Colors

• The color palette of Victorian décor is broad, encompassing reds, blues and greens in rich jewel tones alongside creamy yellows and shimmering shades of gold. Walls are painted in shades of red, blue or green or covered in patterned wallpaper. Layers of fabric cover tabletops, creating collages of color, pattern and texture. Color management is key in Victorian décor. One color dominates in a room, either through wall color or a suite of furniture. Other colors are introduced through patterns, accessories, trim and window treatments.
  
  

Windows

• Window treatments in Victorian décor are elaborate, complete with layers of fabric and rows of hardware. The hardware sports elaborately carved finials and the rods can be fluted along the shaft. Sheers are set close to the window, followed by a set of cotton or linen panels. Both linen panels and sheers are three times as wide as the window to allow for deep pleating. They are also long so as to puddle on the floor when closed. When opened they are tucked into holdbacks or tied back with heavily fringed rope-style tiebacks. In the winter months, a layer of heavy drapery is added and again, wide and long panels are used. Drapery is trimmed in gold and made from velvet or wool. Window treatments are not complete without an upholstered cornice board, a trimmed valance and wide swags set across the top of treatment.
  
  

Fabrics

• The industrial age made a wide range of fabrics available to both upper and middle class consumers. Velvet, damask and jacquard are prevalent in Victorian décor, used in window treatments and upholstery. Warm wools are used in the wintertime as both drapery and as blankets, tossed over the ornately carved walnut trim of the red velvet couch. Linen is used for tabletops and table settings, for curtains in the kitchens and indoor water closets. Beds are covered with thick coverlets and silk sheets.
  
  

Accessories

• Accessories are essential in Victorian décor and should be displayed in excess. The objects displayed, though, must exhibit not only wealth, but also worldliness and learning. Books are an important part of Victorian décor; no home was complete without a library in the Victorian era. The books are primarily centered on the sciences, nature and exotic locales. Taxidermy and botany were of great interest to the Victorians. Palm plants, ferns and orchids are strategically placed throughout the parlor and dining areas. Victorian décor also includes stuffed animals, though in contemporary times, prints may be more applicable. Family photographs and photos depicting places traveled are displayed throughout the library and parlor, and are often used as major art pieces in the room.
  
  

Furniture

• Victorian furniture is distinct from other styles of the 19th century in its ornate carvings and tendency toward over stuffing. The Victorian couch is wide and high backed, trimmed in tassels and fringe and upholstered in deep red, gold, green or blue. The back and arms have exposed wood trim of walnut or oak. The parlor is filled with furniture, with the couch and upholstered side chairs focused on the fireplace in winter and the outdoor view in the warmer months. Upholstered footstools covered in tapestries and patterned fabrics are placed in front of chairs and tucked into corners. Side tables and end tables are placed throughout, covered in fabrics, plants and books. Throughout the Victorian home, the décor lends itself to display and color. Clutter was kept in check, though, with strategic placement of accessories, an abundance of built in shelving and the practice of grouping like items in displays.