
What was the most popular style of Victorian house?
Queen Anne Perhaps the most recognizable of Victorian styles, Queen Anne houses quickly gained popularity throughout the entire country from the late 1870's to the beginning of the 1900's.
What is the Victorian era in architecture?
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. However, many elements of what is typically termed "Victorian" architecture did not become popular until later in Victoria's reign, roughly from 1850 and later.
Are there any Victorian houses in the United States?
Edmund Gillon has photographed and Clay Lancaster commented on 116 remarkable but lesser-known Victorian American homes. From Nova Scotia to Geneva, New York to Cape May, these rarely appreciated dwellings offer some of the best 19th-century architecture. Includes row houses, cottages, farms, summer homes.
When did hardware become popular in Victorian homes?
In 1872, Russell & Erwin started mass-producing standard hardware types and soon most pieces found in Victorian homes were created in a factory rather than a craftsman's workshop. The availability of new technologies such as electrical power and central heat also created unique opportunities in hardware design.

When did Victorian houses become popular?
Victorian-style homes became popular during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and are characterized by Gothic influences and intricately designed woodwork.
What period is Victorian houses?
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 popular?
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.
Do Victorian houses still exist?
Pretty much every village, town and city in the country will have some Victorian homes. But there are areas with particularly good examples of these properties: London.
Is 1905 Victorian or Edwardian?
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910, and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War.
How do I know if my house is 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.
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.
Why do Victorian houses have two front doors?
One Door Was Formal, the Other Was Not While one door may have led to a formal area, the other could have been used for day-to-day business. This thinking applied to other visitors as well—homeowners likely wanted to greet guests at a formal entrance.
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.
Do Victorian houses hold value?
It's because of their design and the quality materials used that have made them a popular feature of many cities in the UK and the demand means that the resale value for a Victorian house is strong.
Why are Victorian ceilings so high?
The high ceilings of Victorian properties, like most design features, were another way to display wealth to visitors. Creating a spacious environment, high ceilings provided a stark contrast to the low-ceiling cottages and houses that were associated with the more modest abodes.
What city has the most Victorian homes UK?
1. London. London is full of incredible Victorian properties and great examples can be found in: Chelsea.
What period is a 1920s house?
Although known as 'the Roaring Twenties', the period mixed post-First World War optimism with years of economic depression. Many of the 1920s houses were in suburban developments in the countryside around existing towns and cities.
Is a 1930s house Edwardian?
Edwardian Properties The Edwardian period was short, lasting only from 1901 to 1910.
What style is a 1930's house?
1930s houses had a very typical layout with a room off the front hall with a second living room and kitchen at the rear. Upstairs in these small homes were usually two bedrooms, a small room and a bathroom with a toilet. There would also be a detached garage.
What era is 1930s house UK?
The 1930s: A new era of owner-occupied homes There were approximately 4 million homes built between 1919 and 1930. Nearly 3 million of these were owner by the occupiers, an unprecedented change from the 750,000 of the early 1920s.
What is folk Victorian?
Folk Victorian is a generic, vernacular Victorian style. Builders added spindles or Gothic windows to simple square and L-shaped buildings. A creative carpenter with a newly-invented jigsaw may have created complicated trim, but look beyond the fancy dressing and you'll see a no-nonsense farmhouse right there beyond the architectural detail.
What style of architecture was used in the Victorian era?
When you look at a house built during the Victorian era, you might see pediments which are characteristic of Greek Revival or balustrades echoing a Beaux Arts style. You may see dormer windows and other Colonial Revival details. You may also see medieval ideas such as Gothic windows and exposed trusses. And, of course, you'll find lots of brackets, spindles, scrollwork and other machine-made building parts. Victorian-era architecture was emblematic of the new American ingenuity and prosperity.
How many sides does an octagon house have?
Besides having eight sides, typical features include the use of quoins to accentuate the many corners and a cupola on a flat roof. The 1861 McElroy Octagon House in San Francisco has a cupola, but it is not seen in this low angled photograph. Octagon houses can be found from coast to coast in the United States.
What was the Victorian era?
