Choosing the overall aesthetic of your home can be one of the most difficult decisions when it comes to designing your custom home. There are so many options! If you’re a bit of an eclectic or have a taste for the finer things, perhaps a Victorian aesthetic would suit you. As one of the most iconic and recognizable styles, the Victorian house is still a favourite among many today. They’re elegant, dramatic, and grand. 

Whether you’re looking to build a brand new Victorian-style home or add some vintage flair to your existing space, we’ll provide some inspiration and guidance.

The Victorian Aesthetic Defined

For some, the Victorian home conjures up scenes from horror films. It is true that it has gained a reputation for being the stereotypical “haunted house”, but for many, it’s the height of class, wealth, and opulence. 

The Victorian home aesthetic is characterized by its elaborate and ornate design features that were popular during the Victorian era in the 19th century. This period was characterized by an eclectic mix of Gothic Revival, Tudor Revival, and Renaissance Revival styles. 

The Victorian style is centred around classic colour palettes, plush furnishings, intricate woodwork, stained glass, and sculptural accents. The Victorian aesthetic went beyond the exterior of the house, extending to the interior decor. It embodies elegance, sophistication, and grandeur that never goes out of style.

Features of the Victorian Aesthetic 

The Victorian home aesthetic is all about detail. Some of the main features of the style include: 

Colour

Victorian homes are known for their bold colour schemes, including deep reds, greens, blues, and purples.

Architecture 

Victorian houses are easy to spot with their grand and elaborate architecture. Just look for steep rooflines, intricate gables, towers, and asymmetrical shapes.

Decorative Elements 

Full of unique decorative elements, Victorian homes are known for their stained glass windows, carved wood details, intricate mouldings, and ornamental brickwork.

Ornamentation

You’ll also notice that Victorian houses are typically adorned with delicate and detailed ornaments, such as carved wood spindles, decorative brackets, and gingerbread trim.

Textiles

Another common feature of the Victorian style is their use of rich textiles like velvet, silk, and lace. These luxurious fabrics are used throughout the house in everything from furniture to lampshades.

Furnishings 

If you’ve ever been inside a home decorated in the Victorian style, you probably noticed the fancy furnishings – ornate and Gothic-inspired chairs and sofas, tables with labyrinthine carvings and gilded details.

Lighting 

Finally, lighting is a big part of the Victorian style. Victorian homes often feature fancy light fixtures like chandeliers and wall sconces, which were popular during the Victorian era.

How to Achieve the Victorian Aesthetic in Your Home

If you want to match your interior with the exterior of your Victorian home, follow these design tips.

Rich Colour Palette

First, start with a rich and warm colour palette, like red or burgundy, deep green, and gold. Use these colours in abundance. And if your home has many rooms for various purposes, as was typical of the Victorian time period, take advantage of this and paint them different hues. You might also consider painting individual accent walls to add drama.

If you’d prefer to go more modern-Victorian, opt for a warm white colour throughout your home. For extra flare, use accents of gold here and there.

Quality Fabrics

The Victorian style is about lavishness, luxury, and detail. Use quality fabrics and lush textiles like silk, lace, and velvet throughout your home. Think chunky drapes, velvet sofas, embroidered cushions, and doilies on surfaces.

Ornate Details

As we mentioned, the Victorian aesthetic is all about the details. Whether it’s a detailed gingerbread trim on the exterior, a carved wooden decorative piece, or colourful stained glass windows. 

Some other ornate details to consider are:

• Patterned wallpaper
• Gold accents
• Ceiling medallions
• Crown mouldings
• Carved railings or trim

Curvy Furniture 

Another way to get the look is to invest in Victorian-style furniture. You want to look for elegant pieces that have elaborate details and ornate designs. This could be chairs or sofas that have intricately carved wooden legs, extravagant headboards, or pieces upholstered in floral patterns. 

Victorian-style furniture is traditionally made of mahogany, rosewood or walnut and is sometimes painted or gilded. And it’s almost always upholstered with soft, luxurious fabrics.

Historical Accessories 

Antiques and historical accessories are another great way to add a touch of Victorian charm to your interior. Look for vintage pieces like vases, picture frames, or mirrors that have spiffy designs and plenty of detail. They not only bring some history and character into your home and design, they also tie together the overall Victorian aesthetic.

Elegant Displays

A big part of the Victorian era was displaying wealth and sophistication to impress guests. This was partly achieved through the use of multiple showy displays, using decorative pieces, furniture, collections of antiques or knickknacks. 

You can accomplish a very Victorian feel in your own home by setting up these sorts of displays throughout your house. They could include beautiful vases on doilies, collections of trinkets on shelves, a wall full of framed photos, or prominent statement pieces.

Atmospheric Lighting 

Another aspect of the Victorian aesthetic involves setting a mood through the use of various light fixtures and candles. Decide on the style or mood of each room and find some light fixtures and lamps that work with the theme and atmosphere you want to create.

Victorian-era lighting consisted of a mix of candles, wall sconces, bougie lamps, and decadent chandeliers. Many of these can be found at flea markets or secondhand shops if you’re looking to save a few bucks. Look for brass pieces, antique lamps, and glass chandeliers.

Designing a Victorian Home

The Victorian-style home is certainly not for everyone. But, there’s no denying that this highly-detailed and intricate architectural style is absolutely stunning. Besides, you can choose just how much of the signature Victorian style you incorporate into your custom home design and interior decor. 

These tips will help you bring the aesthetic to your interior, and we can help you design and build the home of your dreams – whatever that looks like!

Let’s discuss your dream home.

About Omega

We don’t just build you a house, we build you a home. We assemble the top architects, designers, and trades personnel to work in conjunction with our experienced and licensed staff in order to make your dream home a reality. As a Tarion Custom Home Design-Builder, we feel it is our responsibility to be adaptable to each client’s individual needs. There’s no job we can’t handle, and we will do whatever it takes to meet your requests with high-quality results. Our architects and designers are always looking for new and exciting challenges, so the only limit is your imagination.

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