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7 Ways to Add a Contemporary Twist to Your Victorian Hallway
It’s a fine balance to update a hall without ruining period features, but these designers have got it just right
Love the bones of your traditional Victorian hallway? Lucky you if you still have original features – perhaps a stained glass door, original tiling, or a classic staircase. But how can you modernise this all-important space while retaining a sense of its history? From incorporating contemporary storage to colour-drenching walls and woodwork to adding modern geometrics, there are lots of excellent ways to go.
And it seems this is an area many of you are interested in. The 2024 Houzz UK Emerging Summer Trends Report, based on search data collected on Houzz during the first three months of this year, revealed that searches for “Victorian entrance hallway” were up by more than half, at 59%.
So read on to check out some of the stylish ideas for this popular topic by designers on Houzz – and tell us about your own Victorian hallway in the Comments at the end.
And it seems this is an area many of you are interested in. The 2024 Houzz UK Emerging Summer Trends Report, based on search data collected on Houzz during the first three months of this year, revealed that searches for “Victorian entrance hallway” were up by more than half, at 59%.
So read on to check out some of the stylish ideas for this popular topic by designers on Houzz – and tell us about your own Victorian hallway in the Comments at the end.
2. Lay modern geometric tiles
When you think of a classic Victorian hallway, lavishly tiled flooring may come to mind. It’s a striking feature, but one that may not have survived the years of occupancy.
If you’re renovating and want to reinvent the idea, a modern geometric, like the design in this elegant hallway by Imperfect Interiors, is worth considering. Keeping things monochrome brings to mind another common Victorian feature – the classic checkerboard front pathway – and it’s a nice echo to bring in.
Be sure to hire a professional with sensitivity towards and knowledge about the era of your house: the small details matter and need to be right. Here, the designer has specified a black border, trimmed with a slim white line. It adds a period sensitivity to the otherwise modern tiling.
Got a project in mind? Find the best expert for the job in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
When you think of a classic Victorian hallway, lavishly tiled flooring may come to mind. It’s a striking feature, but one that may not have survived the years of occupancy.
If you’re renovating and want to reinvent the idea, a modern geometric, like the design in this elegant hallway by Imperfect Interiors, is worth considering. Keeping things monochrome brings to mind another common Victorian feature – the classic checkerboard front pathway – and it’s a nice echo to bring in.
Be sure to hire a professional with sensitivity towards and knowledge about the era of your house: the small details matter and need to be right. Here, the designer has specified a black border, trimmed with a slim white line. It adds a period sensitivity to the otherwise modern tiling.
Got a project in mind? Find the best expert for the job in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
3. Highlight what you have
When the period details left in your Victorian hallway are few and far between, designing to highlight them becomes even more important.
Here, for example, while there’s no elaborate cornicing nor a statement tiled floor, there is some gorgeous Victorian stained glass above the door, plus a dado rail. These features are enough to add period character, and designer Ella Pays has whitewashed the space to make the window stand out. The horizontal lines of the long wooden Shaker-style peg rail and the vintage bench also echo the dado.
Another nice touch is the heavily patterned integrated doormat – a knowing reference to the tiles that may once have covered the whole floor. Although it’s modern, it adds another layer to the period feel.
When the period details left in your Victorian hallway are few and far between, designing to highlight them becomes even more important.
Here, for example, while there’s no elaborate cornicing nor a statement tiled floor, there is some gorgeous Victorian stained glass above the door, plus a dado rail. These features are enough to add period character, and designer Ella Pays has whitewashed the space to make the window stand out. The horizontal lines of the long wooden Shaker-style peg rail and the vintage bench also echo the dado.
Another nice touch is the heavily patterned integrated doormat – a knowing reference to the tiles that may once have covered the whole floor. Although it’s modern, it adds another layer to the period feel.
4. Keep storage discreet
Storage space was not generally a traditional feature in Victorian hallway design. Today, though, many of us demand it from our entrances: we crave places to tidily stow coats, shoes, umbrellas, sports equipment, buggies and so on and reduce clutter.
So how do you add lots of storage without detracting from any period features you may want to show off? Check out this example in the family home of architect James Wright of Macdonald Wright, who added this clever shelving, which provides a fantastic amount of storage for shoes and front door paraphernalia.
Tucking storage behind plain, wall-coloured sliding doors hides the space nicely without altering the look of the hallway. It shows that storage can be roomy but, if kept super-plain and fitted, won’t fight with period features, like that beautiful Victorian stained glass front door.
More: These Are the Trends Emerging on Houzz Right Now
Storage space was not generally a traditional feature in Victorian hallway design. Today, though, many of us demand it from our entrances: we crave places to tidily stow coats, shoes, umbrellas, sports equipment, buggies and so on and reduce clutter.
