the Victorians. Most lighting came from wall sconces and candles, while decorative lamps achieved prominence towards the later half of the movement. Tiffany was a popular designer of the time: an authentic Tiffany lamp or a design inspired by Tiffany can help create the Victorian atmosphere in your own home.

Dark, rich paint colors were typical for Victorians, especially in city houses. This characteristic has less to do with the color design philosophy and more to do with the rampant pollution in the city that stained lighter colored walls. Hunter green and deep crimson are both considered authentic to the time period.

If you prefer an even more ornate appearance, wallpaper was also used during this era. Patterns mimicking designs found in nature were common, although the designs became more geometric and heavily influenced by the East as the time period continued.

Tapestries were also common and were used in conjunction with both paint and wallpaper. Once again, nature scenes were common.

Curtains were the preferred window treatment in the Victorian era. Made of rich, heavy fabrics, curtains were pleated and hung over gilded curtain rods. To add further opulence, the curtains were lined with silk or wool to give them an even more luxurious appearance.

Parquet floors combined with Oriental rugs were common in the Victorian period. The expense of parquet was too great for many families, so most homes would only have a decorative parquet border around a softwood floor. Then a rug would be placed over the floor to cover all but the parquet border.

Victorian style furniture is categorized by revival styles made by modern woodworking techniques. Most Victorian furniture is made of dark wood with heavily ornate elements consisting of repetitive patterns that could be created by machine.

Although Victorian interiors have been associated with lavishness, the Victorians knew how to carefully spend their money to make the most of the decorative items they could afford. When applying this interior design style in your own home, carefully consider what items will make the largest impact in the room. Other, smaller items can be planner and of lesser quality and still retain the overall appearance of Victorian interior design.

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