What to Keep and What to Change in Your Victorian Home
Wondering where to start on the renovation of your period property? Take a look at these expert tips
Lior Brosh
6 January 2019
When it comes to renovating a Victorian home, it helps to know which elements you should retain in order to preserve the character of the property and which ones you can change to update the space for modern life.
Check out these tips to ensure you create a home that feels beautiful and functional and that also tells a story.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Check out these tips to ensure you create a home that feels beautiful and functional and that also tells a story.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Victorian homes were different from the properties that came before them, mainly because of the rapid growth in canal and train infrastructure.
Building materials no longer had to be local, and new technologies were introduced that meant bricks could be used more decoratively.
So, while Georgian houses, for example, were plain and uniform, Victorian homes were more individual in style.
Building materials no longer had to be local, and new technologies were introduced that meant bricks could be used more decoratively.
So, while Georgian houses, for example, were plain and uniform, Victorian homes were more individual in style.
What to Keep
Here are five things to hold on to in order to retain the character of your Victorian property.
Front façade
Key features of a Victorian façade are the bay window and the tiled front path.
The large front window became popular after the abolition of the ‘window tax’ in 1851. It allowed more natural light to enter the house and provided a view for the owner to see what was going on outside.
The tiled front path came about because houses were often set back from the street. Sometimes the colourful tiles even continued into the hallway.
Try to keep the original features at the front of your Victorian property, in particular the tiles. In most cases, they can be refurbished. So if the front path tiles seem to be tired, broken and uneven, always contact your local specialist for advice before replacing them.
In some Victorian properties, you can still see the cast-iron coal hatch cover in the path. Many of these ornate hatches were lost when front paths were re-done, as they were filled in with concrete. The hatch tells us about the past, so if you do still have one, it’s a good idea to keep it.
Here are five things to hold on to in order to retain the character of your Victorian property.
Front façade
Key features of a Victorian façade are the bay window and the tiled front path.
The large front window became popular after the abolition of the ‘window tax’ in 1851. It allowed more natural light to enter the house and provided a view for the owner to see what was going on outside.
The tiled front path came about because houses were often set back from the street. Sometimes the colourful tiles even continued into the hallway.
Try to keep the original features at the front of your Victorian property, in particular the tiles. In most cases, they can be refurbished. So if the front path tiles seem to be tired, broken and uneven, always contact your local specialist for advice before replacing them.
In some Victorian properties, you can still see the cast-iron coal hatch cover in the path. Many of these ornate hatches were lost when front paths were re-done, as they were filled in with concrete. The hatch tells us about the past, so if you do still have one, it’s a good idea to keep it.
Internal woodwork
A lot of the wood we use for joinery, such as staircases and doors, is made from fast-growing softwood. The Victorians used more mature trees, so their timber was very durable. If your woodwork isn’t infected with woodworm or any type of rot, it can usually be renovated and restored to its original glory.
Front doors, for example, reflected the wealth of the owner and had to make the right impression, so they were often made of good-quality, durable materials. If security is an issue for you, talk to a consultant to see whether it’s possible to upgrade the house security while keeping the front door.
Internal doors can also be refurbished by stripping paint and filling cracks, dents and any other damage. If you require a fire door, you can often upgrade your old door rather than replace it with a new one.
Building Control can usually approve an upgrade, such as fireproof sheets, which can be installed on the panelling and painted over. Alternatively, 30-minute fireproof paint is another solution.
Windows can be renovated in the same way as doors. In most cases, the timber can easily be restored and the sash frame can have a draught treatment if required.
A lot of the wood we use for joinery, such as staircases and doors, is made from fast-growing softwood. The Victorians used more mature trees, so their timber was very durable. If your woodwork isn’t infected with woodworm or any type of rot, it can usually be renovated and restored to its original glory.
Front doors, for example, reflected the wealth of the owner and had to make the right impression, so they were often made of good-quality, durable materials. If security is an issue for you, talk to a consultant to see whether it’s possible to upgrade the house security while keeping the front door.
