Styling Modern Victorian

So, you have restored and refurbished your 1800’s Victorian house and you are now ready to decorate the interior with a modern aesthetic while maintaining a nod to the past.  

With any expansive classic Victorian home, braving a make-over journey of ‘modern mid-century’ can be undeniably difficult, however, if you maintain the existing design by enhancing the details like high decorative ceilings and large windows, you should be able to nail it.

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Let’s Begin with Colour

The Victorian era in interior decoration was colourful to say the least. You only need to look at the Bridgerton mini-series. A vibrant and opulent set where colour plays an important role in recreating a modern take that the audience can relate to. It explodes with beautiful pastel hues, patterned wallpaper, printed cushions, fabric and textures.  

Initiate with a suitable colour scheme and the rest will fall into place; however, practicality is pivotal, and nothing reinforces more the resurgence of current mid-century modern when it comes to simple form and function.

Your Soft Furnishings add Character  

Add character and history and decide which period features to retain or re-create (not everything has to be new) remembering it is about two styles merging (not colliding) and some clever mixing.

Infusing colour through velvets, linens, elegant prints and textured patterns will keep you on the right track. You may combine stripes with florals, this is a way to keep the interior interesting, but not necessary.

To warm up your space introducing an embellished rug will be a bit of a hero piece. It doesn’t have to be a hand-selected rug, a distressed vintage inspired rug with a floral motif that fits the colour palette will do.

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For a stylish update replace traditional heavy curtains with elegant white sheer ones with a simple textured blind sitting behind. I prefer minimalist window furnishings, not historic in this scenario of old and new.

Bring Your Home Back to Life with Lighting

Your lighting is going to be an important part of the overall project that should suit its setting, to a degree. You want to ensure you retain the mid-century vibe whilst not being too 'stuffy’ or formal with light fixtures.

This is where the fun starts, as marrying two aesthetics can be a challenge and carries importance, but your lighting will tie it all up and give a new dimension to the interior.

Choose a traditional table lamp, a wall light and chandelier with small modern overtones. Remember to keep in mind the height of the ceilings and scale of the windows to keep light fixtures in proportion.

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Make Over Conclusion

The most important aspect of any project is giving a home its very own signature looks, despite its dimensions. This can be achieved by analysing the lifestyle of the occupants together with exploration within the home itself. By doing this a timeless practicality will follow and ultimately take on your personality whilst not compromising its rich past.

Article written by Marina Mura

Mood-boards curated By Evoke Interior Decorating

Find your ideal style | E: evokeinteriordecorating@gmail.com.au

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