How to Decorate With Victorian Stained Glass

Create a space that showcases the Victorian stained glass and is true to your interior design style.

Victorian stained glass windows add beauty, texture and drama to a home. From the outside, these windows can bump up the curb appeal. Inside the house, however, they can lead to a few decorating dilemmas. For an authentic feel, choose interior decor from the same period, creating a room that is true to the era of the property. For those with more modern styles, a contemporary feel to the space is also possible with a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Furniture
• Wallpaper or paint
• Draperies
• Accessories

Instructions

Decorating Authentically with Victorian Stained Glass

1. 

   Choose furniture that is reminiscent of the era.

   Buy period furniture, or reproductions, of the Victorian era. If you cannot afford to furnish the room in this way, any furniture with the same feel will work in the space. Look for carved arms and legs with rich velvet upholstery to create an air of formality.

2. Add wallpaper in a pattern that contains the same hues as your furniture choices. If wallpaper is not your style, or you cannot afford an authentic Victorian pattern, paint the walls a cream white to set off the rest of the colors in the room.

3. Choose lush draperies in the same velvet material as the furniture and dress your windows grandly. This was a common element in homes during the Victorian period. Bring in other period accessories, such as reproductions of famous paintings from the era.

Contemporary Decorating With Victorian Stained Glass

1. 

   Choose your favorite color(s) out of the window as the basis for your room's palette.

   Choose a favorite colors in the stained glass pattern as the basis for the room's palette, creating a monochromatic feel to the space. Choose a few accent hues for a more modern interior design style that is more colorful.

2. Buy modern furniture that is upholstered in the main color choice or buy contemporary pieces in black and white. Bring in other color choices through accessories such as pillows and candles.

3. Paint the walls a bright white if the furniture is upholstered in the color pulled from the stained glass window. For neutral white or black furniture, stick with a fresh coat of white paint on the walls or coat them in an accent color.

4. Hang up modern artwork that either mimics the subject matter of the window or draws out some of the symbols in it. For example, a religious scene contained in period windows can be replicated on canvas. Or, opt for charcoal drawings of black crosses and mat them in an accent color before putting them in simple black frames.

5. Leave the Victorian stained glass window bare when decorating in the contemporary style, using no window treatments. Keep other windows in the space simply dressed with solid-colored roman shades or streamlined drapes. If privacy is an issue, install a roller shade underneath the top casing so that it is hidden when not in use.

References

• The Victoria Web:Victorian Stained Glass
• Victorian Magazine: Victorian Decor