Internal doors can also be refurbished by stripping paint and filling cracks, dents and any other damage. If you require a fire door, you can often upgrade your old door rather than replace it with a new one.
Building Control can usually approve an upgrade, such as fireproof sheets, which can be installed on the panelling and painted over. Alternatively, 30-minute fireproof paint is another solution.
Windows can be renovated in the same way as doors. In most cases, the timber can easily be restored and the sash frame can have a draught treatment if required.
Front layout
The original front layout of your Victorian home can still have answers for today’s lifestyle needs. The hallway separates the entrance from the living room, and provides a protected corridor in case of fire.
The two rooms to the side of the hallway can still be used as reception rooms – one as a more formal room and the other as a family room, exactly as the Victorians used it. The original owners would have had two separate rooms, but today an opening can be made to achieve better circulation and let the natural light in.
If you do decide to open up the two rooms, make sure you speak with a professional or a structural engineer, as the wall between the two spaces is often a structural one that supports the roof.
Renovating a period home? Find the professionals you need, in your area, on Houzz.
The original front layout of your Victorian home can still have answers for today’s lifestyle needs. The hallway separates the entrance from the living room, and provides a protected corridor in case of fire.
The two rooms to the side of the hallway can still be used as reception rooms – one as a more formal room and the other as a family room, exactly as the Victorians used it. The original owners would have had two separate rooms, but today an opening can be made to achieve better circulation and let the natural light in.
If you do decide to open up the two rooms, make sure you speak with a professional or a structural engineer, as the wall between the two spaces is often a structural one that supports the roof.
Renovating a period home? Find the professionals you need, in your area, on Houzz.
Heating features
There are much tighter regulations on the use of open fires in the home nowadays, but the fireplace still remains a major focal point. You could keep the original fireplace and either amend it for gas use or consider a bioethanol insert.
Alternatively, if the surrounding mantel is the only original element of the fireplace left, you could line the chimney and install a wood-burning stove.
Radiators appeared in homes in the late Victorian period, but central heating was expensive, so you will more than likely only find them in larger homes. If you want to keep the original cast-iron radiators, they can still be used, but check first with your builder or plumber that they’re in good order.
There are much tighter regulations on the use of open fires in the home nowadays, but the fireplace still remains a major focal point. You could keep the original fireplace and either amend it for gas use or consider a bioethanol insert.
Alternatively, if the surrounding mantel is the only original element of the fireplace left, you could line the chimney and install a wood-burning stove.
Radiators appeared in homes in the late Victorian period, but central heating was expensive, so you will more than likely only find them in larger homes. If you want to keep the original cast-iron radiators, they can still be used, but check first with your builder or plumber that they’re in good order.
Interior plasterwork
While Victorian houses were simple in terms of shape, elaborate ornamentation in the shape of ceiling roses and cornicing was very popular.
Ceiling cornices originated as a practical detail to cover the joint between the walls and ceilings, but developed over time to become a feature. Many cornices still remain in good condition, but in some cases the delicate pattern can be disfigured by layers of paint.
Sometimes these details can be restored by a specialist and a patient cleaning method. Alternatively, try to find an undamaged area and ask a specialist to make a template mould.
When renovating, consult your builder or architect on how to protect your old plasterwork, as it doesn’t always react well to construction vibrations.
In this home, the cornicing had multiple layers of colour, which were patiently stripped off in order to bring back the details. Also, the existing fireplace was amended to a gas fire and the chimney relined in order to direct any toxic fumes upwards straight out of the chimney stack.
While Victorian houses were simple in terms of shape, elaborate ornamentation in the shape of ceiling roses and cornicing was very popular.
Ceiling cornices originated as a practical detail to cover the joint between the walls and ceilings, but developed over time to become a feature. Many cornices still remain in good condition, but in some cases the delicate pattern can be disfigured by layers of paint.
Sometimes these details can be restored by a specialist and a patient cleaning method. Alternatively, try to find an undamaged area and ask a specialist to make a template mould.
When renovating, consult your builder or architect on how to protect your old plasterwork, as it doesn’t always react well to construction vibrations.
