How to Restore a Victorian Kitchen

Restore the wood in a Victorian kitchen to its original brilliance.

The Victorian era (1837 to 1901) was named after Queen Victoria. The era is split into three styles. Early Victorian style had a distinctive Georgian simplicity, mid-Victorian had heavier masculine decorations, and late Victorian brought in a feminine influence. Because it coincided with the Industrial Revolution, people were enjoying new-found affluence. The middle class could finally afford a lifestyle previously reserved for the rich, and followed high Victorian style, cramming their homes with furniture and decorations showing their prosperity, cultural interests and status. Kitchens were, just like the rest of the home, a place to display their wealth.

Things You'll Need

• Sander
• Sandpaper
• Wainscoting
• Stain
• Brush
• Shelving
• Appliances
• Flooring
• Furniture
• Paint
• Counters
• Rugs
• Lighting

Instructions

1. Strip off old paint. Victorian woodwork is intricate, but is often covered in coat after coat of various types of paint. Sand all the moldings, doors and window casings until you're down to bare wood.

2. Stain the moldings, doors and window casings a dark wood stain such as walnut for an authentic look.

3. Remove old wainscoting and install new wainscoting. It's easier than restoring the original wainscoting and achieves the same appearance. Pre-stain or pre-paint the new sheets before nailing them onto the walls. Simply lay the sheets on a table or work surface and apply two coats of paint. It's easier to get the paint into all the crevices on wainscoting using this method.

4. Build a pantry. Your home likely had one at one point, but maybe the room was repurposed as a closet. Pantries took the place of cabinets in old kitchens. Hang shelves in the pantry from floor to ceiling.

5. Install modern appliances with Victorian styling. Stoves and sinks are available on the market that will fit into your kitchen. Hide appliances such as the dishwasher and refrigerator behind a wood front.

6. Lay tile, wood or linoleum flooring for a period look. Add small areas rugs for warmth.

7. Use furniture for storage; for instance, put a china cabinet against the wall to store dishware. In Victorian times, everything was stored in wood or tin closets to keep it clean and safe.

8. Refinish wood cabinets if they fit into the period. Pre-fab cabinets didn't exist then, so keep cabinets to a minimum. Cabinets were more often found in the pantry. Hang shelves over the cooking area and display dishes. Hang cookware over the stove area.

9. Paint the walls with a color that is authentic to the Victorian period. Use vibrant, rich hues like mahogany and deep green. Apply a paint with a sheen so you can wipe it clean. Victorian design emphasized balancing color and texture between the walls, ceiling, molding and wood elements in the room. Sponge painting, marbleizing and spattering were methods commonly used during this era.

10. Replace counters with materials that would be used in the Victorian era. Butcher block and marble counters would fit in. You can also use stainless steel as an alternative to tin counters.

11. Keep the space under the sink open. Plumbing was traditionally visible until the late 1920s.

12. Hook up period-style electric lighting. A restored kitchen with modern lighting will not look authentic.

13. Display opulent decorations and knick-knacks. Put crystal and sterling silver out on a sideboard or china cabinet for everyone to see.

References

• Southern Illinois University: Victorian Home
• Victorian House Pictures: How to Restore & Decorate a Victorian Style Kitchen -- How to Add Modern Cabinets to Victorian Kitchen Video
• Our Victorian House: Home
• Victorian Station: Interior Design
• From Times Past; Decorating "Victorian Style"; Johanne Yakula