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Worldwide, the 19th century saw a surge of interest in decoration for every area of the home, from lavish exterior ornamentation to heavily decorated, furnished and accented interiors.
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The reign of Britain's Queen Victoria (1837-1901) was an era of growing affluence and prosperity. There was an explosion of exploration, empire building and trade, bringing new, exotic objects and styles to Britain and the Western World. Simultaneously, the Industrial Revolution introduced mass-production, making items that were once rare and expensive available to everyone—at affordable prices.
London's Great Exhibition of 1851 showcased the very best, creating intense interest in home decoration. The emerging middle classes in particular took great pride in their homes as new-found symbols of their elevated economic and social status.
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The Victorian style of England and America in the 19th century can't be confined to a single design influence. It's an eclectic blend of styles including Elizabethan, Classical Greek, Neo-Baroque, Gothic, Queen Anne, Colonial, Egyptian and Oriental elements.
Ornate and opulent, Victorian rooms were heavily decorated, full of furniture, filled with rich fabrics, and accented with artistic arrangements of knickknacks, collections, photographs and artifacts.
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Many people today are surprised to discover that the Victorians were far from reserved—they loved vivid, bold colors both inside and outside their homes.
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 Interiors - Victorian decorators believed that using deep, rich colors would enhance the importance of a room. Rich, dark colors such as ruby reds, forest greens and golden ambers were choices for the main rooms. Contrasting colors, those opposite each other on the color wheel) (see The Creative Power of the Color Wheel feature), were also employed to create visual drama.
Neutral colors—grays and taupes—were applied in hallways, entryways, and connecting rooms, often with a faux marble or stone technique.
Faux painting (see Having Fun with Faux feature) techniques, such as sponging, marbleizing, wood graining and stenciling, were popular as inexpensive ways to create the look of costly wallpapers, fine marbles and expensive woods. |
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Dusky Violet |
110E-3 |
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Mesa |
320F-5 |
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Antique Pearl |
210E-2 |
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Donegal Tweed |
310F-5 |
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Cinnamon Whip |
210F-4 |
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Mocha Accent |
720D-5 |
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Winter Cocoa |
730B-4 |
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Mother Nature |
410F-4 |
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Victorian Mauve |
150F-4 |
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Tate Olive |
390F-6 |
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Bold Brick |
190F-6 |
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Amazon Moss |
450F-5 |
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Burnt Tile |
150F-7 |
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Swan Sea |
500F-4 |
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Pebbled Courtyard |
250E-2 |
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Marsh Creek |
480F-5 |
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Clair de Lune |
300E-3 |
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Medieval Forest |
460F-6 |
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Exteriors - Color schemes tended to vary depending upon the location of the home.
Lighter colors were frequently used for exteriors in more rural areas. These schemes tended toward warmer colors, with trim painted either darker or lighter than the main body color to emphasize architectural detail.
Deeper colors were used in the cities, partly to hide the effects of pollution. Colors ranged from deep, rich earth tones to more "jewel-like" colors, with complex schemes designed to highlight the ornamental design and interesting patterns of Victorian gingerbread detailing.
These schemes can be seen in the present day in the famous "Painted Ladies" of San Francisco.
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Brown Teepee |
700D-4 |
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Mocha Accent |
720D-5 |
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Warm Embrace |
730B-5 |
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Wool Tweed |
320F-6 |
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Earth Tone |
230F-6 |
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River Bank |
380F-6 |
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New Brick |
S-H-200 |
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Boston Fern |
410F-5 |
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Burnt Tile |
150F-7 |
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Island Palm |
460F-5 |
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Deep Aubergine |
100F-7 |
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Jungle Green |
490F-7 |
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Bison Brown |
780B-7 |
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Windsor Moss |
430F-7 |
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Cornerstone |
330E-2 |
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Black Sable |
730F-7 |
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Clam Chowder |
330C-3 |
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Rhino |
710E-3 |
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Desert Camel |
320F-4 |
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Silver Hill |
750F-5 |
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Sweet Georgia Brown |
280F-6 |
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Southern Evening |
550D-7 |
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Furniture - Victorian furnishings—both original and reproduction—are solid, ornate and rather large. Pieces are made from dark woods such as mahogany, walnut and rosewood. Tables and chests are frequently topped with fine marble.
Upholstered furniture is typically "overstuffed", with deep-buttoned upholstery. Many original pieces have curving shapes, with exquisite carved detailing of vines, scrollwork, leaves, and acorns.
Fabrics - Original and reproduction Victorian fabrics are highly patterned, sumptuous and luxurious. For seasonal variety, rich velvets and damasks are perfect for winter, and can be exchanged with cotton, muslin and chintz for the summertime.
Flooring - Opulent, natural-dyed Persian and Oriental rugs are the perfect complement to dark, polished hardwood floors.
Accessories - Lamps are generally made from colorful Tiffany glass, painted china, and brass, and crowned with shades decorated with fringe, bows, and rosettes. Period note: candelabras—fittings bearing real candles—were used throughout most of the Victorian period, even after oil, gas, and electrical lights became more common.
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Here are a few simple ideas to help you give modern rooms a Victorian look.
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Stains.
Use dark stains on your woodwork to create the look of rich mahogany and rosewood.
Tip: Replace thin contemporary baseboards with the wider style more common in Victorian times. Stain moldings in a dark wood finish.
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Hardware.
Replace modern hardware such as handles or doorknobs with antique brass, china, or crystal pieces.
Tip: Antique hardware can be found at antique salvage yards and flea markets, or you can purchase new reproductions of period pieces.
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Ornamentation.
Apply decorative moldings such as wooden leaves, vines, or scrollwork (available at your local Home Depot) to add ornamentation to a plain fireplace surround.
Tip: Dress your fireplace mantle with an Oriental vase filled with roses, set on a runner of antique Victorian lace.
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Fabrics.
Close attention to fabrics is essential to create an authentic-looking Victorian room. For curtains and upholstery, use fine fabrics such as damask silk or velvet.
Tip: Don't be afraid of bold patterns such as bright floral fabrics, or patterns containing animals or birds. These were the recurring themes in Victorian homes.
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Frames.
Display collections of photographs, grouped together, with antique silver frames.
Tip: This looks best if the frames are all different shapes and sizes, with different amounts of decorative detail.
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Try the ColorSmart™ by BEHR interactive program to experiment with thousands of different color combinations and see how they look in actual room settings.
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