The Victorian era is that time period that matches the reign of England's Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. During that period, a distinct form of residential architecture was developed and became popular. Here are a few of the most popular house styles—known collectively as Victorian architecture.
Why did the 1800s have eight sided houses?
The thought behind this design was the expression of a belief that more light and ventilation was healthier in a sooty, industrialized America. The style became particularly popular after the 1848 publication of The Octagon House: A Home For All, or A New, Cheap, Convenient, and Superior Mode of Building by Orson Squire Fowler (1809–1887).
What type of house had a vertical divider?
Diagonal window muntins—dominant vertical dividers in the windows, as seen here on the 1855 Pendleton House—are typical of the 17th century Post-Medieval English (or First Period) style homes built by English colonists, such as seen on the Paul Revere house in Boston.
What was the Glessner House?
The Glessner House, Richardson's Chicago, Illinois design finished in 1887, not only influenced the Victorian-era styles of American architecture, but also the future work of American architects such as Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright.
What are some examples of Victorian architecture in Ireland?
Further examples of Victorian architecture in the country include Dublin's George's Street Arcade, the Royal City of Dublin Hospital on Baggot Street and the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital on Adelaide Road.
What is the red brick building in London?
Royal Albert Hall, London. The "Red Brick" Victoria Building at the University of Liverpool, completed in 1893 in Gothic Revival style. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse. The Victorian Pavilion at The Oval cricket ground in London. Victorian School of Art and Science at Stroud, Gloucestershire.
What is Victorian architecture?
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. However, many elements of what is typically termed "Victorian" architecture did not become popular until later in Victoria's reign, roughly from 1850 and later. The styles often included interpretations and eclectic revivals of historic styles. The name represents the British and French custom of naming architectural styles for a reigning monarch. Within this naming and classification scheme, it followed Georgian architecture and later Regency architecture, and was succeeded by Edwardian architecture .
What are some examples of Gothic Revival?
An example of the Gothic Revival style. North of Scotland Bank in Aberdeen by Archibald Simpson 1839–42. Balmoral Castle, completely rebuilt for Queen Victoria, an example of the Scots Baronial style. Walsall Victorian Arcade, UK. Barclays Bank building, Sutton, Greater London.
Where did Victorian architecture flourish?
Though Victorian architecture flourished in certain quarters. Particularly around Dublin's Wicklow Street and Upper Baggot Street and in the suburbs of Rathmines, Ranelagh, Rathgar, Rathfarnham, and Terenure. The colourful Italianate buildings of Cobh are excellent examples of the regional Victorian style in Ireland.
What is Victoria's style?
The styles often included interpretations and eclectic revivals of historic styles. The name represents the British and French custom of naming architectural styles for a reigning monarch.
Where are the largest Victorian homes in the United States?
The extent to which any one is the "largest surviving example" is debated, with numerous qualifications. The Distillery District in Toronto, Ontario contains the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America. Cabbagetown is the largest and most continuous Victorian residential area in North America. Other Toronto Victorian neighbourhoods include The Annex, Parkdale, and Rosedale. In the US, the South End of Boston is recognized by the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest and largest Victorian neighborhood in the country. Old Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, also claims to be the nation's largest Victorian neighborhood. Richmond, Virginia is home to several large Victorian neighborhoods, the most prominent being The Fan. The Fan district is best known locally as Richmond's largest and most 'European' of Richmond's neighborhoods and nationally as the largest contiguous Victorian neighborhood in the United States. The Old West End neighborhood of Toledo, Ohio is recognized as the largest collection of late Victorian and Edwardian homes in the United States, east of the Mississippi. Summit Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota, has the longest line of Victorian homes in the country. Over-The-Rhine in Cincinnati, Ohio, has the largest collection of early Victorian Italianate architecture in the United States, and is an example of an intact 19th-century urban neighborhood. According to National Register of Historic Places, Cape May Historic District has one of the largest collections of late 19th century frame buildings left in the United States.
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."
What is a folk Victorian home?
Folk Victorian homes take on much less of the signature extravagance that many Victorians feature, but they still incorporate a few key elements. These homes were popular in the United States from the late 1800s until around 1910. While Folk Victorians are typically constructed with a more simplistic, common look, they still have the classic detailed trim. These homes were usually built in rural areas and tend to take on the farmhouse feel .
