17 Victorian Houses with the Decorative Details That Define the Era (2024)

FAQs

What era are Victorian houses? ›

Date: Victorian houses were built between 1837 and 1901, when Queen Victoria was on the throne. The Victorian age saw the introduction of the modern terrace - with a living room at the front, and a kitchen at the back - to house the many people who moved into urban areas for jobs and a better life.

Victorian Home and Garden

A common mental image of a "Victorian" home looks much like a dollhouse with elaborate trim and bright colors. But the term "Victorian architecture" actually refers to styles that emerged in the period between 1830 and 1910, during the reign of Queen Victoria.

“Recognizable characteristics are steep, tiled roofs, painted brick, bay windows, and asymmetrical design,” Dadswell says. “Wooden floorboards, plaster cornicing, sweeping staircases, wooden sash windows, and tiled entrance hallways would have been incorporated into most Victorian homes.”

Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. Victorian refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian were used in construction.

Victorian houses were generally built in terraces or as detached houses. Building materials were brick or local stone. Bricks were made in factories some distance away, to standard sizes, rather than the earlier practice of digging clay locally and making bricks on site.

The Victorian era spans the 63 years of Queen Victoria's reign over Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death in 1901.

The Victorian era takes its name from Queen Victoria, who ruled between 1837–1901. There were nine British prime ministers during the Victorian era.

Rich fabric, voluminous drapes, lush upholstery, detailed woodwork, and inspiring rugs are all essential elements of Victorian design. When you're putting your room or home together, remember that adding a variety of textures creates just as much depth as adding different colors and patterns.

Everybody loves a Victorian-era house. It's hard not to be charmed by such a big and boisterous creation, and to be sure, Victorians had many good qualities. Spaciousness was certainly one. Another was the almost incredible amount of effort lavished on their famously ornate detailing.

Victorian buildings often feature high ceilings and large windows, which create that bright and spacious feel that is highly sought after in homes today, yet their unique character features make them stand out from a new build style of home.

What was the style of the Victorian house? ›

Features of a Victorian House

The houses usually have two to three stories with steep, gabled roofs and round towers. On the exterior, there are towers, turrets, and dormers, forming complex roof lines as architects sought to create designs that would pull the eye to the top of the house.

Most Victorian buildings were classical, although the style was used with greater flexibility and variety than ever before. It could encompass both the formal magnificence of such buildings as Witley Court, Worcestershire, and the picturesque Italian Renaissance of Osborne House.

So, unlike the smaller, darker Victorian homes, Edwardian houses were more squat, wider and roomy, with bigger hallways and more windows. It's common for an Edwardian property to have a front garden and be set back from the pavement, as there was an ever-increasing desire for privacy at that time.

Although the Edwardian period lasted just nine years from 1901 to 1910, the architectural style is considered to have continued to around 1920, ten years after Edward VII's death. As servants' quarters were no longer required, the small attic rooms and cellars of the Victorian era gave way to large elegant rooms.

After the 67-year Victorian period, the Edwardian period was very short, lasting only 9 years between 1901-1910.

This period saw a boom in culture, social reform, enlightenment values, political upheaval and of course, The Industrial Revolution. An example of quintessential Georigan architecture is The Royal Crescent in Bath. After the Georgian period came the Victorian era, running from 1837 to 1901.