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The Victorian home was
perhaps a villa located outside a major city, with sitting rooms
filled with red velvet sofas and chairs and a shiny black grand
piano holding a place of honor in the parlor. Or, it could be a
spacious house in the country with lace draping across multi-paned
widows and lively floral fabrics—a splash of roses and hydrangeas,
morning glories and snowdrops—dressing the fashionably
over-stuffed furniture. Then again, the Victorian home might be a
cozy thatch-roofed cottage, its sides covered with climbing vines
of ivy and clematis with a yard filled to overflowing with
wildflowers. However, most of us view the Victorian home as a
mansion with scrolling gingerbread trim and window boxes filled
with cascading greenery and a blaze of flowers.
The Victorian rooms were
always designed with a specific purpose in mind—social occasions,
family times, or quite moments of solitude spent reading a book,
writing correspondence or painting watercolors.
The Front Entrance:
The Front Entrance was always well-kept and comfortable and was
essential to a proper Victorian residence. Usually built quite
narrow, the key furnishings were seats, mirrors, and a coat and
hat rack for the convenience of visitors, a card-receiver to hold
calling cards, an umbrella stand, and a small table to perhaps
hold a bouquet of fresh cut flowers.
The Parlor:
The Parlor (often referred to as the “drawing room”) was the
social center of the Victorian home. Here the lady of the house
would host tea parties and musical evenings, and receive her
callers in the morning. Comfortable sofas and chairs pampered
guest and a piano or organ always held a place of honor in the
center of the room. Oil and watercolor paintings and prints were
displayed against walls covered with wallpaper or painted a rich
hue. Display cabinets stood like sentinels around the room,
filled to almost overflowing with collections of fine china,
figurines, and seashells collected when the family visited to the
seashore. Plants and flowers add tranquility and bring a touch of
the outdoors into the room. Draperies made from elaborate lace,
muslin, or velvet covered the windows and elegant rugs and carpets
were scattered across the wood floors.
The Dining Room: The
entertaining sister of the parlor, the dining room is the setting
for celebrated dinner parties, which often feature at least nine
well-stocked courses. Dining rooms must include a large table,
perhaps crafted of fine oak or mahogany, a matching set of chairs,
light curtains, fresh floral arrangements, and a sideboard to hold
the many dishes that comprise the feast. If space permits,
satiated guests may recline in sofas and oversized chairs
conveniently located in the dining room following the meal.
The Library:
Good books, plush rugs,
and luxurious chairs and sofas, these are the essentials of a
proper library. A window seat to catch the sun’s rays and a
fireplace for cold winter evenings add an ample dose of coziness
to the austere study atmosphere.
The Conservatory:
Here you would
find lots of potted palms, exotic orchids, and comfortable
furnishings crafted of white wicker, with soft cushions in the
shades and patterns of sky and gardens. During the warmer months,
this was a wonderful room for afternoon gatherings.
The Breakfast Parlor
and Kitchen:
The breakfast parlor was considerably smaller than the dinning
room. The kitchen usually had a large center island for mixing
and chopping, and a hearth for baking bread. White wainscoting
lined the parameter of the room, and tall windows opened wide to
let in fresh air. Popular kitchen colors included creams, earthy
reds, bronze greens, which complimented the copper pots and pans
and fine ceramic ware.
The Bedchamber:
A brass or iron canopied bed was draped in lace and covered in
linen sheets and faded cotton quilts. Along with a bureau, table,
easy chair, and armoire, the bedroom would contain flowers, photos
and mementos.
The Washroom:
A Curved claw foot tub in iron or porcelain would gracefully sit
along a wall or in the center of the room. A washstand held a
pitcher and bowl filled with scented water (maybe rose or lavender
water). Ceramic tiles decorated the walls, and piles of towels
sat next to baskets filled with perfumed soaps and sachets.
Decorative Touches:
Hand embroidered table linens, tasseled pillows, and specially
chosen collections of smooth river stones and old-fashioned
footstools full of character. A lovingly arranged grouping of
family photos – decorated lampshades – and hand-painted fire
screens and intricately stenciled wall designs. The Victorian
domain often highlighted the creativity of the mistress of the
house.
Along with her creative
pursuits and decorating talent, the Victorian woman had many
domestic responsibilities. In the springtime, she put up light
summer curtains and placed airy cotton or muslin summer covers on
the heavy furniture. In autumn, she had the chimney swept to
prepare for cozy evenings spent by the fireside, and dressed the
widows and furnishings in warm, dark fabrics – perhaps rich green
or port velvet and heavy tapestry floral patterns. In the
kitchen, she baked bread, harvested fruits and vegetables, made
jam, canned vegetables, dried fruits, and baked desserts made from
her culinary pursuits.
Colors of the
Victorian Home
For the exterior and
individual rooms, some of the favorite color combinations were:
 CREAM WHITE & TURKEY RED
BLUE & GREEN
CREAM & VIOLET
SALMON & CHOCOLATE accented
with SAGE GREEN
PRIMROSE & DARK GREEN
PALE YELLOW & CHOCOLATE
MAROON & PALLID SEA GREEN
COWSLIPS COLORS |
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Realms of Research.