What was the Victorian style of house?
Original Victorian houses have a list of indicators that make them fall into this category. "A typical Victorian home is large and imposing, two or three stories , and constructed of stone and wood with an ornate exterior consisting of steep, gabled roofs, towers, turrets, and highly decorative woodwork ," says Phillip Ash of Pro Paint Corner.
What is the most popular Victorian home in America?
Queen Anne Victorian. According to Jaye Anna Mize of Fashion Snoops, Queen Anne and Italianate are the most popular Victorian homes in America. "Queen Annes, with their asymmetrical feel, often showcase wrap-around porches, steeply pitched roofs, a turret, and two to three stories.".
What are the different types of Victorian homes?
Ash explains that this style can include "Gothic Revival, Second Empire, Stick-Eastlake, Folk Victorian, Romanesque Revival, and Shingle Style.". A few of the most popular variations in America are the Queen Anne Victorian, Italianate, ...
What is the Romanesque Revival style?
The Romanesque Revival style came to American architecture during the mid-1800s, and like Gothic Victorians, its details are comparable to those of many historic churches constructed in the era. It's particularly known for its use on the Smithsonian Institution Building located near Washington, D.C.'s National Mall. Romanesque Revival homes were typically constructed of brick or stone, and they included large arches, turrets, and carved stone detailing on their exteriors. They stand out from other Victorian styles thanks to their building materials, which tend to have an earthy red color and lack of wood trim.
When did Victorian homes become popular?
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.
What Is A Victorian Home?
A Victorian home is not a single style of architecture so much as it’s a representation of a specific era. Victorian houses emerged during Queen Victoria’s reign over Great Britain and the British colonies from 1837 to 1901.
What Are The Different Styles Of Victorian Houses?
Three prominent Victorian styles include the Gothic Revival, Queen Anne and Folk Victorian.
How many stories are there in a Victorian house?
Two or three stories: Because these homes were built on narrow plots of land, often in a row, Victorian houses are usually two to three stories high. Embellished millwork: Victorian houses are known for the intricately carved woodwork that typically adorns windows, doorways and eaves.
How to identify Queen Anne houses?
They can be identified by their use of bay windows, round towers, turrets, porches and steep, peaked roofs. They’re highly decorated with intricate trimming and brightly painted facades. The ornate designs of Queen Anne style homes furnish them with a whimsical appearance similar to dollhouses.
What are the three major styles of Victorian architecture?
Three prominent Victorian styles include the Gothic Revival, Folk Victorian and Queen Anne.
Why is the style of Victorian house called the "folk Victorian"?
The style became known as Folk Victorian because these houses were basic folk houses (small, common structures) that were decorated with pre-fabricated embellishments. Since Folk Victorian homes generally have simplistic floor plans, they lack the more complex architectural elements that are indicative of the era.
Why were Victorian houses glazed?
Glazed bricks: For Victorian houses that were made out of brick instead of wood, bricks were sometimes glazed in different colors to add ornamentation to the structure.
What were the major influences on Victorian houses?
The Industrial Revolution also had a heavy influence on the Victorian house style. At this time there were huge advances in both transportation and manufacturing, making building high quality homes quickly and with creative liberty possible.
What is a Victorian house?
Victorian houses are homes in an architecture style you’ve more than likely seen before. This ornate architectural category encompasses many distinct sub-styles. Each one is equally as stunning. Let’s explore this major architectural style, where it came from, and what defines it.
What is Queen Anne style?
The Queen Anne home is probably the style that is most associated with the Victorian architecture style. Unlike many other home styles of the time, the floor plan and exterior are generally asymmetrical. These homes are incredibly elaborate and spare no decorative addition. You will see porches, bay windows, towers, turrets, and trimming. Usually, the Queen Anne homes are painted in bright colors.
What is the origin of Victorian homes?
Victorian homes were originally a British architectural style. They originated during the reign of Queen Victoria in 1837 – 1901, which is where the name comes from. This style, although now so iconic in and of itself, actually borrows from many different architectural styles before it. Gothic and Romanesque architecture were heavy influences.
