Victorian Vision

When it comes to Victorian-inspired decor, gone are the days of lace doilies and every surface laden with precious knick-knacks.

Today’s take on this 19th-Century style brings the romance and richness of the era into the modern day without all the persnickety characteristics. Our panel of experts agrees that when it comes to Victoriana, less is definitely more. To incorporate the look into your own home with flair rather than fuss, read on.

Rob Kurkut — Buyer/Showroom Designer, Grand Gallery Imports

“Most of the true Victorian antiques are small in scale. What I have been seeing lately is the scale and proportion of details, such as carvings and scrollings, enlarged or exaggerated, on such pieces as the reproduction mirrors we have in our showroom. Many of the pieces are updated with a glossy white or black finish — not distressed or antiqued. They are statement pieces and are quite bold, which is a change from all the straight lines and contemporary furniture currently available in Calgary. These heavily carved and curvilinear pieces, such as chairs and mirrors, also look amazing with modern furniture. We are more open to mixing styles and periods — that’s what makes an interior more interesting and less show home-like.”

Karen Hall, Owner, Circa Antiques and Interiors

“Gone are the days of large florals, dark rooms and heavy furniture. People want to inject their own personality by incorporating family pieces reinvented to serve other purposes, such as turning an antique dresser into a terrific, one-of-a-kind vanity by adding a sink. Put a new twist on Granny’s old furniture — reupholster couches, loveseats or chairs with a fun, contemporary fabric. The juxtaposition of an antique furniture piece with a swirl, cube or circle fabric looks less serious, much more fun and completely unexpected. Architectural or salvage pieces can be remade and incorporated as mirrors or as a gas fireplace with an ornate mantel. Use pieces that have sentimental value and represent you.”  

Dawn Bollinger, Owner, Peridot Decorative Homewear Calgary

“Try using a Victorian-inspired piece in a personal space such as a bedroom or bath. These are rooms that call out for a hit of glamour and luxury. An ornately framed mirror adds tension in a bath with clean colours and modern materials. An unexpected dramatic chandelier or wall sconce feels fun and edgy. We are seeing new designs where resins and lacquers are used to reproduce carved and curved details on dressers and buffets. Venetian mirrors are back — but with a modern twist, such as a square shape or in black mirror and filigree. We do ornate frames in black and white or gild, but insert a utilitarian chalkboard into them for a twist.”

Coco Cran, Owner, Coco Design

“To put the era in a nutshell: Everything in aninterior was patterned, padded and puffed out. Opulence, ostentation and coziness spring to mind. Clutter was in. Somehow, most families in Canada have inherited dribs and drabs of Victorian ‘stuff’ that they might be attached to and will apologize for, and indeed it can be tough to incorporate these items in a very modern setting. But a chair recovered in contemporary fabrics could add this touch of whimsy. So there are a lot of possibilities that somehow help to create charm — charm being the most important quality of a successful interior. I rarely tell my clients to discard Victorian stuff, but let me add that the criteria I insist on is quality. If it’s poorly made and possesses no redeeming feature, chuck it.”

Patti MacLean, DID, Merchandiser/Buyer, Bondars

“Try mixing an elegantly carved mirror leaned against a wall with a more refined or transitional dining table and chairs. Or try putting one in a master ensuite with a new freestanding bathtub. Mirrors can add a touch of glamour to any decor and make interiors feel more spacious and open.”

Pamela Haight, Owner, Rubaiyat

“Victorian decoration brings to mind items with the feeling of bringing the outside in — flowers, leaves, birds, plants. Today’s modern interiors, for some, may lend themselves to items with obvious hand-crafted surfaces. These pieces can add warmth and interest to a space. Some people choose to add this feeling with the addition of, perhaps, one large feature piece, such as an oversized birdcage or jardinière, while others may achieve this look through the addition of decanters, lamps or candelabras. Whatever the choice, we recommend the scale be appropriate, the number of items be appropriate, and most of all that you ‘love’ it.”

Stephanie Gaffney, DID, Design Department Manager, Chintz & Company

“A good word to describe the Victorian era would be elaborate. Layering was important, with the use of rugs, drapes, wallpaper and trims. Windows would have as many as five treatments, while fabrics used at the time were opulent with deep, rich colours. Try to incorporate Victorian-inspired touches by adding a tassel fringe to cushions, a key tassel to an armoire or console drawer, or an elaborate gold-framed mirror over a sideboard. A simpler version of Victorian drapery might be velvet with a tassel fringe down the side and an elaborate gold rod with decorative finials.”