Victorian architecture refers not to a particular style but to an era—the reign

of Queen Victoria over the United Kingdom of Great Britain from 1837 to 1901.
Victorian-era architecture spanned more than 60 years and it encompasses a
jumble of overlapping styles that include early Gothic Revival, Folk Victorian,
Greek revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Stick, Romanesque Revival, Shingle,
Colonial Revival, and the popular Queen Anne style at the tail end of the era.

Characteristics of Victorian Architecture

 Steeply pitched roofs
 Plain or colourfully painted brick
 Ornate gables
 Painted iron railings
 Churchlike rooftop finials
 Sliding sash and canted bay windows
 Octagonal or round towers and turrets to draw the eye upward
 Two to three stories
 Generous wraparound porches
 Small gardens
 Asymmetry

Interior design in the Victorian period was layered, cluttered, ornate, and
eccentric. Interiors of Victorian-era houses often included:
 Grand staircases
 Complicated layouts with multiple rooms including formal dining rooms,
libraries, and parlours
 High ceilings
 Ornately carved wood panelling
 Geometric tile hallways
 Decorative fireplaces
 Stained glass windows
 Dark wood furniture
 Heavy drapes
 Decorative wallpaper
 Hardwood floors covered with rugs