How many stories are there in a Victorian house?
This is one of the easiest ways to define a Victorian house. They will generally be two to three stories. A single story building is not usually classified as Victorian architecture. The roofs of the homes are typically steeply pitched and triangular.
What are Queen Anne houses painted in?
Usually, the Queen Anne homes are painted in bright colors. A Queen Anne Victorian house. Gothic Revival Victorian homes hold influence from the Romantic arts movement as well as medieval architecture. These homes are visually reminiscent of stunning castles and churches from the middle ages.
Which style of house has the least ornamental decoration?
This style is the least ornamental and decorated of the group. However, true to being a Victorian house, it still does include a minimal amount of visual decoration. An Italianate Victorian house.
What is a Victorian house coloring book?
The Victorian House Coloring Book invites children and colorists to re-create the furnishings, color schemes, and rich decorations of a lovely Victorian home.
What is a Victorian style house?
Victorian House Styles and Examples. V ictorian houses are architecturally commonly referred to as the Victorian Style but this "style" is really a period in history. The Victorian era roughly corresponds to the time when Queen Victoria ruled Britain (1837 to 1901). During this time, industrialization brought many innovations in architecture.
What are the different types of Victorian style?
There is a wide variety of Victorian styles, each with its own distinctive features. Types of Victorian Styles Include: Second Empire, Queen Anne, Stick, Shingle, and Richardsonian Romanesque.
What is the Victorian Society?
The Victorian Society In America is the only national non-profit organization committed to historic preservation, protection, understanding, education, and enjoyment of our nineteenth century heritage.
How to contact San Francisco Walking Tour?
Tour information provided. If you are visiting or are a permanent resident, be sure to take the detailed tour of San Francisco's beautiful historic Victorian neighborhoods. phone 415-252-9485.
Why are shingles textured?
Textured shingles (and/or other devices) to avoid smooth-walled appearance
Who is the architect of San Francisco?
In the Victorian Style. Randolph Delehanty. San Francisco is famous for its distinctive and well-preserved Victorian architecture. Victorian architectural historian and longtime SF resident Randolph Delehanty and photographer Richard Sexton provide a pictorial and historical overview of this timeless look.
What is the name of the street in San Francisco that has postcards?
Alamo Square – “Postcard Row”. Maybe the most famous Victorian houses of San Francisco are the homes at Alamo Square, better known as “Postcard Row.”. Also known as the Painted Ladies, these colorful homes were built in the 1890s, but their attractive color was added later in the 60s by artist Butch Kardum.
What is Mission District?
The Mission District is a popular neighborhood to see famous Victorian homes of San Francisco. A popular design element that is seen throughout the Victorian homes in the Mission District are the bay windows. As lot sizes grew smaller, homeowners were looking for ways to create more space, thus the extension of bay windows.
How many Victorian homes were built in San Francisco?
San Francisco was one of the first major U.S. cities to emulate this style of architecture, with an estimated 40,000 Victorian homes built in the city between 1850 and 1900. With most of them destroyed in the 1906 earthquake, it is a true treat to see the ones that are still standing today.
How many rooms are there in the Inn San Francisco?
Originally built on Mansion Row, the Inn San Francisco is a historic twenty-seven room Italianate Victorian San Francisco bed and breakfast that once was the home of John English, his wife, and their seven children.
Where is the Walker House in Pacific Heights?
Built in 1879, the Walker House is a fine example of Italianate Victorian in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood. The house is located at 2066 Pine Street between Laguna and Buchanan Streets.
Where is the oldest house in San Francisco?
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and is located at 1111 Oak Street in the Haight Ashbury district.
Where is the party of five house?
Party of Five House – Just down the street from Mrs. Doubtfire's house is the Victorian home featured in the T.V. series, Party of Five. The address is 2311 Broadway. Pacific Heights – The house in the movie Pacific Heights, featuring Michael Keaton, isn’t in the neighborhood its name suggests.
What is Queen Anne style?
