What Is A Victorian Home?
A Victorian home is not so much an architectural style as it represents a particular period. During Queen Victoria's reign over Great Britain and the British colonies from 1837-1901, Victorian houses originated.
Though they are known for their bright, ornate facades, each of the numerous styles of houses that make up the Victorian style has a wide variety of architectural features.
While Victorian houses were first constructed in England, the extensive scope of the British Empire at the time allowed the architectural style to flourish abroad. They carried with them the Victorian style, as British architects traveled to the colonies to take advantage of business opportunities.
The architectural style, however, started to change, given the variations in construction materials and tastes. While in Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand you can find powerful examples of the Victorian style, you can find that the houses are all very different from one another
Characteristics Of Victorian Homes:
Based on the individual style of Victorian architecture and whether it was built during the Victorian era or during the revival period, the features of these homes may vary. Generally, however, Victorian homes can be identified by the following characteristics:
Colorful facades: Owing to their painted facades, Victorian houses tend to be clearly identifiable. The exterior of these houses can be decorated with vibrant pastels or more muted tones with decorative features painted in various colors.
Two or three stories: Since these homes were built on narrow plots of land, mostly in a row, they are usually two to three stories high.
Embellished millwork: Victorian houses are renowned for their ornately carved woodwork, which is traditionally adorned with windows, doorways, and eaves. It's this ornate trimming that gives a gingerbread house look to such homes.
Glazed bricks: Bricks are sometimes glazed in various colors for Victorian houses that were built from brick instead of wood to add ornamentation to the structure.
An eclectic array of windows: The decorative design of their windows is part of the charm of the Victorian buildings. There are a range of designs, shapes, and sizes for a single house, including stained glass, eyebrow, porthole, cameo, arched, and multi-pane windows.
Bay windows: A windowed space that protrudes from the facade of the home is also sometimes included in Victorian houses.
Towers, turrets, and dormers: Builders decided to experiment with asymmetrical architectural designs during this period. Thus, round or octagonal towers, turrets, and dormers with windows extending out of the sloped roofs became the popular characteristic of Victorian houses.
Porches: Front porches or those that extend around the side of the home are used in many Victorian homes. Perhaps these porches have ornamentation that increases the visual appeal of the homes.
Steep, gabled roofs: The roofs of Victorian houses typically have a triangular shape facing the front of them.
If you’re planning to build a Victorian-style home, contact the Home Architects in North Haven