The Victorian House in America
- Louise Booyens
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Over the past year, I've worked with several clients across the US, helping them decorate their Victorian homes. Although all the work was done remotely, the experience has deepened my appreciation for the charm of Victorian architecture.
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Victorian architecture was introduced during the reign of Queen Victoria (1847 - 1901) and the Victorian style home became popular in the United States not long after, with the majority having been built between 1860 and 1900. Designed for the wealthy, these impressive homes were often extravagant, built to impress and typically steeped in character.
There isn't just one style of Victorian architecture in America, but many different design styles, each with its own recognisable features, for example, round towers, dormers and turrets; steep and gabled roofs; detailed embellished woodwork; stained glass windows and bright and bold paint colours. Even though many American Victorian houses were demolished in the 1930s and 1950s, a large number still remain, the majority being across the East Coast. They reflect the diverse influences of the Victorian era, including Gothic, Italianate, Queen Anne, and Second Empire styles.
There are several different subcategories that fall under the category of Victorian, each having its own identifiable architectural characteristics and features:
Italianate
Inspired by the grandiose Italian villas of the 16th century, Italianate-style Victorian homes first appeared in America in the early 19th century. Initially created with stone or brick, the style began to be built as row houses/townhouses in urban areas after filtering down to the middle classes.
These properties are mainly characterised by their thin Italianate columns, tall and narrow windows, false parapet roofs, and bold and decorative brackets.
Italianate homes are characterized by their rectangular or L-shaped design, low-pitched or flat roofs, round-arched windows, overhanging eaves, decorative corbels, and columned porticoes. They are also notably more symmetrical compared to other Victorian-style homes.
Gothic Revival
Those Victorian properties that fall under the Gothic Revival subcategory would have been built during the mid-19th century and inspired by the Gothic period of the Middle Ages. Due to their size and scale, most Gothic Revival houses are located outside of the city in rural areas. With the intention to impress, a site with distinctive surroundings, ideally at a vantage point to the nearby town, would have been chosen for the location. The Gothic arch is the most significant distinctive element, but several additional architectural features, such as tall chimneys, decorative holdings and gables, multiple porches, steeply pitched roofs and multiple towers, are also characteristic of the Gothic Revival house.
Queen Anne
Queen Anne style homes were popular during the late 19th and early 20th century, and interestingly bear almost no similarity to the original British Queen Anne style architecture. These homes usually have a wood or stone exterior, two or three stories, many (typically bold) paint colours, and a large wrap-around porch. They are often decorated with the distinctive ‘gingerbread trim’ detailing and have the distinctive towers, turrets, and steep gabled rooflines characteristic of the era. A smaller and less flamboyant version of the classic Queen Anne home, the Queen Anne cottage is a smaller (usually one floor), more pared-down house.
With its large bay windows, turret, delicate cornices and gingerbread trim, the Pink Lady House in Eureka, California, is an outstanding example of Queen Anne design.
Stick
A late 19th century subcategory, the Stick style is named after the decorative ‘stickwork’ used on the outside walls. It consists of wooden strips and siding placed in different directions and angles to mimic a half-timbered construction. Additional features include wrap-around porches, spindle detailing and complex and intricate proof plans.
Shingle
Popular between 1874 and 1910, Shingle Style homes were created to break free from the extravagant and lavishly decorative fussiness of homes prevalent in the Victorian era. They were designed to invite a more informal and rustic way of life. The predominant characteristic of the Shingle-Style home is wood shingles on both the roof and the siding. They are also often set on stone foundations and have irregular, asymmetric roofs and large, inviting porches.
""Shingle Style homes are distinguished by their wood cladding, asymmetrical façades, gambrel roofs, and welcoming verandas. Classic yet informal, the look remains popular for country homes and beach retreats, with current architects adding contemporary influences to the historic aesthetic."
Second Empire
Deriving its name from Napoleon III’s French Second Empire, this style was heavily influenced by the French building campaign in the late 1800s, in which Napoleon III oversaw the architectural transformation of Paris ' into a city of…monumental buildings. ’ Most of these new constructions were built with a particular roof structure first designed and introduced by the French Renaissance architect Francois Mansart in the 17th century. This mansard roof influenced the American Second Empire architectural style and became its characteristic feature. Structures built in the Second Empire also often had Italianate-style details, usually both decorative and classical, around windows and doors with decorative brackets.
