Victorian Bedroom Decor: A Guide To The Romantic Style

Victorian-style bedrooms are lavish and ornate, and they can be a great way to embrace the late 1800s style in a modern way. The Victorian style is characterised by massive furniture, mostly made of mahogany wood, and decorative motifs that include flowers and animals. To decorate your bedroom in the Victorian style, you can incorporate elements such as chandeliers, sumptuous carpets, paintings, and mirrors with ornate frames. Here are some specific ideas to help you get started:

- Use Victorian window accessories like long velvet curtains with gold sashes or floral pattern jacquard.

- Opt for a swirly or floral pattern carpet or rug to bring in the Victorian style's love of floral and rich patterns.

- Add a fireplace, a common feature in Victorian bedrooms, to create a vintage vibe.

- Incorporate stained glass windows or a Victorian-style stained glass window film for a gothic touch.

- Choose Victorian furniture made of dark woods with intricate ornaments and carvings, or mix and match with modern pieces.

- Use modern Victorian-style bedding in classic colours like gold, black, and navy, or brighter hues like purple and pink.

- Create a collage of small ornaments and vintage frames on one side of a wall for a detailed, contrasting design.

- Opt for floral or swirly pattern wallpaper to dominate the room, combining it with either a similar pattern carpet or a parquet floor for a more minimalistic look.

- Include decorative pillows made of silk with intricate embroidery, velvet with flashy fringes, or simple white or cream lace.

Use a patterned wallpaper, like a classic floral print

Wallpaper is a great way to make a statement in your bedroom and add a royal look and feel. Opting for a patterned wallpaper, like a classic floral print, is a fantastic way to bring colour into the room, especially if you have a muted colour scheme.

Floral patterns were common in the Victorian era, so this is a great way to add an authentic touch to your bedroom. You could go for a bold, large-scale floral print, or a more subtle, small-scale pattern. If you want to be adventurous, you could even try a statement wall, with one wall in a floral print and the others in a complementary colour.

If you're feeling creative, you could also try wallpapering your fireplace. This was a common feature in Victorian bedrooms, and wallpapering it will draw even more attention to it. You could choose a floral print that complements your other walls, or go for something completely different to make a feature of it.

Floral wallpaper will also pair beautifully with other Victorian elements in your bedroom, such as vintage wall sconces, dried flower arrangements, and brass or gold accents.

Make a fireplace the focal point of the room

Fireplaces were a distinguishing feature of Victorian bedrooms, so if you're lucky enough to have one, make it the focal point of the room.

The location of your fireplace may dictate where you place your furniture. Arrange your furniture so that the fireplace is a feature rather than a hindrance. You could add a statement mirror above the fireplace to draw the eye as soon as someone walks into the room.

If your fireplace is functional, consider adding a pine washstand with a china bowl next to it for a decorative touch. Even if your fireplace is non-functional, you can still create a cosy atmosphere by placing a vintage mantle against the wall and filling it with birch logs.

If you want to lean into the Victorian sense of humour, add a chamber pot and a bedwarmer under the bed. These items can be purchased cheaply from a flea market.

Opt for dark wood furniture, like mahogany

Victorian-style bedrooms exude opulence and extravagance, and dark wood furniture is a key element in achieving this aesthetic. Mahogany is the quintessential wood choice for a Victorian-style bedroom. Here are some tips and ideas to help you incorporate dark wood furniture, like mahogany, into your space:

Select Signature Victorian Pieces

Choose a few signature Victorian pieces, such as a bed frame, bedside tables, and a wardrobe in dark wood. The bed is typically the focal point of the room, so opt for a mahogany bed frame with intricate details such as carvings or an ornate headboard. Victorian beds were often high, almost requiring one to climb up into them, and had matching footboards. You can also look for pieces with marble accents, another hallmark of Victorian design.

Mix and Match Woods

While cohesion is important, you don't need to limit yourself to a single type of wood throughout the room. Feel free to mix and match different dark woods, such as mahogany, walnut, rosewood, and oak. Each of these woods offers a unique shade, texture, and hardness that can add depth and variety to your space.

Incorporate Intricate Details

Victorian style is known for its intricate details and carvings. Look for furniture with floral or animal motifs, oval-backed chairs, and marble tabletops or bedside tables. These details can be subtle or more pronounced, depending on your preference.

Pair with Luxurious Fabrics

Dark wood furniture pairs beautifully with luxurious fabrics such as silk, velvet, and brocade. Opt for thick, heavy curtains in rich colours or patterns, such as floral jacquard or velvet with gold accents. Layer your bed with embroidered silk bedding, a fluffy duvet, and decorative pillows to create a lush and inviting space.

Add Complementary Décor

Enhance the impact of your dark wood furniture by incorporating complementary décor. A large Persian rug in soft hues can add a touch of elegance to the room while also warming the space. Delicate sconces with Victorian embellishments, such as glass or jewels, can flank a fireplace or bed for a chic and elevated look.

Include vintage accessories, like dried flowers

Dried flowers are a great way to bring a French Victorian look to your bedroom. Decorate the top of a secretary desk or a dresser with a bouquet of dried herbs or flowers. You can also add vintage accessories like vintage jewellery boxes, framed pressed flowers, and delicate lace curtains.

If you're looking for a more antique aesthetic, consider adding framed pressed flowers, dried flowers, or vintage picture frames to your space. These items will help to create a sense of nostalgia while maintaining a level of sophistication. You can also hang vintage oil paintings or display delicate porcelain figurines and antique trinket boxes.

For a touch of old-world glamour, adorn an antique dressing table with vintage perfumes and accessories. Don't forget the vintage candle holders and candelabras to enhance the romantic ambiance. If you're feeling extra fancy, add a tufted ottoman upholstered in lush fabrics, positioned at the foot of the bed, for a luxurious seating area.

Finally, pay attention to the little details. The Victorian style is all about intricate patterns, rich colours, and ornate details. Look for vintage accessories with Victorian embellishments such as glass or jewels. By layering different textures and paying attention to fabric quality, you can create an authentic Victorian bedroom that serves as your personal sanctuary.

Choose thick, layered curtains to keep out drafts

Curtains are an important part of a Victorian-style bedroom. Not only do they add to the aesthetic, but they also serve a practical purpose. To achieve an authentic Victorian look, opt for thick, layered curtains.

During the Victorian era, nighttime was the coldest part of the day, and so curtains were used to keep out the drafts. Typically, multiple layers of curtains were hung. A lacy, thin fabric would cover the windows during the day, allowing a modest amount of light to enter the room. Thicker curtains with better insulating properties would be closed at night to keep the room warm. These thicker curtains were often made from luxurious fabrics such as silk or velvet and were decorated with long fringes.

To keep with the Victorian style, choose curtains in rich, intense colours and patterns. Florals, swirls, and other intricate patterns were common during this period. If you want to add a touch of humour and authenticity to the room, you can even include a bed warmer—a metal container shaped like a modern frying pan, filled with large stones heated in a fire and placed under the covers to warm the bed.

When choosing where to hang your curtains, consider hanging them close to the ceiling to make your walls appear taller and more open, as was often done in Victorian bedrooms.

Frequently asked questions