Dear Michelle,
“We recently purchased a beautiful Victorian style home; the only problem is the inside has no style. It has beautiful and unique dormer windows however; every room currently has boring white walls, with equally boring light tan carpet. I am about to start decorating the interior and am hoping you can give me some ideas on ways I can keep my interior decor in alignment with the exterior and structural design of my home. “
Thank you,
Gerri
Keeping With the Architectural Design of Your Home
Thank you for asking this question Gerri. This is a very common problem for many home owners that have such a specific architectural style to their home. Once they decide to decorate the interior, they don’t know where to start, or what direction of design to take.
My opinion on this matter is to try to bring some of the architectural elements from the outside into the interior design. For example, Victorian design incorporates a lot of decorative trim. Some might say similar to lace in appearance. It has a more formal or fancy feel in the extra details. Incorporating similar design elements to the interior, gives the home more overall appeal, and helps give you a design direction. Having a home with an exterior and interior that flows well together is also great for resale.
By adding moldings, decorative paneling, trim and ceiling treatments, you would be adding touches that were all very important elements to the Victorian aesthetic. You don’t have to use all of these examples. Depending on your home, you may only want to add some decorative moldings. Or, use more elements in your dining room, for a more formal feel. .
Unless you are an absolute purist, I really wouldn’t lose sleep over what colors were used in Victorian design. Go with colors that feel right for you. After all, during the creation of this era as well as most architectural eras, styles were dictated by what materials were available at the time, as well as what was necessary for living. For example, color schemes varied depending on the location of the home. Lighter colors tended to be avoided in towns and cities due to pollution. Another factor was the availability of pigments. Paint had to be mixed on site with whatever local ingredients could be found.
In Victorian times the general feeling was that deep, rich colors enhanced the importance of a room. Of course at that time, this “general feeling” was easy to achieve if you owned a railroad. Lucky for us, today we can just make a quick trip to the local paint store, and pick up any color of the rainbow and then some. Make sure your color choices work back with any furniture and accessories you plan on using, and try to find colors that are complimentary from room to room. Painting the moldings and other details a contrasting color from the walls and ceilings will give your rooms a more Victorian flavor.
Wallpaper is another element that was used during the Victorian period. Elaborate scrolled floral patterns were popular, and primary colors of red, blue and green overprinted with shades of creams and tans were common. This would be a fun look for a powder room, or a formal room, if you want more of the Victorian style represented in your décor. Often the chairs in a wallpapered room were covered in fabric that matched the wall paper.
Now let’s address your flooring needs. Since we live in a time where we can choose many materials to walk on, it really comes down to what works for our individual lifestyles. Gerri has very light neutral carpeting. Not always the most practical choice if you have kids and pets. I would probably start out by installing wood or wood laminate flooring depending on your budget, in the high traffic areas of the home. Remember that lower sheen and lighter finishes show less dust and footprints. If you still want carpeting, I would keep it in the bedrooms, and I would use colors that don’t show every spot, and also watch for those thick piles that show every step you take. You don’t want to spend all your time vacuuming. If you choose wood throughout, you will want to use area rugs to absorb sound, and also keep things feeling cozy. Tile was not used a lot in the Victorian period, but if it is what you want, go for it if you are not trying to do everything to the era. But try to stay away from tiles that dictate another type of architecture. Again, you will want to use area rugs to anchor your furniture in the room, and reduce noise.
As far as furniture styles, I say go with a style that you are comfortable with, and not necessarily what the style of the home may dictate. After all, you are the one living there. It is nice to incorporate period style lighting fixtures and accessories around, just to give that hint of Victorian etc. Design and architecture have come a long way. We no longer have to follow strict guidelines when decorating our homes. Have fun with your décor, and make it your own personal statement.