London is a melt-down of different cultures and eras, and the houses are evident to this phenomenon. Today we’ll discuss how to renovate a Victorian-era house.
London is a melt-down of different cultures and eras, and the houses are evident to this phenomenon. Today we’ll discuss how to renovate a Victorian-era house.
The Victorian era (1837-1901) owes itself to the reign of Queen Victoria during this period. Many new houses were built during this era as the urbanization was taking place then. There was still a huge divide persisting between the rich and the poor. The proletariat class lived in very small and narrow terraced houses. The middle-class had superior terraces, usually with front and back gardens.
You’ll hardly find original garages and driveways in a Victorian property as there were still very rare cars then. The Victorians did not have installed central heating. So most rooms would have a fireplace and chimney on the roof.
The Victorian houses often had a distinctive roof and were mostly made from slate. The roofs were usually decorated with carvings and other features to look special.
You’ll often observe a high, pitched roof on a Victorian property.
Victorian houses are usually patterned with fancy and coloured brickwork.
Sash windows were a normal trend then. However, bay windows were also used, and the ground floor bay window would usually have a roof. You’ll also notice plenty of decorative stained-glass windows in the Victorian period.
The front door in the Victorian era was a crucial feature as it reflected the wealth of the owner.
Before renovating the original Victorian house, the first thing you have to see if it falls under conservation. Your local authority will require to approve any repair or renovation. Try and restore the original features if you want to have a refurbishment. Call an expert surveyor to visit the property.
The original Victorian interior outlook was dark and ornate. Dark rich tones like plum, navy, and dark greens were in vogue. Back then, ornate cornices were colossal. So, you should pay heed to these details if you’re refurbishing the Victorian look. You must hire a specialist who knows how to respect the time and finesse in which Victorian houses were built.
There should be hardwood flooring in a Victorian property. Since a bare room in that Bourgeous culture was deemed poor taste, so each surface should be stuffed with ornaments.
Many houses during the 70s and 80s were deprived of some wonderful period features. The classic features were replaced with plywood and cheaper materials in an effort to modernize the houses. But now people have realized the significance of period features again.
However, they still want to juxtapose the classic with the modern. They usually prefer to keep the original features like roof and windows, etc. But you may not like to persist with the gothic style. So, you should know how to modernize a Victorian house with entirely losing its character.
If you like the most of the natural light to pour into your Victorian property, then use white or lighter colours. Also, have long curtains to feature the windows and wooden shutters. You can opt for opt tiles for bathrooms and kitchens to give it a mathematical pattern.
You can enrich your property with maximum light as Victorian houses have high ceilings. Then, you can consider exposing the original brick walls. Or you can opt for showing one wall in a room and make this a feature wall that will really stand out for a different look.
There is plenty of modern furniture available to suit the Victorian style. By adding that to your period property, you can give your Victorian house a fresh modern look.