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what is a victorian style home

by Prof. Tremayne Murphy Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Victorian-style homes became popular during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and are characterized by Gothic influences and intricately designed woodwork. These homes often have pitched roofs, wraparound front porches, cylindrical turrets, and roof towers.Sep 24, 2021

Full Answer

How do I decorate a house in a Victorian style?

  • Chairs: should have a slightly curved backrest. The seat and backrest are normally upholstered, usually with stamped patterns or stripes. ...
  • Walls: Originally these were painted in darker colors. This has changed in today’s Victorian style. ...
  • Glass cabinets: are perfect for showing off any type of ornaments or other objects. ...

How much does a Victorian house cost?

The price of a Victorian-style house can range from $65k to $350,000. Depending on the size of your building project and local costs, the cost can be anywhere from $65,000 to $350,000. A draftsperson is usually hired at a cost of about $821 to $2,718 per hour. This means that it could take ten hours to complete a standard 3-bedroom house.

What are the features of Victorian homes?

What are the features of a Victorian house?

  • Steep, gabled roofs.
  • Round angles.
  • Towers, turrets and dormers.
  • Shapeley windows, especially bay windows.
  • Stained glass.
  • Decorative woodwork.
  • Bright colors.

How to spot a Victorian house?

Some other features to look out for in Victorian homes include:

  • Iron railings: front iron railings and gates were popular in the Victorian era.
  • Barge boards – the inverted v-shaped fascias on the side of a roof - were popular.
  • Slate roofs, often with ridge tiles made of terracotta, and decorative wooden panels on the ends.
  • Tiled floors in the porch areas and hallway.

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What makes a house a Victorian house?

In Great Britain and former British colonies, a Victorian house generally means any house built during the reign of Queen Victoria. During the Industrial Revolution, successive housing booms resulted in the building of many millions of Victorian houses which are now a defining feature of most British towns and cities.

How can you tell if a house is Victorian?

Some distinctive characteristics of a Victorian property are:High pitched roofs.Ornate gable trim.Bay windows.Two over two panel sash windows (supported with a single astragal bar on each sash)Sash window horns.Decorative brickwork (often in red)Stained glass windows.

What are 3 characteristics of Victorian design?

This style was characterized by symmetry, Renaissance revival style interiors, many small windows, and limited ornamentation. Victorian architecture rejected the subtle styles of the past in favor of a style that reflected the prosperity of certain social classes.

What did a Victorian house look like?

The main structures were fairly simple, rectangular-shaped houses with low sloping or sometimes flat roofs that protrude quite far out from the exterior walls. The windows are tall and skinny, often rounded at the top, and there is trim, trim, and more trim.

Why are Victorian houses so popular?

The generous proportions of Victorian homes, such as high ceilings and double reception rooms, are particularly popular with families. These homes also attract buyers because of the ease with which they can be extended and modernised.

Is my home Victorian or Edwardian?

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.

What are Victorian colors?

The traditional Victorian colour palette was dark and consisted of dark, rich and deep shades of maroon, red, burgundy, chestnut, dark green, brown and blues. Maybe this sounds a bit dramatic for your tastes but you can mix this possibly overwhelming colour palette with lighter shades in the following way.

What rooms were in a Victorian house?

What rooms did Victorian houses have?The top floor would typically house the servants quarters and the children's rooms with a nursery.The second floor would include the master bedroom and the second bathroom.More items...

What makes a Victorian house unique?

Cozy nooks were common in Victorian floor plans. The interior of the home tended to be unique and often rambling in its complexity. Multiple bedrooms, second-floor balconies, double doors, ornate stairways, and detailed interior trim are just a few of the typical features of Victorian homes and floor plans.

What is modern Victorian decorating style?

For the uninitiated, modern Victorian spaces are exactly what they sound like: homes that blend parts of the Victorian era with bits of the modern day. In a modern Victorian home, you can expect to see cement on the floors and chandeliers on the ceiling—or ornate mirrors juxtaposed with works of abstract art.

What age is a Victorian house?

Seemingly obviously, Victorian houses were built between 1837 and 1901, when Queen Victoria was on the throne. However some people, including the Victorian Society itself, take 'Victorian Architecture' to encompass Edwardian as well, which takes this time period up to 1910.

Where are Victorian houses most common?

Old Louisville in Kentucky has the highest concentration of restored Victorian homes in the US. Originally called the Southern Extension, Old Louisville was built in the 1870s as a suburb, which was 48 city blocks long and filled with Victorian mansions.

How do you tell what era a house was built?

If your property was sold by the developer who built it, you could get a copy of the title register to find out its approximate age using the date of the first transfer or lease by the developer. This date is often referred to in the register.

How do I know if my architecture is Victorian?