Queen Anne Perhaps the most recognizable of Victorian styles, Queen Anne houses quickly gained popularity throughout the entire country from the late 1870's to the beginning of the 1900's. The Queen Anne style shows the influence of English architect Richard Norman Shaw, whose designs melded the ideals of the old-English cottage with the rampant decorative impulse of the Victorian Era. Queen Anne homes frequently feature irregular floor plans, multiple steep roofs and porches with decorative gables. Dominant octagonal or circular towers, corbelled chimneys, and highly decorative windows and entry doors with glass panels add to the curb appeal of these beautiful homes. Common elaborations include vergeboard and exterior framing, bay windows, and a wide variety of colors and textures throughout the entire structure.
What are the features of Queen Anne homes?
Queen Anne homes frequently feature irregular floor plans, multiple steep roofs and porches with decorative gables. Dominant octagonal or circular towers, corbelled chimneys, and highly decorative windows and entry doors with glass panels add to the curb appeal of these beautiful homes.
What is the Beaux Arts style?
Also called "The American Renaissance", Beaux Arts architecture features massive stone bearing walls, large arched windows, porches, and entries, paired columns, extensive use of sculpture and bas-relief stonework, and grandly scaled interiors reminiscent of the great palaces of Europe.
What is a folk Victorian home?
Folk Victorian Given the affordable and widespread construction techniques of the era, working class families could, for the first time, build homes of their own. The tradition of the English cottage and American homestead merged with the romanticism of the era, giving rise to the style known as Folk Victorian. Often found in rural or country settings, Folk Victorian homes are usually constructed from local materials and blend functionality with newer stylistic ornamentation that includes colorful and fluid vergeboard (also called gingerbread) around wide wrap-around porches. Though often less elaborate than their urban counterparts, Folk Victorian homes feature a similar attention to texture variations and creative decoration.
What is a stick style house?
Stick / Eastlake style homes feature decorative trusswork, exposed half-timber framing, and an intermingling of vertical and horizontal planes. Roofs are typically steeply pitched with simple gables. Stick style houses are particularly common in California and other areas where no previous architectural style had predominated.
What is a shingle house?
In Shingle style houses, the entire exterior sometimes consists of shingles.
What was the second empire?
Second Empire As the newly prospering cities of America blossomed, the impulse for a new and equally vigorous urban architecture also grew. Inspired by the ornate cityscapes of Paris, Second Empire architecture incorporates rectangular or square floor plans, tall flat facades capped by Mansard roofs with dormer windows, and double entry doors. Roofs are frequently patterned and bay windows are also common.

Overview
International spread of Victorian styles
During the 18th century, a few English architects emigrated to the colonies, but as the British Empire became firmly established during the 19th century, many architects emigrated at the start of their careers. Some chose the United States, and others went to Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Normally, they applied architectural styles that were fashionable when they left England. By the latter …
Victorian architecture in the United Kingdom
During the early 19th century, the romantic medieval Gothic Revival style was developed as a reaction to the symmetry of Palladianism, and such buildings as Fonthill Abbey were built.
By the middle of the 19th century, as a result of new technology, construction was able to incorporate metal materials as building components. Structures w…
Preservation
Efforts to preserve landmarks of Victorian architecture are ongoing and are often led by the Victorian Society. A recent campaign the group has taken on is the preservation of Victorian gasometers after utility companies announced plans to demolish nearly 200 of the now-outdated structures.
See also
• Victorian decorative arts
• Victorian house
• Victorian restoration
• Folk Victorian
• Albert Levy (photographer)
References and sources
• Apperly, Richard; Irving, Robert; Reynolds, Peter L. (1994). A Pictorial Guide to Identifying Australian Architecture: Styles and Terms from 1788 to the Present. Angus & Robertson. ISBN 978-0-207-18562-5.
• Dixon, Roger; Muthesius, Stefan (1978). Victorian Architecture: With a Short Dictionary of Architects and 251 Illustrations. Thames and Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-18163-8.
External links
• Decorative Hardware of the Victorian Era: An American. Perspective, Raheel Ahmad
• History and Style of Victorian Architecture and Hardware
• Manchester, a Victorian City
• Photographs of Victorian Homes in Hamilton, Ontario Canada