Having a Victorian home laden with character, can seem like a dream for many, with gorgeous large windows, high ceilings and original fittings, what's not to love? You might move in though and then discover that there are so many things in the home that need to be changed, from the wiring to the windows.
We moved into ours eight years ago now and it's been a huge learning curve. Opening cans of worms in terms of renovation and realising that we needed a far beefier budget! You might just plan to renovate and bring things up to date, but unfortunately, things are not always as simple as that. In our case, needing to take the whole downstairs back to brick, remove woodwork, treat for damp, dry rot and much more, it has not been an easy ride and is a total labour of love that is just starting to feel on track with our plans.
Older homes, especially Victorian ones can be costly to renovate because of the intricate, though beautiful way that they've been built. Unless you have a large budget, this might not in all honesty be the property choice for you. If you love all of the charm of a Victorian home, but enjoy the comforts of a more modern home, then you can easily bring a modern Victorian look to your home with a few less costly changes.
So here are 3 simple ways, in which you can give your modern home its very own Victorian twist.
Mix Styles of Decor and Furniture
To get a modern Victorian look, then carefully mixing the styles between modern and Victorian can be a great way to create ‘Modern Victorian' and can actually look better and more exciting that the real thing. You have to be a little careful with your style mix though, although contrasts of eras and textures can look stunning, they can also look untidy and non deliberate.
So how about mixing an old Victorian-style wooden table with some modern chairs, for example? You could style an old dresser with some modern art above it, or reupholster some older furniture with modern style fabric. It shows that you like the modern styles but still, gives a nod to the structure and style of the Victorian era.
Add Character To Your Home
There are many ways to add character to a modern home, despite what you might think. It can be hard to vision what a room could become, especially as they tend to be neutral and without interesting coving and skirting like older houses.
As an example of an easy addition, adding a fireplace such as the fab Victorian fireplaces from Westland Antiques, you instantly give the room a grand focal point. You could mix the style with a modern log burner, to flatter both styles and add interest to the space. You could add carved wood around the home, in things like mirrors, picture frames, and lamps, as well as marble touches around the home which are getting really popular again this Autumn. These could all add a lot of character to the home, giving off a grand and luxurious feel.
Add Colour
Back in the day, they were really not afraid of colour, where on earth did all these neutral tones come from? The white walls and minimalist interiors were never a consideration back then, with colour showing grandeur and luxury in the home. Although you might want to tone it down a little, you could think of a colour scheme for each room and go from there. It's always worth checking if a paint brand has a heritage line, but generally, dusky versions of reds, oranges, greens, and purples were the colours of choice. If your home is open plan, then painting statement walls could be the way to go and there are so many options out there to bring your feature wall to life.
In short, never be afraid to go bold when it comes to Victorian style. Add finishing touches like luxury rugs, soft cushions, and floor to ceiling good quality curtains. There's no reason why your modern home shouldn't embrace the glamour and interest of a Victorian home and it can actually be great fun having that blank canvas to start with.
Do you live in a modern home?
*This is a collaborative post
