An Easy Guide to Creating a Victorian Style Home
Victorian homes are among the most classic, striking designs for a home. The aesthetic dates to the early 1800s with Queen Victoria’s reign. The design is defined by steep roofs, high ceilings, round angles, decorative woodwork, bright colors, and even towers. This distinct style doesn’t require a major overhaul of your architecture; with a few key improvements, you can transform your home into a classical, refined experience.
Here’s our helpful guide to creating a Victorian home.
Victorian Homes Embrace Asymmetrical Design
The most unique aspect of Victorian design is its embrace of asymmetry. From the exterior to the floor plan, a Victorian home doesn’t need to match. You can use different window styles, roofing shapes, colors, and decorative elements to bring variety to your home.
Victorian Style Windows
A key fixture for this style is the window. This is where you sell the personality of your home and can take advantage of your asymmetrical options. You can also use several different types of windows in conjunction with each other.
The tried and true key feature of a Victorian home is the bay window. These grand windows project outward from your wall, creating an eye-catching visual for your exterior and a great view from your interior. In many cases, even double bay windows – in which the fixtures are stacked on each other – have been used. A Victorian home usually features one or more, but they’re not mandatory. In a lot of cases, a similarly shapely window will suffice.
Victorian homes feature a mix of square and arched windows in double-hung, casement, or picture configurations. You can also employ stained glass and transoms for a bit of added visual style.
Victorian Style Shutters
Once you’ve picked your windows, the next step is shutters. Wood is an important part of the Victorian décor, so these fixtures will help sell the aesthetic for your exterior. The shutters for a Victorian home come in three styles. Colonial shutters provide a good standard option and allow for minimalist flat panels that still fit the style.
Louvers are another great option, providing a mix of style and practicality. The horizontal slats complement the shapes of a Victorian home and allow you to easily manage light in your home. To really spice up your windows, combination shutters are the most eye-catching option. A mix between louvers and panels will take advantage of the asymmetry of your home.
Whatever your shutter style is, make sure the wood is as ornate and detailed as possible. Detail is key to a Victorian style, and wooded fixtures are the best place to take advantage of that.
Victorian Style Siding
The Victorian-style offers a huge range of options for color on your exterior. A common option is blue and white, but red, green, and yellow have frequently been used. Including the roof and trim, you want 3-4 distinct colors to emphasize the features and architecture of your home. The more work you’ve put into a Victorian exterior, the bolder you should be with your color choices. Whatever your preferences are, be sure to keep your colors bright.
Victorian Style Door
Victorian doors should be primarily wood or a material that can effectively imitate that visual. They should have a single pane of glass at the top, with carvings and moldings below. The more elaborate and detailed you can make these designs, the better.
Victorian Style Porch
Victorian homes favor a front deep entry porch, ideally with an overhang and railings. This really helps sell the grand nature of your home.
To bring the Victorian style to life, you need expertise and quality design. Contact us today to begin transforming your home.