Congratulations, you either have or are thinking about purchasing a Victorian property, these are one of the best property investments you can make, most have been stood for around 150 years without much of a problem, which means they really stand the test of time. The Victorian era saw a massive population boom and the number of people living in the UK went from approx. 9 million to 36 million, which meant that we needed houses and fast, that is why Victorian homes are all over the country and so close to the center of town.

By the way, if you new here I’m Jessica, Interior Designer who specialises in helping period property homeowners seamlessly blend contemporary living and period homes.

In this blog post we will be exploring some options which should be on your list for your Victorian home renovation ideas, including not just jumping straight in with an architect, getting clever with space saving and multi-functional cabinetry and how you can modernise the home without loosing it’s traditional charm, so let’s jump in shall we?

Exploring Options For Your Victorian Home Renovation

Typically, Victorian homes are roomy, light with high ceilings and big windows. Just because you have purchased a Victorian home doesn’t mean you are restricted in how you design and renovate the property, there are so many ways to enhance your space and modernising Victorian terrace houses doesn’t mean ripping out the heart and soul, modern Victorian has become an interior styling in it’s own right and it essentially embodies the essence of seamlessly blend both the old and the new, mixing the cosiness of traditional with the freshness of contemporary design.

I will caveat this by saying it is important to spend time researching the original style of the home and the time-frame it was built in, the Victorian era was so vast and differed from beginning to end in terms motifs and overall design styles.

Image Depicts a view into a Modern Victorian Front Room, to book case and highly floral accent chair - Victorian Home Renovation Ideas — Image Credit: The Nordroom

There are lots of features that you might benefit from if you have a Victorian property, large sash windows which were the go-to window for the time, architectural details such as, cornice, ceiling rose, picture and dado rails where you can start to ask some great questions about how to decorate your space. As paint will give you an opportunity to have an impact on how you want your space to feel.

Image Depicts a Victorian terraced house, showing large white sash windows and a green door - Victorian Home Renovation Ideas — Image Credit: Victorian Home

If you are undertaking a large renovation then you will have a lot of rooms in the house to contend with, not to mention if the house hasn’t been renovated your years, you may also need to think about an extension.

Don’t Just Jump Right In and Contact an Architect

However, don’t jump the gun and just contact an Architect, you need to think about whether you need an extension first or you could waste thousands or tens of thousands on drawings that you don’t need and actually can’t afford. That is where an Interior Designer can help, by focusing on the floor plan you have and seeing if what you already have could work for you and your family with some small internal changes. This is something we call space planning and it isn’t offered as a service from most architects, but it will completely change your renovation.

I only suggest this as interiors that you see in a magazine come in at a particular price point and it is important that you consider where your money is best spent, if you extend but can’t really afford to furnish it, was it really worth it?

Getting Clever with Space Saving In Your Victorian Terrace

Top of your list of Victorian home renovation ideas should be multi functional and space saving built in cabinetry and clever joinery! One of my absolute favourites and what says bespoke home quite like purpose built cabinetry. There are so many opportunities from wardrobes, built in dining tables and seating and not to mention Murphy beds. These Murphy beds are so popular in America but honestly I can completely understand why, they are excellent for space saving and they can really help make our rooms multi-functional which is at the forefront of peoples minds.

Image depicts a built in dining table in a period home — Image Credit: William Sonoma

Image shows baby blue built in wardrobes in a clever nook in a period home, with a playful fabric inserts instead of doors and a little bench seat built in for reading — Image Credit: House and Gardens

Built-in cabinetry around a murphy bed, that is well designed and a great alternative option to a sofa bed. — Image Credit: Pinterest

Modernising the Victorian Homes Kitchen

Second on the list of Victorian home renovation ideas is the kitchen! The kitchen really is the heart of the home, and you can bring it back to life by reinstating or refurbishing the traditional features and blending with a contemporary home – I think some built-in kitchen units are an absolute must as well as built in hidden appliances. However I love getting playful with the island and it being a bit more of a piece of furniture.

Image dipects a large period home kitchen with a fireplace that has a cooker built in and a pastry bench style kitchen island — Image Credit: Devol Kitchens

baby pink kitchen with dark green cabinetry and a butler sink in corporated into the fireplace, instead of removal — Image Credit: Nook and Find

Getting Clever with Victorian Fireplaces

Next on your list of Victorian home renovation ideas should be fireplaces, well clever uses for fireplaces! You will have fireplaces in most rooms of the house and with the price of things, I think it is always a good idea to get creative with your budget, where to splurge and when to save and a huge saving that can be made is exploring your options with your chimney breasts, can it be used for something a bit different?

The home below is a small Victorian terrace and they really didn’t have anywhere to put there coats, it was making their lives so difficult - so my solution was to get creative with their home and find somewhere for those coats!

Image shows a modern Victorian dining room with fireplace being used for storing coats — Image Credit: Studio Smith Interior Design

Breathing New Life to Old Floors

Next up on the list of Victorian home renovation ideas is, flooring. A great way to make your home feel more contemporary is the wood floor boards. Dependent on the size of your home different woods will have been used, in the smaller terraced homes a mixture of pine wood and Minton tiles would have been used.

Whereas in the bigger homes, there would have been hardwood floors and Minton tiles, hardwood floors do tend to scrub up a little better than pine and a way to make the home feel more contemporary then I lean towards a lighter stain for the floors and there are lots of options out there for sanding those floors.

Buying a period home is all about honoring a piece of history but if the floors are really best their best and don’t do your home justice it is absolutely okay to explore new flooring. I love herringbone engineered wood - it just brings the most amazing texture and intrigue to a space, lots of people have lots to say about engineered wood flooring, but it will just keep getting better with age as the wear and tear of modern homes happens.

Victorian home hallway with Minton Tiles and original features — Image Credit: @newbiesinthedust

Close up of Herringbone flooring - demonstrating texture and visual appeal — Image Credit: V4 Wood Flooring

Enhancing the Bathrooms

Next up on the list of Victorian home renovation ideas is, bathrooms. Period home bathrooms are always a little tricky, you’ve either hit the jackpot and you have a bathroom everywhere you need one or, you have some work to do. One thing that you will be blessed with is size, they have been moved all throughout the home and have usually been left upstairs in a bedroom that was pretty big and that is excellent because you can fit in everything you need.

In terms of interior design for bathrooms, there isn’t much in the way of traditional as bathrooms just didn’t exist as they do now but you can emulate some other wonderful traditional features. There are so many ways you can go, you can embrace moodier tones, use some beautiful traditional tiles and tiles trims! Now don’t forget traditional toilets, roll-top bath tubs and some really great vanity options that can be completely custom.

Roll top bath tub with a dark green wainscoting paneling on the back wall with ornate traditional pictures — Image Credit: Edward George

Traditional bathroom with bespoke joinery on the walls, tiles and tradtional sink with marble top — Image Credit: Home and Garden

Owning a period home can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also mean you have your work cut out for you, I also mention to my clients that it is important to take your time when you first move in. Over time there are things that you will love about your home that really bothered you at first I can guarantee it.

If you’re renovating a period home don’t forget to explore my services I offer remote and in person consultations which work best if your looking for some light advice or I offer bespoke full service interior design services which is perfect if your looking for a more hands on approach.

I focus on creating a solid client brief, so your voice is central throughout the design process, understanding how you live and how you want to live.

Jessica x

Victorian Home, House & Terrace Renovation Ideas