The Victorian era was a time of extravagance and opulence when it came to home decor.
Spanning Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 to 1901, this design period featured lavish fabrics, dark wood furniture, and an abundance of accessories.
While some find Victorian style to be stuffy or overly ornate, others are drawn to its romantic and nostalgic charm.
If you love all things vintage, recreating a Victorian living room may be right up your alley.
To transport your home back in time, incorporate elements like patterned wallpaper, plush upholstery, antique accents, and plenty of heavy drapery.
Though tastes and trends have changed over the years, Victorian rooms remain a popular choice for period-style decorating.
The timeless elegance and old-world aesthetic of these spaces is undeniably romantic.
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Traditional Victorian
For a traditional take on Victoriana, opt for classic touches like floral drapes, ornately carved wood furniture, and a moody color palette.
Deep, saturated hues like burgundy, emerald, and sapphire blue were popular choices during the late 1800s and make a dramatic statement today.
Patterned carpeting and wallpaper also help achieve that old-fashioned aesthetic.
Meanwhile, wood elements with hand-carved details feel pleasingly ornate.
Curving Queen Anne style chairs, clawfoot legs, and smooth mahogany surfaces lend elegance.
Place an antique fainting couch or chaise lounge by the fireplace for a swoon-worthy Victorian vignette.
Finally, crystal chandeliers, sconces, and candelabras provide dim, romantic lighting.
With traditional textures, patterns, and colors, you can curate a living room fit for an old English manor.
Gothic Revival
For a more dramatic take on Victorian decor, get inspiration from the Gothic Revival movement.
This style combines medieval design with romanticism, pointing to Gothic details like pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, and stained glass.
To bring the look into your living room, hang velvet drapes in dark hues from floor to ceiling.
Add creepy-chic touches like candelabras, taxidermy, and Gothic art prints.
Opt for wooden furnishings with Gothic accents like arched panels or quatrefoil shapes.
Tufted leather armchairs also feel darkly ornate when placed by the fireplace.
For more medieval ambiance, decorative swords, shields, and family crests make eye-catching wall decor.
With a moody color scheme and Gothic architectural details, your living space will have major Victorian vampire vibes.
Rococo Revival
Rococo style puts the pretty in Victoriana with pastel hues, soft curves, and feminine motifs.
Also called Neo-Rococo, this movement revived the ornate aesthetics of 18th century France.
To get the look, combine ivory, blush, and sage green for a soft earthy palette.
Add in smooth curved furniture with cabriole legs, carved wood accents, and marble or faux malachite tops.
Channel Marie Antoinette with damask upholstery, sparkling chandeliers, and porcelain knick-knacks.
Floral chintz fabrics, lace trims, and light airy drapes enhance the femininity.
Paint intricate murals on your walls or opt for reproduction 18th century wallpaper.
With decorative moulding and an abundance of ornate accents, your Rococo living room will feel like a royal French salon.
Aesthetic Movement
Later Victorian styles moved away from heavy ornamentation in favor of simpler “art for art’s sake” aesthetics.
The Aesthetic Movement embraced airy rooms with light colors and minimal fussy details
Japanese and Chinese artwork and furnishings also grew popular as cultural exchanges increased.
To get the look, paint walls in pale greens and grays for an open, ethereal vibe.
Add bamboo chairs, porcelain vases, and simple wood platforms for an Eastern touch.
Incorporate carved nature motifs vs lavish rococo carvings for a more relaxed ornamentation.
Sheer linen curtains and bare windows also keep the look light and bright.
A few orchids or branches give an artful asymmetrical touch without clutter.
With spare furnishings and a calming color scheme, this pared down Victorian style has a refreshingly modern feel.
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Anglo-Japanese
The Aesthetic Movement’s embrace of Eastern style led to the Anglo-Japanese trend of the late 1800s.
Blending British and Asian decor created eclectic living rooms brimming with faraway flair.
Start by emphasizing natural materials like rattan, bamboo, jute, and exotic woods.
Japanese-inspired seating options like tatami mats, woven rope stools, and low lacquered tables help set the scene.
Next, bring in ceramic planters, Bonsai trees, rice paper lanterns, and printed silk screens.
For femininity, add lace parasols, folding hand fans, and cameos as finishing touches.
With this cultural mash-up, your living room will feel cosmopolitan, artistic, and a little Bohemian too.
Neoclassical
Channel ancient Greek and Roman style with a Neoclassical living room.
White walls, symmetrical layouts, and columns or arches establish a sense of order and harmony.
Add authentic-looking stone, marble, or white-painted pilasters for drama.
Incorporate architectural embellishments like crown moulding, baseboards, and ceiling medallions.
Then fill the space with sturdy wood furnishings, leather upholstery, and natural fiber textiles
Play up the ancient Mediterranean vibe with terra cotta pots, urns, and geometric patterned rugs.
A sunlit atrium approach also enhances the breezy, carefree ambiance.
The overall effect is both striking and unexpectedly minimalist.
