Reveal 58+ Striking Victorian Style House Designs Satisfy Your Imagination

Victorian house designs have become popular in many countries around the world. This style of architecture emerged during the mid-19th century and reflected the advances in technology and materials available to architects and builders. The term “Victorian” refers to this period, which lasted from 1837 to 1901, with many house designs ranging from colorful Queen Anne Victorian homes to simpler-styled Foursquares and Romanesque Revival houses. Both the interior and exterior of a Victorian-style house featured intricate and elaborate designs.

Victorian house designs were characterised by ornate detailing – often featuring steeply pitched roofs, wrap-around porches, multiple chimneys, and towers. The buildings also featured gables, half timbering, and millwork cutouts on the exteriors to add to the intricacies of the house's architecture.

The walls, bay windows, and towers of these houses were textured with drapes, wood sidings, bricks, stones, or other building materials. The iconic turrets often added height and grandeur to the house. Inside, the buildings featured stained-glass windows, hardwood floors, ornate staircases, and stained-glass pocket doors.

Gingerbread Queen Anne house designs are probably the most recognized and beloved of all the Queen Anne architectural styles. These intricately crafted homes were popularized during the Victorian era in England. Characteristics of these house designs include bright colors, elaborate trim, dormers, turrets, stained glass, and a variety of other decorative touches. These colorful designs caught the eye of people living in the United States during the late 19th century and are some of the most iconic and recognizable house styles of the era.

The distinguishing features of the Gingerbread Queen Anne house design include their steep, gabled roofs, decorated with gingerbread trim and ornamentation. Dormers often feature on the roof, allowing for more windows and an aesthetically interesting look. The eaves of the rooflines were often adorned with spandrels or decorative brackets and the sides of the house sported round towers, sometimes accompanied by stained glass windows and even quatrefoils.

On the interior, the entryway of a Gingerbread Queen Anne house is usually the most elaborately decorated. It's designed to create an impression on visitors with its intricate detail and unique architectural flourishes. The living spaces are typically large and filled with stained glass to allow the light from the sun to stream in. Other distinctive touches are typically hardwood floors, detailed wainscoting, and intricately carved staircases.

The Second Empire style of house designs emerged in the United States during the mid-1850s and owed its start to the popularity of the French Empire style in Europe. This style is recognizable for its distinctive mansard or double-pitched rooflines that extend down to the eaves of the building. This creative feature allowed architects to create larger top floors with full-length windows, and often included French-inspired decorations.

Second Empire house designs were often distinguished by elaborate columns, balconies and porches. The plaster and metallic casting used to construct the columns often had intricate detailing. The overall design typically included a central tower, turrets, and balcony boxes, with patterns often alternated between a light and dark brick, wood or other material.

Inside the house, Second Empire house designs often featured boldly patterned wallpaper, stained-glass accents, plaster ceilings, and a variety of furnishings ranging from the elaborate to the minimal. The interiors also included ornate woodwork, intricate moldings, and elaborate staircases. The grandeur of the house was often highlighted with delightfully patterned carpets, marble fireplaces, and large mirrors.

Stick Style Victorian house designs were first introduced in the mid-19th century. These homes were characterized by their vertical and angular lines, intricate wood detailing, and decorative elements such as spindles, brackets, and decorative clapboards. The Stick Style refers to the construction technique used to create a wood-framed house with an emphasis on vertical elements, often featuring lengthwise boards, or "sticks," that were combined with thin boards called "studs or sticks."

The exterior of the Stick Style Victorian house was usually composed of clapboard or wooden siding, and often featured a tall chimney with decorative arches or other detailing. Porches and balconies were often included in the design and detailed with intricate balustrades or spindles. The windows of these houses were often large and elaborately decorated with stained glass.

Inside the Stick Style home, the interiors were ornate and often featured curved ceilings, ornate mouldings, and decorative columns. Staircases were elaborately detailed, with banisters and hand rails of intricate designs. Other distinguishing features include high wainscot walls that added interest and detail to the rooms. These homes often featured large fireplaces with intricate mantles as well as tall windows that allowed an abundance of natural light into the home.

Shingle Style Victorians are one of the most recognizable architectural designs in the United States. These houses are characterized by their use of shingles as the main covering for the exterior walls. Shingle styles first emerged in the early 19th century in the northeastern United States and were popular for several decades, often featuring a mixture of styles such as Queen Anne, Gothic Revival, and Shingle. These homes usually featured expansive porches, large, wrap-around windows, and an overall sprawling structure.

Shingle Style Victorians were constructed from wood, a material that allowed the walls to be decorated with intricate details. The shingles, in turn, were used to cover the walls and were often finely detailed in patterns that imitated stone or stucco. The roofs were usually steeply pitched and often dominated by two or more tall chimneys, while dormers may have been included in the design of the house.

Inside the shingle style home, the buildings featured grand entryways, elaborate fireplaces, decorative columns, ornate mouldings, wall trim, marble and granite finishes, and large windows. Storage was often hidden within walls so as to not detract from the intricate beauty of the design. In the 1980s and 1990s, Shingle Style Victorian homes experienced a resurgence in popularity thanks to their handcrafted, unique designs and sturdy construction.

Foursquare Victorian house designs first appeared in the United States at the end of the 19th century. This square or rectangular house style was made popular by the economic growth of the industrial revolution. At this time mass-produced materials such as asphalt shingles, glass, and slate became available to builders and architects, allowing them to create homes that were both economical and attractive. Foursquare Victorians were one of the more affordable housing designs of the period and could easily be constructed with readily available materials.