In this home, the cornicing had multiple layers of colour, which were patiently stripped off in order to bring back the details. Also, the existing fireplace was amended to a gas fire and the chimney relined in order to direct any toxic fumes upwards straight out of the chimney stack.
What to Update
There are some things that can be reworked in order to make your Victorian home more comfortable for modern life.
The rear layout
The back rooms in Victorian houses were often used for cooking, laundry and other services, so the design was more functional than the high-quality, ornate style of the front rooms.
Nowadays, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and is where households spend much of their time. To fulfil the needs of modern family life, the rear of your Victorian home can be opened up and extended.
Here, the rear layout was amended just by extending into the side return. The addition brings in natural light, transforms the space into a sociable kitchen-diner and connects the room to the garden.
There are some things that can be reworked in order to make your Victorian home more comfortable for modern life.
The rear layout
The back rooms in Victorian houses were often used for cooking, laundry and other services, so the design was more functional than the high-quality, ornate style of the front rooms.
Nowadays, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and is where households spend much of their time. To fulfil the needs of modern family life, the rear of your Victorian home can be opened up and extended.
Here, the rear layout was amended just by extending into the side return. The addition brings in natural light, transforms the space into a sociable kitchen-diner and connects the room to the garden.
Back elevation
In typical Victorian homes, the rear elevation looked dull. If Planning Permission allows, an extension can have a positive impact on the quality of our lives inside the home, as well as the look of the rear façade.
Here, the architect transformed the rear elevation into a playful experience that makes a clear distinction between the old and new. The wildflower roof garden also provides a pleasant view from inside and outside the house.
In typical Victorian homes, the rear elevation looked dull. If Planning Permission allows, an extension can have a positive impact on the quality of our lives inside the home, as well as the look of the rear façade.
Here, the architect transformed the rear elevation into a playful experience that makes a clear distinction between the old and new. The wildflower roof garden also provides a pleasant view from inside and outside the house.
Floor finishes
Underfloor heating is popular nowadays, especially as everything can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet. Unfortunately, 150-year-old solid wood floorboards don’t always respond well to it, but if you want the look of real timber and underfloor heating, you can replace the existing boards with engineered wood flooring.
In this rear and side extension, different types of flooring have been used to define the areas. Pale engineered wood boards add warmth to the kitchen, while long, narrow tiles in the dining area, which mimic the shape of the boards, continue out to the patio, helping to connect the internal and external spaces.
Discover everything you need to know about laying a wood floor.
Underfloor heating is popular nowadays, especially as everything can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet. Unfortunately, 150-year-old solid wood floorboards don’t always respond well to it, but if you want the look of real timber and underfloor heating, you can replace the existing boards with engineered wood flooring.
In this rear and side extension, different types of flooring have been used to define the areas. Pale engineered wood boards add warmth to the kitchen, while long, narrow tiles in the dining area, which mimic the shape of the boards, continue out to the patio, helping to connect the internal and external spaces.
Discover everything you need to know about laying a wood floor.
Lath and plaster
In older homes, ceilings and internal walls were constructed using lath and plaster. This involved narrow timber strips being nailed across the ceiling joists or wall studs with small gaps in-between to form a key for the plaster. Unfortunately, this method didn’t pass the test of time and can be unstable during renovation.
When you remove old wallpaper, for example, you never know how it will affect the lath and plaster below. It could stay solid, or it could crumble. If there’s evidence of previous water damage, it’s advisable to remove any loose plaster, especially in the ceiling.
Tell us…
Are you planning to renovate your Victorian home? Will you be using any of the tips here? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
In older homes, ceilings and internal walls were constructed using lath and plaster. This involved narrow timber strips being nailed across the ceiling joists or wall studs with small gaps in-between to form a key for the plaster. Unfortunately, this method didn’t pass the test of time and can be unstable during renovation.
When you remove old wallpaper, for example, you never know how it will affect the lath and plaster below. It could stay solid, or it could crumble. If there’s evidence of previous water damage, it’s advisable to remove any loose plaster, especially in the ceiling.
Tell us…
Are you planning to renovate your Victorian home? Will you be using any of the tips here? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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