Victorian Home Decor: Vintage Accessories

As a former Victorian home owner, my experience is that a Victorian home is probably the easiest to decorate and accessorize. The Victorian home is also a very inviting and enticing design. The Victorians, while quite prudish in some ways, were very fond of the ornate and showy. They were also very fond of nature and natural items such as feathers, shells, and dried flowers. Authentic Victorian furniture is quite accessible today, however it may be very uncomfortable for life styles of today. Luckily, there are many more recent designs that will fit into the Victorian décor. Authentic pieces can always be used as accent, such as a chair, a desk or a small table.

The Victorian era was in love with wall paper, usually a floral design. Vintage paper is still available and can be found through on-line search. Authentic paper may be quite expensive and requires special installation methods. These papers were not trimmed like our paper today, so be sure you find some one knowledgeable if you are installing vintage wallpaper. Because of the expense, wallpaper might be used with a wainscoting approach, as an accent wall or in a small bath are. Wallpaper can also be used decoratively to cover hat or storage boxes for a bedroom area. It is also lovely when used to line armoires or other cabinets.

Vintage lace and linen are also beautiful accent pieces for the home. Lace can be found in a variety of sizes, from small pieces that might trim a pillow, or wrap around a special bar of soap, to pieces large enough to use for window treatments. Whether used as a lace topper or a window panel, lace has that old world feeling that says, "Victorian". Vintage embroidered linens are so lovely and can be combined with today's easy-care linens, to create a lovely and inviting bed. Layering of linens on the bed gives a cozy look.

Fabrics are another method of accessorizing the Victorian home. Vintage fabrics can often be found at yard sales, estates sales, thrift shops and on-line auctions. Never shy away from small pieces of vintage fabric. Small pieces may be used for the front of a pillow or for sachets tied with ribbon,

Textiles of other types are at the very heart of Victorian design. The Victorians were busy with quilting, needlepoint, embroidery, tatting, and other needle work. These can be utilized in so many ways. Quilts can be folded and stacked or, my favorite, hung across a landing banister. They can also be used for table covers. I still have a vintage crib quilt that I use for a lap throw in the winter. Pieces of quilts and other hand works such as doilies, look lovely framed. Larger pieces can be utilized for valances, bed skirts, or covers for a foot stool.

Finally, never overlook a piece of Victorian era china or pressed glass. Victorian ladies loved to paint china and many can be found for a few dollars. China does not have to match and can also be used throughout the home. Think in terms of pin tray on a dresser or soap dish in a bath. Lovely pieces can be hung on the wall or displayed on a mantle, desk or dresser. Many antique shops and malls have booths or areas with marked down pieces that can be picked up quite reasonable.