I guess my love for high ceilings and intricate coving has somewhat sparked from my father and his obsession with Victorian architecture. Picture the moment when we set our eyes upon a property which was the epitome of Victorian architecture. Of course the Victorian era showcased numerous different architectural styles ranging from earlier Queen Anne, Italianate Romanesque to eclectic revival. I could not quite decide which style the house mimicked, The 1870's semi detached house was built on a steeped slope and itself rose to an astounding 10 metres. A pathway led up to the house with a large front garden to the left and a driveway to the right. The large arched front door appeared rather fitting to a "Dracula" scene. It was the architectural detail which set the property apart from any other I had seen, that which included two large arched bay windows to the front of the house.
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| Victorian Architecture Meets Fifties Decadence |
Looking inside, the house was nothing but an embodiment of classic 1950's decor. Undeniably for it's time, "funky" flooring would candidly serve the era justice. We are talking "funky" swirly carpet running down the hallway and up the stairs, flat panelled doors painted in a voluptuous olive green with the occasional fuchsia pink and let's not forget the decadent peach. But I soon turned my gaze towards the winding staircase, beautiful high ceilings and layers and layers of original coving. The skirting itself was double the size of a normal Victorian terraced house. It seemed everything was almost twice or almost thrice the size of a normal property. Everything about the house screamed grandeur and it was apparent that the previous owners of their time were notably acclaimed for wealth and status.Quite apparently, the house still bore the name of the previous owner Clyde, Clyde Villa it were embedded on the front gate and stone pillars outside. (Stone pillars ticked on my list of pros) The downstairs featured two large reception rooms to the front of the property, one breakfast room and small kitchen to the rear as well as a newly renovated walk in shower/toilet (the only modern feature of the whole house). An added bonus was a stairway leading down to a rather large basement. The most pivotal point of attraction was undeniably the winding staircase leading upstairs, my personal favourite.
Situated along the way upstairs was a single toilet, Following further up and along the hallway, 4 bedrooms, 3 large and 1 single as well as a bathroom. The rear of the property held an enormous garden masked with trees. Hedges overgrown, conifer trees as old as 50 years, if not more. The house was not the most spacious in terms of design and layout. It mimicked nothing of modern spacious open-plan layout, as it is reputable with Victorian living, the more number of rooms in a house were indicators of wealth and status. Each room would serve a different purpose. A dining room for dining, a breakfast room for breakfast or otherwise called a morning room and a parlour room for formal entertaining, just to name a few. Personally, I am accustomed to a unified space serving a multitude of living purposes and a fast paced way of life, to eat, dine and socialise all in one place. Victorian living has since evolved but I still aimed to restore the grandiose and character the house was once renowned for.
We could see the potential the house had to offer and whilst there was much structural, plaster work and rewiring to do, we were SOLD. Little did we know what we were in for and just how much work, money and time would be required, this would soon be an ever-changing project.
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| The Rise of the Nightmare Polystyrene Tiles |
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Delicate Coving  Meet the Flat Panelled Green Door    |
Keep tuned as I take you on my journey as I talk all things DIY, rendering and furniture. Don't forget to follow me on instagram @theretroedit where I will be posting daily updates and interior inspiration. I welcome any thoughts, tips and comments you might have. Are you as excited I am? Welcome to my Victorian Home Project!
Yours sincerely,
The Retro Edit...
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