First impressions are important, especially if you live in an authentic Victorian home.

For the authentic Victorian homeowner, it wasn’t just  desirable to make an instant impact, it was essential. The look of your home created an instant statement about your status and affluence and offered an opportunity for you to publicly illustrate your superior taste. 

And that impactful first impression was as important in the plethora of tiny Victorian terraces that sprang up in Britain’s towns and cities as it was to those living in imposing country piles.

10 tips to make a great first impression with your authentic Victorian home

• Treat the front door to a fresh lick of paint. Consider the surrounding houses and the brickwork/render/colour that the door will be set into. Red brickwork can take a stronger colour while a paler façade may need a lighter colour. Remember that doors are often in daylight (even in the UK!) so colours can be far bolder than you’d use indoors
• Don’t ruin the appearance of your authentic  Victorian home by adding a modern outdoor light – pick a lantern which echoes the history of your house. You can even get security PIR lighting in Victorian reproduction styles
• Add a dash of green: Either in the garden or through paint on your front door – green was the favoured shade of the Victorians
• Think about a new gate, one made of cast iron will make a statement about your home, but keep the scale in context. Stone lions will look a little OTT in a tiny terrace. Ironwork can create quite an impression used anywhere in the authentic Victorian garden

• Check the brickwork and consider having it repointed to give the whole house a lift. Alternatively consider painting the house in a period colour. A fresh coat of paint in a neutral shade will freshen up your home and give you a blank canvas to work with
• Clever camouflage can hide ugly bins and recycling boxes that nowadays seem to blight our front gardens. Put the bins behind a willow screen, in a custom-built wooden box, or behind ready-grown hedges
• Keep your pathways clean and if you’re replacing broken tiled paths and can’t restore them with original materials, replace with some that at least give a nod to the originals used in authentic Victorian homes . Make sure weeds are removed from the foot of the exterior garden wall too 
• A house number etched into the fanlight above your door is classic, but you can also buy Victorian-style numbers to use on your wall or have a period-style number plate made to make your home unmissable. Stained glass in your front door also makes quite a statement

• Make sure your door furniture — knocker, letter box, handle, lock and hinges — match  the style of your door. Brass is probably best
• Painting your window frames regularly will help prevent decay and also makes your windows look their very best. Specialist sash brushes are available which have pointed ends to help you achieve a smooth finish. If — heaven forbid — the originals have been swapped out for reproduction plastic frames, make sure they are washed regularly to keep them looking in tip-top condition

Tips to help turn on the Victorian charm in your front garden

The front gardens of Victorian homes, particularly those in crowded towns and cities, were tiny affairs, but that didn’t stop aspiring Victorians from showing them off.

• Pathways are one of the key assets with which to recreate an authentic Victorian look

• Bird baths, fountains, modest statues, trellises and benches, even  in small front gardens are highly desirable
• Gravel was often used in front gardens, particularly alongside hedging
• Be bold with exotic plants and trees, even in the tiniest of spaces

To find out more about interior design in the Victorian style, download the Adrian Flux Victorian Homes ebook for free. It is full of tips on how to create a Victorian style house — even if you live in a new-build home — and advice on where to source original Victorian and reproduction fixtures, fittings, furniture, accessories and art.

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Adrian Flux is a specialist insurance compnay offering bespoke cover for all period and Victorian homes. Call 0800 369 8590 got a fast and hassle-free quote.

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