The main inspiration of Victorian classical decoration is the interior space of the castles of Queen Victoria of England, as its name indicates. This era influenced various disciplines such as architecture, clothing, industry, especially during its last period. The influence that the feminine gender gave to this style found permanence and remains strong in these times and will undoubtedly find a place in future generations. Therefore, if you’re a person who likes traditional and details that have their own personality, then this style will be the one for you.
So, if you continue reading our article, we will briefly tell you many ways for you to implement this elegant and fine style in your home. And with these simple decorating tips, you can make your home a Victorian-style home that reflects a lot of elegance, luminosity, and tradition at the same time in your home.
Colors
When it comes to this kind of decoration, colors play an extremely important role. You can actually use many different color ranges, but keep in mind that dark colors were the most important at that time. The most favored colors, in this case, are red, brown, gold, green; however, it’s worth clarifying that these colors should be in dark tones, not light ones. The contrast between these and the gold or silver ornaments give an elegant and sophisticated touch.
In some cases, it’s also possible to find Victorian decorations with more neutral and muted colors. But as long as the furniture and ornaments meet the characteristics of this style, they can still be considered Victorian.
For example, the walls painted in Victorian style are always painted in dark colors, but it’s not the only option since you can also upholster the walls with floral prints, with butterflies, and even with birds to give a more classic look to the room. In contrast, light colors such as white, cream and ivory are used in kitchens.
But if we had to choose the most important color of this style, it would be gold, since the most suitable for this decoration, and this color is mainly found in the frames of the paintings, in the mirrors, and in the furniture legs, among others. And as for the colors, it’s necessary to take into account that it’s fundamental to know how to combine them in order to generate a nice-looking environment.
Furniture
Dark, heavy furniture and relief carvings were prominent in Victorian houses – and not just for the aristocracy. Victorian taste also showed the furniture collected on trips, so African and Oriental influences are prevalent in their homes – tribal masks, animal skin rugs, for example, were extremely popular.
The Victorian era also loved the mess – the rooms were filled to burst, with chairs, sofas, wooden details, display cabinets and a huge range of various fabrics. Nowadays the style is more minimalist, so that aspect could be considered too strong, so instead of filling the space from top to bottom, we can look for one or two pieces to give it a Victorian touch.
As for the furniture, they’re usually made of wood and are characterized by being striking and large, generally, hand carved, with wavy lines and legs in the form of animal claws. For example, the dining room tables are round and heavy, and the chairs are upholstered in leather. The beds are big and solid. And as for the floors, these are characterized by being covered with carpets. If you’re a person who likes dark colors, wood is your first choice for floors, but instead, if you lean more towards the colorful side, then you can put carpets on the floors to give that touch of personality to the room.
Another element that can never be missing in Victorian-style decoration are giant and heavy mirrors, with detailed frames since this gives the room a lot of elegance.
When talking about accessories or additional elements, these should be a little bit extravagant, such as some exotic piece, a giant jar with many flowers, marble-fronted fireplaces, glass windows, oriental carpets or maybe even animal trophies. You can also add some black and white photos with large frames, Greek figurines, some candles and paintings – for example, a lovely art prints of magnificent painters like James Jacques Joseph Tissot. You can check here some of the greatest ones.
On the other hand, the textiles most used at the time were silk and velvets, mostly with above mentioned floral prints. It’s essential to keep in mind that these fabrics could be used for anything, such as curtains, armchairs, pillows, etc. Some more details that were frequently used at this time were the fringes, the lace, and the tassels. Antique pieces and patinated paint to give an even more classic touch can be purchased from second-hand stores, so we already see that it isn’t necessary to make large disbursements to achieve this style full of sophistication.
Lighting
When it comes to Victorian-era design, lighting plays an essential role; mostly lovely chandeliers of the time – highly decorative and simply the focal point of the room. Candles are also widely used, as well as floor lamps with golden or bronze feet that bring stylishness to the room.
We can also put chandeliers in other rooms of the house except the living room – always hanging from the ceiling. In addition, you’ll find them in different materials, although the glass ones are the most traditional. Regarding the candles, you can currently opt for aromatic ones that will easily provide you with an even more relaxing and intimate atmosphere. You can also place them in candlesticks, which can be attached to the wall by appliques.
What’s even more important, you must allow the natural light flow through the windows, and make sure it illuminates the rooms. If we want to give it a more Victorian touch, we can change the blinds and small curtains for long velvet curtains or heavy fabrics in cheerful tones.
The classic Victorian style is what takes us to past times, to traditional and historical palaces. It’s a classy and delicate and excessive decoration (in the sense that it includes very large pieces and many objects in the same space) with luxury materials. Within it, less isn’t more – more is more. So, if you’re someone who cherishes refined things, then this is the perfect style for you. And most important of all, this style reflects an image of an elegant but at the same time cozy and pleasant home that everyone dreams about.