So how do you add lots of storage without detracting from any period features you may want to show off? Check out this example in the family home of architect James Wright of Macdonald Wright, who added this clever shelving, which provides a fantastic amount of storage for shoes and front door paraphernalia.
Tucking storage behind plain, wall-coloured sliding doors hides the space nicely without altering the look of the hallway. It shows that storage can be roomy but, if kept super-plain and fitted, won’t fight with period features, like that beautiful Victorian stained glass front door.
More: These Are the Trends Emerging on Houzz Right Now
5. Channel a clean, crisp finish
As already mentioned, patterned floor tiles are a traditional Victorian hallway feature. Stair runners were also common.
Here, both elements are in place, sensitively referencing the era of the house, and yet designer Rachael Harding has updated both to versions that feel crisp and contemporary, swerving the tendency by the Victorians towards layering dark colours.
Indeed, paired with white paint and the clean lines of the console, plus a large mirror, the result is a welcoming hallway that feels bright and modern, but also full of period character.
As already mentioned, patterned floor tiles are a traditional Victorian hallway feature. Stair runners were also common.
Here, both elements are in place, sensitively referencing the era of the house, and yet designer Rachael Harding has updated both to versions that feel crisp and contemporary, swerving the tendency by the Victorians towards layering dark colours.
Indeed, paired with white paint and the clean lines of the console, plus a large mirror, the result is a welcoming hallway that feels bright and modern, but also full of period character.
6. Go big with bold wallpaper
In contrast, Born & Bred Studio’s renovation of this Victorian hallway has channelled the heavily patterned, strong colours popular in the period.
To keep things 21st century, the wallpaper is floor-to-ceiling (rather than one side of a dado rail) and stretching the pattern over a bigger expanse makes the area feel larger. The print is also edgy and feels modern, while at the same time referencing William Morris Victoriana.
Light, too, has been boosted to prevent the space from feeling dark, as the original hallway might have done. A niche on the right contains a fitted mirror, which not only brings brightness but acts as a trompe l’oeil (something that can often “trick the eye” into seeing more space). A white-painted staircase brings a burst of lightness into the sightline.
The wallpaper also highlights that beautiful stained glass window at the top of the stairs, which immediately catches your attention, as it appears almost to shine out of the wall.
In contrast, Born & Bred Studio’s renovation of this Victorian hallway has channelled the heavily patterned, strong colours popular in the period.
To keep things 21st century, the wallpaper is floor-to-ceiling (rather than one side of a dado rail) and stretching the pattern over a bigger expanse makes the area feel larger. The print is also edgy and feels modern, while at the same time referencing William Morris Victoriana.
Light, too, has been boosted to prevent the space from feeling dark, as the original hallway might have done. A niche on the right contains a fitted mirror, which not only brings brightness but acts as a trompe l’oeil (something that can often “trick the eye” into seeing more space). A white-painted staircase brings a burst of lightness into the sightline.
The wallpaper also highlights that beautiful stained glass window at the top of the stairs, which immediately catches your attention, as it appears almost to shine out of the wall.
7. Open with glazing
A rear extension is a decidedly modern addition to many Victorian houses – and isn’t this glass door a wonderful way to show it off?
This Ensoul-designed hallway has plenty of Victoriana to keep its history visible – original tiles, dark paint, stair runner, dado rail and panelling. But then you have the door, which beautifully opens up the hall and links it to the garden, with that lovely view of greenery beyond.
It looks modern – and the idea of opening up the hallway with glazing most certainly is – and yet the nice touch here is that, while a metal-framed door in this context is non-traditional, its design is entirely authentic to the era, as steel-framed doors and windows began appearing in British architecture in the mid 1800s.
Tell us…
Which look do you like most – and what would you do to your Victorian hallway? Let us know in the Comments.
A rear extension is a decidedly modern addition to many Victorian houses – and isn’t this glass door a wonderful way to show it off?
This Ensoul-designed hallway has plenty of Victoriana to keep its history visible – original tiles, dark paint, stair runner, dado rail and panelling. But then you have the door, which beautifully opens up the hall and links it to the garden, with that lovely view of greenery beyond.
It looks modern – and the idea of opening up the hallway with glazing most certainly is – and yet the nice touch here is that, while a metal-framed door in this context is non-traditional, its design is entirely authentic to the era, as steel-framed doors and windows began appearing in British architecture in the mid 1800s.
Tell us…
Which look do you like most – and what would you do to your Victorian hallway? Let us know in the Comments.
The idea of painting walls and woodwork the same colour is something we’ve seen increasingly on Houzz over the years and the effect feels instantly contemporary.
When the colour is dark, however, it’s also a strong nod back to the Victorians, who favoured deep, rich tones for walls and woodwork alike.
Here, designer Susan Venn has used a strong teal colour to create something that feels both contemporary and traditional. The paint technique is particularly good for hallways, which are often narrow, as the continuous colour can have the effect of visually enlarging the space.