Distinctive features of Foursquare Victorians includes a hip, or four-sided, roof, tall windows and doors, a front porch, and a variety of decorative flourishes such as dentil mouldings and turned columns. The house usually featured two full stories and a partial third story. On the interior, Foursquare Victorians featured large rooms, high ceilings, and ornate details.

The walls were usually painted in light shades of white and blue, while the ceiling beams and other features were often finished in a darker hue. These homes also featured a variety of furnishings ranging from ornate tables and chandeliers to more simple furniture pieces. Foursquare Victorians remain popular today thanks to their combination of practicality and beauty.

The Romantic Revival style of house designs emerged towards the end of the 19th centuryand was characterized by its variety of decorative elements. In contrast to earlier styles such as the Georgian or Gothic Revival, Romantic Revival homes featured a combination of styles from different eras and regions. These houses usually featured details of Greek and Roman structures, as well as elements inspired by the houses of the old world. The popularity of Romantic Revival houses waned in the early 20th century as newer designs with simpler lines and less ornamentation became popular.

Distinctive features of Romantic Revival house designs included tall towers and turrets, steep roofs, shutters, and wide wrap-around porches. The exteriors of these houses were often finished with ornate carvings and other intricate features, with different materials used for the siding or other finishes. Inside, the rooms often featured a combination of styles, with elements such as stained glass windows, carved mantels, and mouldings.

The interior of a Romantic Revival house was often finished with detailed wallpapers and carpets, as well as artistic touches such as sculptures or statues in the corners. Some Romantic Revival homes also featured elaborate fireplaces, parquet floors, crystal chandeliers, and intricate woodwork.

Italianate house designs first appeared in the United States in the mid-1800s. This house style was inspired by both Italian Renaissance architecture and the Middle East, and was characterized by its ornate detailing, arched walls, and a variety of balconies and towers. In contrast to the more classical designs of the time, Italianate house designs incorporated more exaggerated vertical elements such as rounded turrets and tall, narrow windows.

Distinctive features of Italianate house designs include heavily bracketed roof eaves, tall windows with pointed arches, and two-story porches. These houses typically featured intricate masonry detailing and were often finished with decorative columns, spandrels, and quoins. Inside, these homes featured wide hallways, large windows, and tall ceilings. The interior of an Italianate house was usually finished with hardwood or marble floors, ornate mouldings, and stained-glass windows.

Italianate house designs remain popular today thanks to their combination of beauty and practicality. These homes are often heavily detailed and feature classic elements such as tall chimneys, elaborate balconies, and intricately carved columns.

Neo-Grec house designs were popularized in the United States in the late 19th century. This house style was inspired by the Greek Revival houses of the mid-1800s, but featured both Victorian and Greek decorative touches. One of the distinguishing features of Neo-Grec houses was their use of bold geometric shapes and symmetrical floor plans. These house designs featured broad rooflines, wide porches, and other features that combined classical elements from different eras.

Neo-Grec house designscluded widespread use of columns both inside and outside of the house. The exteriors of these houses were often finished with clapboard siding, and the windows and doors featured pointed or arched tops. Inside, these homes often featured grand staircases and tall ceilings with detailed mouldings. The walls were typically finished with light-colored wallpaper and wainscoting.

Neo-Grec house designs were often characterized by their airy and open interiors, with plenty of spaces for both entertaining and relaxing. These homes also featured oversized fireplaces, grand chandeliers, and stained glass windows. Today, Neo-Grec house designs still remain popular thanks to their combination of contemporary and traditional architecture.

The Richardsonian Romanesque style of house designs was popular in the United States from the late 19th century until the early 20th century. This house style was named after iconic architect Henry Hobson Richardson, who developed the style from a combination of European and American influences. Distinctive features of Richardsonian Romanesque house designs included wide porches, turrets, symmetrical roof lines, and arched windows. Some of these houses also featured decorative fountains or gardens.

The exteriors of Richardsonian Romanesque homes were typically finished with brick, stone, wood, or stucco, while the rooflines were often finished with slate or terracotta tiles. Usually, these houses also featured an ornately decorated entrance with large wooden doors, detailed columns, and a variety of decorative door and window frames. Inside these homes, one could find elaborate staircases, beautiful fireplace mantles, tiles, stained-glass windows, and detailed woodwork.

Richardsonian Romanesque house designs remain popular today thanks to their unique combination of elegance and historic charm. These homes often stand out among their more modern neighbors, making them a sought after option for homeowners looking for something different.

Beaux Arts house designs were popular in the United States after the turn of the 20th century. This design style was inspired by the French Ecole des Beaux-Arts, and combined classical elements with modern needs. Beaux Arts buildings often featured a combination of straight lines and curves, as well as a variety of decorative details such as columns, archways, and elaborate moldings. Some of these houses also featured turrets, towers, and even observatories.

The exteriors of these houses were often finished with stone, brick, or clapboard, while the windows were typically large and arched. Inside, one could find grand staircases, fireplaces with ornate mantles, and intricate ceiling mouldings. Some of these houses also featured balconies, mezzanines, and hidden rooms to create a more interesting and inviting space.

Beaux Arts house designs remain popular today especially among those looking for a classic, yet modern design. These houses feature a variety of decorative touches that give each one its own unique identity, while the overall look, combined with the classical elements, create a timeless and elegant style that many prefer.