It was used during the Grant administration for new public buildings, with Philadelphia City Hall and Baltimore City Hall being prime examples of Second Empire architecture in the United States.
Octagon
One of the rarer subcategories, the Octagon style was popular for a brief period from 1850 to 1870. The Octagon House was reintroduced after the circulation of the lecturer Orson Squire Fowler’s book The Octagon House: A House for All and drew inspiration from the octagon buildings previously built in the United States in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Fowler argued that the Octagon style saved on heating and construction costs and encouraged more sunlight and better ventilation. But despite this, the construction of domestic Octagon houses stopped after 1965 and remains rare.
The Octagon style subsumed elements from Italianate, Greek, and Gothic styles. Consisting of eight sides, the Octagon building can also be distinguished by a partial or fully encircling porch (also called the perimeter), wide overhanging eaves, and a low-pitched roofline.
Richardsonian Romanesque / Romanesque Revival
Architect Henry H. Richardson influenced Romanesque Revival architecture so heavily that this style was often named Richard Romanesque. Inspired by the Romanesque architecture of the early Medieval era (around 700 - 1200 AD) and led primarily by Richardson, the Romanesque Revival architecture revived the main classical features, mainly the oversized walls and board and rounded ‘Roman’ arches, of the Romanesque period. Additional details traced back to the Romanesque period are stained glass, columns, pilasters, round towers with cone-shaped roofs and decorative arches over windows.
These buildings were usually built entirely of masonry, and Samuel Cupples House at St Louis University in St Louis, Missouri is an excellent example.
Folk Victorian Style
Folk Victorian-style buildings were the least embellished and, therefore, the most affordable to build. The style was used for the construction of homes in America between 1870 and 1940, during the Industrial Revolution, which required quicker and less costly construction. Additional features of Victorian-style architecture include cornice brackets and porches with spindle work detailing or square post porch supports. These homes can also be identified by their simpler and more regular floor plans, which are usually two storeys high.
Decorating and creating an updated Victorian style
When faced with restoring or decorating one of these homes, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. You don't want to create a museum, but simultaneously, you'd like to create a comfortable home without losing the history.
Traditional Victorian homes were mainly divided into small, dark rooms, which can make them feel cramped and outdated. But it is easy to create a comfortable, elegant house while at the same time respecting the architectural details without turning your home into a Victorian museum. Here are my tips:
"The rise of an increasingly affluent Victorian middle class and the availability of mass manufactured goods, including furniture and textiles, contributed to an intense interest in the concept of ‘home’ and questions of taste. Magazines and books giving advice on the subject proliferated, and achieving a tasteful home appropriate to one’s social station became a matter of great importance."
- Julie Halls
Don't be tempted to choose only Victorian furniture and decoration. Victorian design was a mixture of styles, drawing inspiration from Neoclassical, English, French, Gothic, and Italian Renaissance influences to create a distinctive and eclectic aesthetic. So don't be afraid to mix contrasting shapes, different styles and layering textures. Curate pieces that reflect your personality and add the unexpected to create a home that feels uniquely yours.
Victorian interiors were often dramatic, with elaborate furniture and heavy curtains. It is essential to create a bit of drama in your Victorian home. Use your upholstery and fabrics to make a statement. Bold wallpaper is another quick way to add drama.
If your original windows are still intact, emphasise them, especially if you have a beautiful bay window. Choose your window treatments carefully so that the window becomes a focal point in the room.
Mirrors are essential—a large mirror is an excellent way to add drama and bring more light into any room.
Think about using wallpaper to create a feeling of richness and texture. Victorians loved ornate wallpaper, and floral and geometric designs were very popular.
If you have a Victorian home filled with original features, restore them. Think twice before removing any of the original architectural details. Look at these features just as you would consider a piece of furniture or artwork within your design scheme and plan your design around them. Restoring original plasterwork, fireplaces, and tiling is always worthwhile, as these elements are often affordable and can significantly enhance the interior of a period property. They serve as valuable design statements, and many suppliers specialise in reclaimed, authentic period features. If some, or (heaven forbid!) all of your architectural features have been removed by previous inhabitants, do your research thoroughly to find out what your house would have looked like when it was built.
Victorians were not shy about decorating their homes, and they loved bold patterns and colours. So don't be afraid of using a strong colour or wallpaper!
I hope you've enjoyed reading this post. As always, if you need help with interior design ideas for your Victorian home, please do get in touch or read more about how you could work with me here.
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