While there are many different styles encompassed in Victorian-era architecture, some common features that will help you spot a Victorian from the outside include:Steeply pitched roofs.Plain or colorfully painted brick.Ornate gables.Painted iron railings.Churchlike rooftop finials.Sliding sash and canted bay windows.More items...•

How can you tell the difference between a Victorian and Georgian house?

The Victorians had their own distinctive decorative elements which can distinguish a Victorian house from a Georgian one. These include stained glass panes in the windows, ornamented ridge tiles on the roof, shapely wooden barge boards beside the roof and the odd finial.

What is the difference between Victorian and Edwardian?

Victorian era is said to have continued from 1837 to 1901 and lasted the reign of Queen Victoria whereas Edwardian era started in 1901 with his ascension to the throne and lasted till 1910 till his death. Victorian era is believed to be more conservative than Edwardian era.

What Makes a House Victorian-Style?

"A Victorian-style house is something between a colorful dollhouse and a great English remnant," says Thomas Jepsen of the design firm Passion Plans. "While the style refers to a period of time in history, it is generally associated with certain characteristics."

The History of Victorian-Style Homes

The Victorian look became increasingly popular during the mid-to-late 1800s with influence from the Industrial Revolution. Today, this type of home can be found on several continents from Europe to North America and Australia. Their decorative style is reflective of the era, as British architects took their designs abroad to colonized countries.

Different Types of Victorian Homes

There are a handful of subcategories of original Victorian houses.

How to Spot a Victorian

Steeply pitched roof of irregular shape, usually with dominant front-facing gable

Victorian House Links

An example of a Stick Victorian, in which the pattern and colors of the brickwork take the place of the applied Stick ornament.

Victorian House Books and Magazines

Now, the long-awaited companion to Painted Ladies, Daughters of Painted Ladies, and Painted Ladies Revisited is available in paperback. Presents a dazzling orgy of Victoriana inside and out with more than 400 color photographs of Painted Ladies across the country.

Victorian-Style Homes

If you are toying with the idea of purchasing a Victorian home, you should be aware of the history and characteristics of this beloved architectural style. Committing to a Victorian means you will be part of the romance and history of a bygone era.

Origin of the Victorian Style

Victorian style is a reference to architectural trends that were born during the reign of England’s Queen Victoria. This era between 1830 and 1910 witnessed the popularity of a number of elaborate home styles that included Gothic Revival, Italianate, Romanesque, Queen Anne, Second Empire, and Eastlake.

Style Characteristics

Queen Anne style homes became popular during the 1880s, taking full advantage of the mechanization of the time. These elaborately decked out homes reveled in their bright colors and flourishes of ornamental trim. In fact, this is the style most of us associate with being truly Victorian.

Important Considerations Before Buying a Victorian

When thinking about investing in a Victorian home, you must first determine how much time and work you want to devote to a structure of this age. Many have been restored and modernized, but you will pay a premium for that luxury.

Finding a Victorian

Check with public and private organizations when searching for a Victorian style home. Some municipalities have information on historic home organizations in the area. Real estate brokerage firms in major cities often specialize in heritage properties. Do online research on websites, like historic home magazines, for listings.

Questions & Answers

Question: What are the little porches called in front of the 3rd story window?

Start a Conversation!

Alexander James Guckenberger from Maryland, United States of America on June 25, 2018:

9 Types Victorian Houses: A Summary

Victorian houses typically share a few characteristics. However, this period lasted for nearly 100 years and encompassed various socio-economic movements. There are 9 primary types of Victorian homes:

What are the Types of Victorian Homes?

The Victorian era lasted from 1820 to 1914, which roughly corresponded to Queen Victoria’s reign. This period consisted of a class-based society, changing politics, a growing economy, and the peak of the British empire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some popular questions concerning the types of Victorian homes.

So, What are the Types of Victorian Homes?

The Victorian period lasted for nearly a century, so the architecture varied drastically in some regions. Nevertheless, most houses had some intricate details that provided the signature Victorian look.

History of Victorian Architecture

Victorian-era architecture followed the Georgian (1714–1830) and late Georgian period (1830–1837), which was characterized by generously proportioned rooms in typically three-story residences where families lived on the first two floors and servants occupied the smaller third story.

Characteristics of Victorian Architecture

Victorian-era architecture is marked by its unapologetic devotion to ornament and flourish and its ornate maximalist interior design. While there are many different styles encompassed in Victorian-era architecture, some common features that will help you spot a Victorian from the outside include:

Interesting Facts About Victorian Architecture

In San Francisco, one of the city’s most iconic backdrops is a row of “painted ladies,” the nickname given in the U.S. to Victorian and Edwardian houses repainted in the 1960s in three or more colors to spruce up their ornate architectural details.

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1.Victorian house style – what it is and how to get the look

Url:https://www.homesandgardens.com/advice/victorian-house-style

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Url:https://dengarden.com/misc/About-Victorian-Style-Homes

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