Victorian Style Home Decorating Ideas

The Victorians were people who were known to pay too much importance to sophistication and elegance. The Victorian Era was a time when England was ruled by Queen Victoria. They were fashion conscious not only in their appearance, but also in the way they decorated their homes. A Victorian home was a reflection of the status and social class of the owner. They liked their houses to be decorated in a very rich manner, mirroring the style of the earlier aristocratic community. Typically, a Victorian house would be adorned with exquisite furniture and accessories, making the whole house look palatial. Even in this era of modernization, there are many people who prefer to design their houses in the Victorian style.

To start with the interiors, the most important thing to decide is the colors for the walls. Victorian walls were never painted in the modern light shades, instead they were usually coated with dark and vibrant colors like sapphire, ruby, emerald green, etc. You can also use different colors on different walls to add to the style. If you want to have light colors, include them in the kitchen and hallway. Avoid light shades in the main rooms.

Another thing that was fashionable in the Victorian period was wallpaper. You can go in for wallpapers with different patterns like flowers, butterflies, birds, leaves, etc. If you have a big and spacious house, you can go for bigger patterns. However, opt for the small patterns if you are in an apartment or smaller house, as bigger patterns in small houses would make the house look less spacious. You can also use different patterns on the border, something that was also very common during that period.

The flooring of a Victorian home was usually made of wood and was covered with rich looking carpets having flowery designs to match the look of the walls. For kitchen flooring you can use marble, tiles, bricks or even hard wood. You can either leave it bare or put washable rugs on top of the flooring.

To get the authentic Victorian look, it is important that you buy furniture that were similar to that period. The furniture of those times were usually made of teak, oak, mahogany, rosewood, walnut, etc. Beautifully carved tables, chairs, beds, etc., can definitely accentuate the whole Victorian look. You can also go for wicker furniture that would give that perfect rustic look to your home.

Accessories are very important while decorating a home, as they complete the look of the house. Curtains and fabrics for sofas and chairs should be bought while keeping in mind the colors and patterns of the walls of the room. While selecting curtains, one can go for heavily embroidered fabric, velvet or even brocade to add to the richness of the room. While choosing table clothes, bed sheets, pillow covers, etc., use linen made of laces, embroidery and ribbons.

It was common to see antique porcelain dolls and figurines, lace doilies, decorative china and plates in a typical Victorian household. One can also make use of decorative lighting like small table lamps, magnificent chandeliers or candelabras to give that finishing effect of a Victorian home.

Decorating your home in the Victorian style can be very expensive. However, you can get hold of a lot of authentic Victorian stuff at thrift stores and even in flea markets at cheap rates. Usually, a typical Victorian house is crammed with furniture. However, in today's times it would be difficult to manage such a house. It would be better if you take some interior decorating ideas from the Victorian period and design your house as per your own requirements and tastes.