Modern Victorian design style represents a smooth combination of classic elegance, historical influence, and just a touch of farmhouse.
The style has evolved significantly since it originated in the 1800s, which is the crucial reason why it’s still around and so popular.
You’ll note that the classic Victorian interior is filled with dark colors, and as it is essentially maximalist, it often tends to appear stuffy.
Its modern counterpart is the very opposite. Let’s go through some of the main characteristics of the modern Victorian style and how to best introduce it into your own interior.
1. Keep the Victorian Framework
Many modern Victorian interiors are actually built upon genuine Victorian foundations.
Lots of old family homes get renovated, and wanting to keep as much of the valuable and timeless style, the owners choose to simply modernize them instead of changing everything.
If this is you, keep the walls and the overall set up of the interior intact, and simply change the color palette into something brighter and get yourself some modern pieces of furniture.
2. Floor Design Can Be Crucial
Victorian floors are a whole topic all of their own. This era in interior design is remembered, among other things, by fun floor designs.
Patterned tiles were very popular, and still are as part of the modern Victorian style.
3. Black and White Dominates Modern Victorian Spaces
The black and white palette is one of the most popular ways of turning the classic Victorian space modern.
Deep brown and burgundy tones were popular in the past, especially when it came to woodwork and carpentry, and in the modern day, they’ve been swapped with the chic combo of black and white.
4. Combine the Modern With the Classic
This right here is what the modern Victorian design style is essentially about. You want to keep the classic, historically enriched vibes, but add some modern freshness to it.
That’s why it’s highly recommended to combine blatantly modern elements, such as the above dining chairs, with a classic, old-school chandelier.
5. Fireplace Isn’t a Must, But It Is a Should
While nowadays we have many options when it comes to warming our homes, in older days open fire was the one and only.
The difference was that some lit their fires inside fancy fireplaces and others had a rustic firepit.
A fireplace isn’t required for a modern Victorian interior to pop, but it’s so welcome. It adds that specific, opulent vibe that we all really like about the era.
6. Clean Aesthetic Paired With the Key Victorian Elements
It’s really up to your individual preference whether you’ll focus more on the modern or the Victorian side of this design style.
If it’s the first, prioritize the clean aesthetic and then add small Victorian accents later on.
7. Style Everything
Don’t miss an opportunity to carefully style each and every part of your home.
The kitchen, bathroom, and lounge should be designed with equal care if you truly want to emulate the Victorian charm in your modern space.
8. Carpentry Matters
The design of your doors and windows is paramount for the Victorian vibe, even if we’re talking modern interior.
Opt for darker carpentry, rather than the practical white PVC option.
9. Focus On the Details
Small highlights such as a stained glass window or a nice candelabra can take your modern Victorian style a long way.
10. Be a Romantic
Various antique and vintage design styles are defined by their romantic essence.
Infuse your interior with ornamental details, lacey fabrics, and other classically romantic elements to truly capitalize on that Victorian side of things.
11. Plaster Ornaments and Panels
Wall design can do so much for a modern Victorian interior.
It can pretty much carry the whole style without the need to invest in many other Victorian elements and decor.
12. Gold Hardware
Luxury hardware, either brass or gold (sometimes silver) is the backbone of the modern Victorian interior.
These accents actually emphasize the historical, antique inspiration behind the style.
13. Elegance Above All
Always seek to infuse your modern Victorian spaces with the utmost elegance.
Elegant shapes, hardware, and decor work wonderfully with the more contemporary elements that give this style its modernity.
14. Keep the Maximalism If You Like
Lean into the classic Victorian style by prioritizing maximalism in the interior.
15. Can You Get Away With Pastels?
Though pastels aren’t so commonly seen in the modern Victorian interiors, there’s no reason why they couldn’t work.
As long as you stay true to the style and its overall rules, any choice of color is more than welcome.
16. Luxury Palette
If you wish to include some bolder colors in your modern Victorian interior, then prioritize those that scream luxury.
For instance, purple is one such color. Did you know that it was once considered the most extravagant of colors?
The materials from which the color purple could be extracted were so rare that only the richest and the royalty could afford it.
17. Grand Chandeliers
You can’t call an interior Victorian without a proper chandelier.
More often than not, even in modern Victorian spaces, the chandelier is antique.
18. The Farmhouse Elements
Why does the modern Victorian style often resemble the farmhouse so much?
Well, farmhouses were quite popular in the Victorian era, and many of them stand to this day. As we’ve modernized the style, we incorporated its various elements as we pleased.
Aside from the few antique elements, the farmhouse vibes are often where the warmth of these interiors comes from.
19. The Old Arrangement
To truly embrace the Victorian ideal, enrich your modern home with something from the bygone era.
A standalone bath in the bedroom is one such thing. It’s extremely rare in modern times, while back in the day it was a popular sign of wealth.
20. Have a Study Corner
Yes, when you go Victorian, an office is no longer an office. It’s a study.
Enrich your modern home with Victorian charm by creating a nice corner with a desk for reading or working.
Decorate it in style and I promise it will become your favorite part of the home before you know it.
In Conclusion
Our needs and preferences when it comes to home design change and evolve from decade to decade, though we still keep antiquity in high regard.
The modern Victorian style is a great example because it showcases our need for breezy and open spaces we may decompress in after a long day, as well as our love for old-fashioned luxury.
These are the very things you want embodied in your modern Victorian interior.