Get home decorating aspiration for trees , tabletop , and more from the Victorian geological era ’s inside and holiday traditions .
Victorian style is a hot vacation design vogue , with vintage elements run into in everything from ornament and talent wraps to tablescapes and mantels . Here ’s how to enwrap the era ’s rich , luxurious figure into your own Victorian Christmas decorations and carry on the tradition popularise during the reign of Britain ’s Queen Victoria .
Suzanna Ritz Malliettis the executive director of Körner ’s Folly Foundation , which manages the historical prim - epoch home in Kernersville , North Carolina .
Credit:John Gruen
John Gruen
What Is Victorian Style?
In universal , Victorian style refers to the reign of the British Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901 . In that era , interiors were grandly design and ornately ornament with architectural detail , chandeliers , carve Sir Henry Joseph Wood , and parquet floor floors . bright colourize and model wallpapersand textiles were used on upholstery , tapestries , and dramatically draped window covering .
The trulymaximalist Interior Department stylemixed a variety of colour and patterns , include intricate design , traditional damask , fleurs - de - lis , vibrant jewel tones , and rich woods . Embracing one or more of these catamenia - appropriate form and colour through workaday opus like accent textiles and dinnerware is a simple way to plume up vacation spaces from dining tables to guest rooms .
Vintage Holiday Traditions
The prissy geological era had a major and long-lived impact on our contemporary estimation about the vacation season . During that time , Charles Dickens wroteA Christmas Carol , theChristmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree was popularized , and the Christmas card was create .
For bona fide Victorian decorating estimation , we reached out to Körner ’s Folly , a historical Victorian - era base in Kernersville , North Carolina . build up in 1880 by Jule Gilmer Körner , the historic home goes all - out for the holidays . Suzanna Ritz Malliett , executive director of Körner ’s Folly Foundation , partake traditional elements of straitlaced Christmas decorating , plus tips for embracing the earned run average ’s holiday sunniness when decorating .
Annie Schlechter
Credit:Annie Schlechter
Decorate for the Holidays with Victorian Design Elements
1. Christmas Trees
A German holiday custom , Christmas trees are iconicholiday decorationsthat far pre - date the Victorian geological era , but they experience a dynamic outgrowth in popularity , thanks to the British royal family . “ The first tree that a young Victoria decorated for Christmas actually come from her Aunt Sophia , who pull from her female parent ’s German inheritance in deciding on the decorations , ” says Ritz Malliett . In addition to new cut back evergreens , she say “ feather tree ” were the earned run average ’s hokey trees , made from green - dyed goose feathers attached to reefer .
2. Stockings
Hanging from mantels , banisters , and wall , stockings were present for those visiting the home on Christmas Day . “ Victorians used comparatively plain stockings but made certain to embroider names on each , ” allege Ritz Malliett .
3. Fresh Greenery
“ Wreaths , swags , and garland made from fresh - cut greenery ( specially on chimneypiece , around doorways , and entwine around staircases ) , as well as mistletoe “ kissing balls , ” encounter a huge part in Victorian interior decoration , ” says Ritz Malliett . She recommendsincorporating natural garlandsof cedar tree , true pine , eucalypt , fir , ivy , holly , and raetam , with emphasis of feathers , berries , and pine cones .
4. Decorative Food
Festive desserts were included among the vacation meal , but these edible decorations find their way to trees and decor , too . “ Marzipan or sugared fruit , cookies in the grade of animate being , stars , and elves , garlands of cranberry and dyed pop edible corn , or evendried orangish or maize slicesadd grain and depth while keeping with custom , ” say Ritz Malliett .
James Schroder
5. Candles
“ Some of the first tree ever adorn , including the one by a immature Queen Victoria , boast tangible candles , ” says Ritz Malliett . Candles decorate trees , garlands , mantels , and table , giving puritanical rooms a warm glowing . incorporate genuine or flameless candles throughout your home enhance the prudish ambiance . For the tree , she urge warm white lights or else of colorful strand or cool Edward Douglas White Jr. to mimic Victorian ignition .
6. Ribbon
Ritz Malliett pronounce ribbon was a popular decoration because it was low-cost and readily available . In particular , ribbon added cheer “ in different configuration including cascading down from a large bowing on top , tucked in , iteration , dipping , or twirling around the tree . ”
Carson Downing
7. Paper Ornaments
Another cost - effective puritanical decorating maneuver , handmade ornamentsoften featured angels , flower , bells , cornucopias , and champion . These are an “ cheap way to decorate the tree in distinctive straightlaced maximalist fashion , ” says Ritz Malliett .
8. Hand-Blown Glass Balls
These Greco-Roman globe originate in Germany and impart an elegant contact to tight-laced Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Although technology has evolved to create an dateless regalia of shapes , simple ball-shaped ornaments furnish a period - appropriate tree trimming in line to some of the more ornate flesh of priggish decorating .
Joyelle West
9. Christmas Cards
A merry new evolution in the Victorian era , the first Christmas circuit card was create in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole . concord to Ritz Malliett , these early Christmas cards often featured flowers and animals . They were exchanged as giving and thenprominently displayedin the living-room near the Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or on mantels , tables , and even tucked into garlands or banners .
Ball & Albanese
10. Jewel Tones
“ The Victorian era was marked by a preference fordeep jewel step , which was muse in their choices for vacation decorating as well , ” says Ritz Malliett . “ Traditional colours include burgundy , gold , and emerald green , but Victorians also used ruby-red and blue , blue and blanched , and blue and unripened , even in their picture of St. Nicholas . ” She recommends a three - color palette for the tree ( noting that pick , Au , and immature are especially democratic at Körner ’s Folly ) . “ Then load it up with all of the ornaments , lei , and thread you’re able to see in those three colors for that tightly packed Victorian look . ”
Avoid Non-Victorian Seasonal Icons
Ritz Malliett notes that for a truly traditional Victorian style , you should deflect colourful lights and snowflakes . She also highlights that a jolly , obese Santa is not keeping with the geological era . “ tight-laced portrayal of St. Nicholas typically show a frame who is slender and less merry , often fag out a gamy , blank , or greenish long gown . ”
Frequently Asked Questions
Victorians also celebrated with mistletoe . The popular belief was that any unmarried woman who refused to osculate someone under the Old World mistletoe would not get married the following year .
Sir Henry Cole ’s first carte , designed by creative person John Callcott Horsley , featured a well - off , celebratory family and a less - fortunate mob . The postcard - sized salutation say , “ A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to You . ”
“ The Victorians at Christmas . ”Ashmolean Museum Oxford .
Credit:John Gruen
Credit:James Schroder
Credit:Carson Downing
Credit:Joyelle West
Credit:Ball & Albanese
