Impeccable Victorian homes embrace and showcase the beautiful architecture within the interior and exterior of these exquisite dwellings.
Coined the term “Victorian” from the Victorian era (1840 – 1900) under British Queen Victoria, these homes were commonly constructed during the Industrial Revolution in the United States. From the steep pitch roofing, to the asymmetrical building structure, to the complex and beautiful decorative trim with vivacious colors, these homes are some of the most sought-after properties by homebuyers. With their historical charm, these beautiful homes do often have signs of deterioration.
Due to the older age of Victorian homes, amenities are typically outdated. Luckily, there are ways to add value and modernize these homes through upgrading different features:
Preserve Original Characteristics
Show off those ornate doorknobs, crown molding, and floorboards! With the attractive characteristics and appeal that the vibrant Victorian homes offer, these features should be boasted! A few common features include:
Brick or Stone Walls
Exposing the brick or stone walls provide a sense of industrial and rustic feel to an area. Even exposing a section of the wall will allow for the home’s true beauty to show through.
Original Floorboards
By repairing the original floorboards, owners can subtly present the home’s character. Staining, lacquering, and varnishing wood floors can preserve the original pieces while modernizing the home.
Intricate Crown Molding
With the elaborate crown molding found famously in many Victorian homes, homeowners can accent ceilings and walls to bring attention to the crown molding. Through color contrast and bold paint, these vibrant colors will bring visitors’ eyes and attention to the crown molding. Adding antique lighting fixtures provide a historical ambiance and gives extra attention to those features.
Enlarge and Open Smaller Rooms
Feeling cramped in those small rooms? Make those rooms feel spacious with archways and structural openings!
Victorian-style homes are notorious for their narrow hallways and small rooms. At the time of construction, this was ideal as many of the interior walls were load bearing and required the rooms to be small. However, today, we would rather enjoy more spacious living areas.
Constructing openings or archways opens the smaller rooms to become a luxurious spacious area. Not only do archways and openings serve as a way to ensure that the space feels larger, but they can also be adorned with crown molding and other trim.
Repurpose Rooms and Increase Storage
So many rooms, and no storage. Let’s bring these homes to the 21st century!
As the Victorian homes are typically quite large, include many small rooms, and offer a lack of storage space, homeowners can repurpose and remodel rooms in one’s home. Instead of keeping one room as a second small guest bedroom, this can be converted into a large walk-in closet, bathroom, or study. With little remodeling, repurposing rooms can provide further value to your home.
These are just a few modernization tips that can be accomplished to boast the captivating Victorian home characteristics. Updating your Victorian home can increase your home’s value, provide new amenities, and ultimately showcase the profound luxurious features that the Victorian era offered in their homes.
