To remain authentic a Victorian home should never have any white gloss paint on woodwork, quite simply because it hadn't been invented and was therefore not used! If you want your Victorian house to replicate its originality steer clear of white gloss.



The Victorians did love paint and used it on walls, ceilings and woodwork to inject colour into their rooms. They also had relatively strict codes which they followed meticulously if they wanted to impress visitors.

The main focus was in the parlour. This is were all guests and visitors would be taken to sit. Parlours were crammed full of objects of interest which the owner had collected from their journeys abroad. Exotic stuffed animals, birds and insects were displayed in elaborate glass domed cabinets which varied in size according to the creatures being displayed.

The wall of the parlour were usually divided a third of the way up with a dado rail. Although many people nowadays like to strip the paint from these and leave the natural wood exposed, the Victorians always painted them. Paint was a relatively expensive commodity and to leave it unpainted hinted that you were not very well off financially.

The top half of the wall would have highly elaborate wall paper. Beautiful intricate designs such as those by William Morris were the order of the day. The lower half of the wall was typically painted in a coordinating colour. Variations of green and deep red was very popular choices.

Ceilings were also painted and included highly decorative ceiling roses which were painted a shade darker than the ceiling.

Curtains in heavy damask, velvet or chenille fabric were used keep out draughts and add style and elegance to the room. Deep rich colours in red or green kept a sense of cohesion in the room. The curtains would be floor length, swept open from the centre and held back with large complimentary coloured tassel tie-backs such as gold. The more elaborate the better.

The Victorians crammed as much furniture and objects of interest into their parlours as possible. No surface was left bare. Tables were quite often covered with crushed velvet fabric onto which lace dollies were laid. Layering of fabric to create unusual patterns and colour effects was very popular.

The concept of fitted carpets had not been introduced in Victorian times. Wooden floor boards were stained dark around the visible edges and rugs were laid down. Again beautiful rugs brought back from foreign travel was another way to show wealth and impress guests.

Although The Victorians filled their parlours with as much as they could it was all for show, they did not allow unnecessary clutter. Books were kept in the library, letters and papers kept in writing desks.

These insights are how the affluent Victorians decorated their homes. A very different design was adopted by the poorer people. They simply could not afford luxuries like wallpaper and exotic stuffed animals to impress their guests.

The walls of the working classes were painted, although the affordable paints were only available in limited colours. Walls were often white-washed, but not with the brilliant whites we use today, the white came from lime. This was mixed with water and applied to the walls of kitchens and bedrooms.

If the house had a parlour, like the upper classes, this would be given the most attention and have all the best furniture, curtains and rugs.