Going Classic: How to accent your home Victorian style

Designing a home and decorating it the way you want is a lot more than merely putting a few objects together that serve the purpose. It is often a wise thing to have a running theme across your home as it will give the right idea on how to accessorize and make shopping a lot easier. If themes are what you are going how about the instant classic - the Victorian style of decorating interiors. It brings a touch of royalty, a sense of class and adds timeless charm. Going Victorian though is a lot harder than picking contemporary styles and design as you are trying to recreate the past. But here are a few simple tips that will you with that task.

#1 Mix a renaissance decorating style with plenty of metal

A Victorian theme is brought in largely by using stuff that is reminiscent to the Renaissance period. You can do that by using plenty of metal wherever possible. It could be in the furnishings, photo frames or even in the accessories spread across the room. Also, the use of gleaming metal with intricate and artistic design helps a great deal.

#2 Decorative moldings, ornaments, plasterwork and arches

The essence of Victorian style is in its sweeping and larger than life design. This can be achieved using arches wherever possible to create a grand look. Use of plasterwork and moldings could be expensive, but they bring in the feel of authenticity of the design. Remember that this will always cost you a lot more than the other modern themes, but it will also attract people in a unique way of its own.

#3 Use stain glass and stone fireplaces

One of the most important Victorian accent to a home is the use of stain glass as this is an integral part of the era. It adds in a small yet authoritative way to the furnishings around and it really brings out the bright mood in the room. The fireplace is also an essential aspect of a Victorian styled living room and one made with stone or even polished marble accentuates the already classic feel.

#4 Design with dark colors and rich shades wherever possible

Most often modern designs demand neutral tones and dull shades, but you can throw that out of the window if you are going the Victorian way. Dark and bright shades along with very rich colors are the very essence of the style. Even your woodwork should be grained in dark tones so as to compliment what is around it. Feel free to tone up the reds and the violets, the yellows and the blues as you please!

#5 Lavish designs drenched in fabric

Use plenty of fabric whenever and wherever possible in the shape of curtains, separators and even as wallpaper to bring out the Victorian flavor. You can throw away the idea of repainting your walls or even bringing in new wallpaper by just using printed, light fabric instead. This will only make the interiors far more majestic.

#6 Bring in the fruits, flowers, candles and candy

This might appear simple, but nothing says classic like a bowl full of fruits, a wonderful arrangement of roses in a pot, some beautiful candles and maybe even candy in a basket. These are simple to do, easy to get and will increase the charm of your Victorian interiors manifold. Even wilted flowers bring about a new and wild spirit to the room!
Going Victorian takes a lot more care and effort than most other themes. It will also need you to pick out special furniture and accessories and change most things that would be found lying around otherwise in a normal home. The transformation might be tough, but the result will leave you more than satisfied!

Make Your Own Decorative Boxes

I have a post coming up soon entitled "Feathers In My Food." I think you'll want to see the creation I made. ;-)
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Many years ago when I was crafting every single day after coming home from my office, I decided I wanted some boxes covered in beautiful papers and fabrics. Understand now that I absolutely devoted most hours outside of work to crafting. I absolutely loved it. So today I thought I'd share how to make these kind of boxes below. I'll give you the dimensions and instructions. The rest is up to you. You can use fabric or paper; it's up to you. I've shown you two of ones I've made. The purple roses box is fabric, and the red and pink roses is that gorgeous paper I love so much from The Gifted Line by John Grossman.

They are approximately the same size. I'll give you the instructions and measurements but it's up to you to do the construction. These little boxes are more for show than actual storage boxes; although, I keep pencils in them or my sealing wax and Dyno Label Maker in the other one. But I wouldn't keep anything heavy in them. Again, just for show. ;-)

You'll need foam board. I used 3/8" so that I could "score"—meaning to go a bit of the way through the foam board without cutting all the way through so you can bend it. You'll need to bend it but keep it together. For my size box below, I cut a piece 16" long and 8 & 3/8" wide. I scored it at 6 & 1/2" from the one end and then 9 & 1/2" from the same side. Or in other words, I scored it 6 & 1/2" from each short side. I then bent it carefully as to not split it. Be very careful. Then I cut another piece of foam board 28 & 3/8" long and 2 & 1/2" wide. I scored that piece at 6" and at 7 & 3/4". Using glue to attach together the 2 ends of the LONG piece I scored.

You cover it with your paper or fabric before you start making it, just after cutting it out. Then you glue. I used a glue gun. You can use any glue you want that sticks though. After covering the large piece and the long piece, you glue it together. Then I hot glued a ribbon around it to secure it.

I've read this so much I'm not sure if it makes sense to you, but if you want to try this and it's not clear, email me and I'll help you all I can. It truly is easy.

These boxes are 6 & 1/2" front to back and 8 & 3/8" wide and 2 & 1/2" high or deep.

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I love this living room setting. Just the way the homeowner has everything arranged, very cozy.

A beautiful approach to a rustic door.

Okay, no privacy here at all. I'd feel like Sasquatch was always watching me.

Just simple eye candy for you.

Be still my beating heart. However, I would keep wondering when it is going to come crashing down on my head. Looks a bit heavy.

Smiling at ya!

I don't know whether this is a fabric or a painting but it's one of my favorite photos of roses.

Just a beautiful setting for you. Very peaceful.

Sweet vignette at a bistro.

An old Victorian in San Francisco, my favorite city in the whole world. I love shopping there.

Did you hear that the mailboxes in the hometown of an Olympic Gold Medal Winner in the UK gets its mail boxes painted gold? Usually the boxes are a bright red. But what a sweet idea to help the hometown men and women celebrate a hometown victory. Bless their hearts for doing this for them!

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