Eclectic Victorian
Why choose one Victorian style when you can sample them all?
The Victorians were known for their interest in history, so don’t be afraid to mix designs from various eras.
Combine Rococo curls with Gothic arches and Neoclassical symmetry.
Blend ornate woods with Japanese prints and Moorish lanterns for an eclectic global feel.
Mix pastel settees with tufted leather sofas or add some luxe French baroque chair
Contrast fainting couches with rustic farmhouse benches too.
With creative combinations, this mash-up style allows you to pick and choose your favorite Victorian trends.
So layer on the embellishments and create a living room that celebrates all facets of this decorative era.
Retro Revival
Add a retro spin for contemporary Victorian style with vintage flair.
Mid-century modern furnishings feel fresh yet pay homage to certain Victorian silhouettes.
For seating, choose shapely armchairs or curved sofas with tapered wood legs.
Lucite, acrylic, or glass coffee tables also have an updated vintage vibe.
Add in macrame wall hangings, bead curtains, and abstract art prints for an artsy ‘70s twist.
Keep the color palette light and bright with touches of mustard, avocado, and burnt orange.
Finally, houseplants, like fronds and ferns, complement the wood elements for an inviting indoor garden feel.
With retro and modern pieces, breath new life into traditional Victorian decor.
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Steampunk
Reimagine Victoriana with modern edge using the Steampunk design movement.
Drawing inspiration from 19th century steam power, the style blends industrial and futuristic influences for dramatic living rooms.
Exposed brick, metal pipes, and raw wood floors or walls help set the mood.
Incorporate found items like vintage luggage, old maps, and repurposed machine parts as functional decor.
Add standout furnishings like tufted leather couches, ornate skeletal chandeliers, and brass telescope floor lamps.
Finish with romantic ruffles, lace, leather, and rich textiles against the industrial backdrop.
With its bold crafted look, Steampunk allows you to time travel from Victorian England to a sci-fi fantasy future.
Shabby Chic
Soften up Victorian style with the sweet femininity of shabby chic.
This look celebrates imperfections like chips, scratches, and timeworn distressing.
Start by painting walls and furnishings in faded hues like powder blue, antique white, or dusky rose.
Add weathered wood furniture, mirrored accents, and crystal chandeliers for a touch of ornate grandeur.
Next, mix and match floral chintz, striped ticking, and lace trims for pretty upholstery and pillow.
Display framed botanical prints, painted plates, and artistic painted furniture for character.
With its romantic charm, this relaxed vintage style creates a lived-in heirloom aesthetic.
Victoriana on a Budget
Don’t let a tight budget stop you from designing a Victorian-inspired space.
Skip pricier antiques and focus on small affordable touches to set the mood.
Look for yard sale finds like embroidered doilies, glass oil lamps, or desk blotters to display.
Thrift stores also offer treasures like vintage books, china, and silver pieces.
For big impact, scout out reproduction wallpaper, light fixtures, and area rugs invoking popular Victorian patterns.
Repurpose wooden crates and boxes as charming side tables.
Freshen up dated furnishings with DIY touches like tacking on lace trim, painting with chalk paint, or applying decorative decals.
With clever picks and easy makeovers, you can create posh parlor style on a penny.
Victorian Industrial
The Victorian era saw major growth of industry – so why not put that practical vibe to use in your home?
Start by exposing pipes, vents, and brick walls for an urban loft feel.
Add iron, steel, and reclaimed wood furnishings to continue the warehouse aesthetic.
Next, soften the hard edges with trademark Victorian touches.
Incorporate damask wallpaper, Persian rugs, leather chesterfield sofas, and clawed foot chairs.
THEN, display antique scientific objects like skeletons, insects, and botanical prints in shadowboxes for curiosity cabinet cool.
The combination of ornate and industrial creates a living room that feels part 19th century England, part Brooklyn hipster.
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Victorian Glam
Dress up Victoriana with some contemporary elegance and high-gloss finishes.
First, stick to a sleek black, white and metallics color scheme.
Next, add dramatic damask wallpaper, baroque gilt mirrors, and sparkling crystal chandeliers.
Include luxe furnishings like tufted leather sectionals, acrylic end tables, and velvet pillows for modern richness.
Finish with striking lamps, candelabras, and branch-shaped candle holders for ambient lighting.
The overall effect is polished, posh and perfect for a chic cocktail party.
With some modern twists, give Victorian tradition a taste of today’s luxurious lifestyle.
Victorian interior design continues to charm and delight over a century after its height in popularity.
The era’s pursuit of beauty, romance, and craftsmanship resulted in timeless living rooms brimming with character.
So embrace your inner Anglophile and antique lover.
Decorate an extravagant parlor, cozy reading nook, or stately library reminiscent of days gone by.
With plush period-style furnishings, striking details, and accessories galore, your home will become a refined vintage wonderland.
Who says you can’t go back in time through interior design?
With the endless possibilities of Victorian decor, history never looked so chic and inviting.
