7 Victorian Decor Ideas To Keep Your Home Fresh

There’s nothing quite like a period property. From the compact charm of Edwardian homes to the ornate style of Victorian homes, period properties have a whole host of charm and are coveted by homeowners all over the UK.

Unfortunately, many Victorian-era properties have seen more than their fair share of abuse over the last century. Original features get covered up, wood floors get carpeted over, and other eras have crept into the space, creating an amalgamation of different styles and decor that can look a little tired over time.

Whether you’ve just moved into your Victorian property or have called it home for a while and feel like it needs a refresh, here are some tips and tricks for decorating a Victorian home.

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What is Victorian decor?

The Victorian decor style is difficult to pin down exactly. In fact, Queen Victoria’s reign was so long – from 1837 to 1901 – that it is impossible to describe it as having any single style. The Victorian era saw a passion for combining and merging many different influences into an opulent and maximalist style that leaves no detail unnoticed.

After travel opened up to Japan and India, we saw more of these exotic design elements influence home decor. Additionally, the introduction of mass production and affordable products allowed homeowners to fill their rooms with all sorts of textiles and furniture.

At a glance, the Victorian style can include Gothic Revival architecture, such as pointed arches over doors and windows, decorative ironwork, mediaeval influences like fleurs de Lys, and rich dark colours such as ruby red, forest green, and dark blue. Not only that, you’ll often find that highly decorative, busy wallpapers were a feature in Victorian homes. They loved ornate furniture as well, often heavily carved or over-stuffed button-back armchairs, sofas, and ottomans placed upon highly patterned floor tiles and wooden flooring.

How to create a Victorian decor in your home

1. Freshen up fireplaces

victorian fireplace blue

Victorian fireplaces are the epitome of dream home features for period property owners. If you’ve got one, especially if it's original to the property, don’t ever let it go. If you can, restore the fireplace to its former glory by stripping any old gloss and giving it a fresh lick of paint, polish, and new tiles. Doing so will instantly change the vibe of the room and will be guaranteed to become your new favourite feature in that room.

2. Windows with style

Victorian homes are known for their large, ornate windows. You can refresh the feel of your property by updating the windows and frame. Not only will this help you preserve the heat in your home with modern window styles, but you can also restore some of the original charm to the place by opting for designs that are sympathetic to the building’s style. Perfect for places that used to be rented.

3. Don’t neglect the ceiling

Just because the ceilings are high doesn’t mean you should ignore them. Get rid of any old or popcorn ceiling textures (it’s an annoying job, but it can make your home look dated) and give your ceilings a new lease of life with period-accurate ceiling roses around light fixtures and decorative architraves around the edges.

4. Make the most of storage

Period properties are full of alcoves and other nooks which means it’s unlikely that any room will be an exact square or rectangle. Whether due to chimney breasts or under-the-stairs nooks, filling these spaces with additional storage can make the most of these spots. Add built-in shelving and custom-made cupboards to turn these spaces from awkward to functional!

5. Fill space wisely

Victorian properties typically have high ceilings and larger rooms. In a world of increasingly small homes becoming the norm, it’s lovely to have the extra space, but filling these rooms to feel lived-in but not cluttered can be quite difficult.

You’ll want to make sure that your furniture is large enough to fit the space properly; think of large cushioned sofas and armchairs around wide coffee tables and sideboards for dining room tables as centrepieces. Additionally, don’t be afraid to set items away from the walls if you have particularly large spaces. For example, doing this with roll-top baths in big bathrooms is an excellent way to fill the grand spaces while also matching the Victorian vibe of the property.

6. Terrific tiles

Other than wood floors, a lot of Victorian homes featured beautifully ornated highly patterned tiles. Certain areas in Victorian homes were more likely to have tiles with hallways, bathrooms and kitchens being a popular option. Boldly patterned Victorian-inspired tiling is back on trend so there are endless options to choose from if you don’t have original tiling to work with. More modern geometric designs are also fabulous in these areas to create a contemporary contrast to the home’s period features.

Find a wide range of vinyl tile flooring to make your Victorian home dreams come true.

7. We love wood floors

The timeless feel of hardwood flooring and Victorian homes go hand in hand. If your Victorian property has old carpet, it’s time to peel it back and see what’s underneath - you may be in luck and have the original floorboards that you can restore. Or, you might hit the ultimate jackpot and discover ornate parquet flooring designs. Restore the floors and give them a fresh coat of varnish before pairing with plush rugs and runners for a delightfully durable feature in your home.

If your home doesn’t have the original floors or the floors are too damaged to restore, don’t worry. Browse our range of light vinyl flooring to emulate the feel of Victorian floors. Choose between planks or parquet styles and install them easily and quickly for an instant refresh.

No matter whether you’re refreshing just one room in your Victorian home, or the entire house needs a spruce-up, make sure you check out our full vinyl flooring range for the perfect, easy-to-install flooring for your home. 

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