Any room that cries out for a soft, feminine look based on florals and pastels is a good candidate for a Victorian-inspired decorating style, updated for modern living. However, much to the surprise of many, there are Victorian options for men as well.
When considering Victorian style, it’s important to remember that it needs to be an inspiration, rather than an exact historical replica, in order to keep up with contemporary lifestyles. While Victorian design seems a natural for anything lucky enough to live in a period home, it also can serve well for bedroom, bathroom, boudoir or even a den or study.
Whatever a Victorian style may mean in the decorator’s mind, it’s definitely not a minimalist style. Those who love an abundance of furnishings are free to piles on patterns, textures, and colors to their heart’s content. Here are two options for Victorian rooms.
Feminine Victorian. For milady’s bedroom or boudoir, or even for her study, start with whites and creams to give the room a spacious feel and a good backdrop. Now add dusky “heritage” pastels in colors such as mauve, pink, green, lilac, blue and yellow. Florals are the mainstay of any Victorian look, especially traditional, old-fashioned patterns featuring spring and summer flowers, huge “cabbage” roses and twining vines. Use floral patterns lavishly, from an accent of floral wallpaper to throws, cushions and wall art such as embroideries and paintings. Furniture is light, either painted white wood, white wrought iron or the perennial favorite of Victorians, painted wicker.
Now pile on the accessories. It’s not unusual for a small accent table to have three layers of cloths on it: a tablecloth, a topper and a lace doily that hangs over the edges. Pillows are everywhere, combining large floral patterns with smaller patterns and solids. There is lots of furniture, photo groupings in antique silver frames and accessories such as porcelain or china figurines. Floors may be hardwood or carpeted, but even carpets get topped with delicate floral area rugs or pink rugs that match other hues in the room (no shocking pink, please!).
Masculine Victorian: Yes, gentlemen, there are versions of Victorian design that are masculine enough to be old-fashioned versions of today’s “man caves.” To achieve a masculine Victorian look, think luxurious, ornate, but still comfortable, much like a British gentlemen’s club. Victorians did use colors, so look for “heritage” or muted versions of red, green and golden amber.
Leather couches and club chairs are an ideal place to start with furniture, along with other pieces in dark woods and a marble-topped table – nothing modern, and leave the wicker to the ladies! Add pillows in hunting plaids and an occasional nature print of birds or foliage. Consider opulent fabrics for window treatments, such as velvet and damask in winter and chintz, cotton and muslin in summer, all with sheers for privacy that lets in light. On the floors, a geometric oriental rug would be ideal, or opt for a plainer covering in one of the room’s colors, such as a red rug, a blue rug or even a black rug.
These are merely the basics of how to achieve a Victorian style in either feminine or masculine variations. The fun comes in making the style into one’s own unique expression!
Sarah’s passion is to write on a variety of subjects about home decorating wit a Victorian style. And she’d like to invite you to browse a stunning collection of floral rugs and pink rugs she has found online.