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The Victorian era was contradictory in many ways. It spawned the dark academia bedroom vibe with its dark tones. It was also the time of the arts and crafts movement that impacted designs so strongly that we still feel and see today in much of our clothing, such as paisley teardrops and intricate designs from this period in history.
In this article, we take a deep dive into Victorian bedroom designs and inspire you to create similar designs while taking the best from the Victorian era and leaving the rest behind.
Let's get into it.
If you follow trends, you will know the darkness of the Victorian academia bedroom. In certain ways, some of those colours have followed through to the traditional Victorian bedroom, while there are colours that are much brighter and more vibrant.
Here are some pointers on how you can create a Victorian bedroom in the 21st century:
A fireplace distinguished the Victorian bedroom. If you take a step back to the 20th century in Victorian England, the average daytime temperature in the 1890s would be 13.75℃ or 56.74℉, it was pretty cool, and during the winter months, the temperatures would drop well below freezing covering the river Thames in ice.
A fireplace was essential in a bedroom or any living room within the Victorian home. Other defining features were thick blankets, again for warmth.
As technology developed, you would find cast iron radiators and possible electric heaters in a bedroom.
Modern decorating styles are entirely at odds with those of the Victorian era. It was a period of bulky, elaborate furniture, oversize everything, and a preference for trinkets. The result is a romantic, intricate, warm, dramatic, lavish, and opulent style that would make any minimalist cringe.
The easiest way to make a bedroom Victorian is to start with wall designs, either elaborate wallpaper with intricate designs or even hang a tapestry. Victorians often used fabrics to cover walls for a deep rich decor and a little insulation.
A heavy timber bed with scrolls and etchings in the wood is typical of the era.
The modern Victorian vibe is somewhat of a paradox. Ornate cravings and opulent wallpapers may adorn the walls while you stand on a bare concrete floor!
To achieve a modern Victorian look, you will need certain essentials in your portfolio to pull this period look off authentically.
Here are a few suggestions for you to consider:
The fusion between the Victorian Era and 2022 can create a beautiful bedroom that oozes style and class if done correctly.
Let's get inspired.
The Victorian may have loved the busy patterns on the wallpaper. Still, in a modern bedroom, it's going to be overwhelming, so it is about giving a gentle recognition to the era rather than diving head first into an era that was on the cusp of changing the world.
The four-poster bed with the intricate design duvet cover would be typical of the design styles, albeit they didn't use duvets!
The dark wood of the bed frame still has a solid and reliable feeling about it but when mixed with the burgundy bedding creates an inviting and sumptuous bed that is typical for the era.
Of course, you are bringing the 19-century kicking and screaming into the 21st century, so bringing this decor vibe up to date is an exciting challenge and, when paired with the bright paintwork and a beautiful carpet, makes a bedroom have cohesion and style in a classy and elegant manner.
Victorians may not have been amused, but they would have fallen head over heels in love with this bedroom. Yes, it is modern but retains so much of the stylish essence from the Victorian era.
The patterns on the wardrobe and carved bed frame are the perfect nods to the past, and with a fireplace in the bedroom, you could be transported back to Kensington London in the 1890s.
This replica bedroom is quintessentially Victorian with modern twists that make it a triumph of chic design.
The beautiful grey bedroom walls and frilled blanket are essentials to the modern victorian vibe, the burst of blush pink stunningly illuminated the bedroom.
The crystal chandelier with candle bulbs seals the deal and confirms this is a modern Victorian bedroom with glorious styling.
It's normal to think the colour palette in Victorian times was quite dour and almost had a sinister undertone, especially when you look at the dark academia vibe bedroom.
However, you may be surprised to read that pink was an available colour used as a colour in dresses for young females considered to be in their first season (whatever that means) and more mature women in ball gowns made from stains and silks.
But in a bedroom, this audacious shade of pink brings a smile to your face. But the bedroom is representative of Victorian times if you look carefully at the design cues. The four posters are made from modern materials.
The intricate artwork on the peacocks is reminiscent of the authentic Victorian era.
The bedroom may not be everyone's idea of the look they desire, but all of the essentials are here in this bedroom to make a perfect Victorian modern bedroom. Is it stylish? You have to say yes, but maybe not your style.
It is unlikely that the Victorian gentleman had different tastes from his spouse and would have enjoyed the opulence of the decor as much as his family. Still, in the modern world, we can change the perception of the Victorian gentleman.
The white walls with contrasting black furniture are a powerful design statement, but the furnishings have the hallmarks of Victorian times.
A stylish mirror frame and plant stands. Ferns were enormously popular house plants in Victorian times. For a good reason, they are hardy and bring the beautiful green foliage of the fern fronds into the bedroom.
It is modern and incredibly authentic, showing the power of a thoughtful selection of furnishings in a bedroom.
This stylish, chic look would have enamoured any Victorian gentleman.
Victorian times may have seemed harsh compared to modern-day living with electricity and hot running water. Still, there was something very stylish about the era as Victorians attempted to shake off the industrial revolution and all of the pollution associated with such advancements.
Their homes were their castles, and to make them comfortable was of prime importance. Not so much has changed over the centuries, but the victorian did have a penchant for being overtly opulent.
Let's face it, four poster beds are fun and stylish so having a flour poster is an excellent idea in a Victorian bedroom. It allows you to hang drapes and have that little extra privacy if needed.
Sumptuous beddings using stains are sublimely rich and fun with a hairy sheepskin bed bench. This bedroom is designed for fun with elements that could be from a Charles Dickens novel.
Victorian bedrooms would have artwork, often simple artwork and maybe an impressive portrait, but art was generally simple. The artwork would often be in sets like those shown above.
For a modern Victorian bedroom, you can introduce some beautiful birds into your bedroom. It was a favourite subject of the Victorians with a fascination for the colours the birds presented.
Victorian London would have had a scarcity of birds other than scavenging pigeons.
It's a great vibe and cements the roots of Victorian times in your modern bedroom.
There is a common thread that runs through Victorian bedrooms, which is colour. Victorian loved the colour and used it everywhere in the bedroom and, in fact, the whole house.
You can add colour to your bedroom in a similar modern way that will make your bedroom stylish. You will follow the ethos of the Victorian householder but use modern materials and colours to achieve a similar aesthetic.
But patterns with lots of colours can be overwhelming, so an approach of less is more was the opposite of our Victorian ancestors.
You will not be shocked that Victorians had kids who had bedrooms! Still, the Victorian decor is a fun vibe to bring to a kid's bedroom, and you can push the boundaries a little further and design a modern bedroom that has influences through the decades and centuries. The focus is always on the primary adult bedroom.
This wonderful kid's bedroom has an authentic type chest of drawers, and the room is painted in tones of green. Green was adored by the Victorians and was a standard bedroom colour.
The oval picture frames are period perfect, as is the wall hanging to the left of the image. Then we move up a gear and bring the bedroom into the 60s with some Mary Quant styling from the circles and fabrics.
It's a wonderful child's bedroom.
Style is subjective, so there is no definitive answer to this question. However, Victorians are responsible for some of the style cues we use today in home and bedroom decor, so you would have to say they had a lot of decor styles.
Classic Victorian bedroom decor may be hard to pull off. The designs of homes are now compact compared to Victorian times. Still, by taking the concept and styling cues from Victorian bedrooms, you can create a stylish bedroom that would be the envy of any Victorian.
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