Gothic Victorian Homes: What’s The Real Story?

I’ve met all types of design enthusiasts over the years. “Fans” of different architectural styles, color schemes, and eras of interior design. Some people love the look of chic mid-century modern design, others love Cape Cod-style homes with traditional Yankee colors, while others prefer a strictly coastal vibe. But I must say, I’ve not seen a more enthusiastic and supportive group as those that cherish Victorian homes.

I’ve discussed Victorian house colors and their history before, and those are some of my most popular blogs! Something is fascinating about Victorian homes for people of all interests and age groups. Victorian’s are like beautiful living pieces of history, each with intricate and unique craftsmanship in each corner. As a color expert, Victorian homes’ design elements and color choices are fascinating to me as well! 

Perhaps Victorians are gaining increasing popularity today because so much of today’s modern design is minimalist and understated, whereas Victorians embrace the more ornate and elaborate side of home design. 

As a quick reminder, when someone is referring to Victorian homes, it generally means homes built during the time and rule of Queen Victoria. Her reign was from 1837-1901, a great bulk of the industrial revolution.

In this article, I will be addressing a subset of Victorian homes that I often receive questions about, Gothic Victorian homes. 

Gothic Victorian Homes: What Are They?

Technically, a “Gothic Victorian home” refers to a category of a Victorian home called a “Gothic Revival.” There are at least four distinct categories of Victorian homes including, Queen Anne, the Italianate, the Stick-Eastlake, and the Gothic Revival. 

The Gothic Revival Victorian is what most people picture in their minds thinking of gothic architecture. For decades, the style has been made iconic in popular culture; think of the Addams Family mansion or Normand Bates’ home in Psycho. But, not all Gothic Victorian houses are spooky and full of cobwebs; the style of architecture was adopted widely across America throughout the 19th century in schools, libraries, churches, and of course, homes for those that could afford to build them. 

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What Defines the Gothic Revival Victorian?

A true Gothic Revival style Victorian will come out of the mid-19th century. It was a time in American architecture fascinated with medieval aesthetics and design. It was a romantic time; if you had the resources, you would build a countryside home that made a statement. 

Sometimes these Gothic Revival Victorians would be positioned outside of the city with ornate sweeping features that matched the natural environment around it, positioned from a vantage point to see the nearby town below. Their placement clearly gave them a sense of stature and prominence!

Some of the design features that signify a Gothic Revival Victorian are:

• Multiple pointed arches 
• Steeply pitched roofs
• Towers with parapets and lookout access
• Decorative molding, gables, and trim
• A distinctive location

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What Colors are Gothic Revival Victorians Known For?

I’ve previously discussed how fortunate homeowners can bring their 19th-century Victorian home into the 21st century with some lighter/brighter color combinations and a heavier emphasis on the contrast between dark and light elements of the home. However, a true Gothic Revival Victorian will be more traditional and embrace the colors that gave it such a distinctive look in the first place. 

For a distinctive and traditional color palette, a Gothic Revival Victorian should embrace multiple dark shades, often in the same color family. For example, the wooden siding could be an olive light grey, while the trim, shutters, and ornamentation are richer colors in the same olive green family. Some of the most popular colors used during this period were maroon reds, cordovan browns, a bolder burgundy, or rich shades of browns and greens. 

The tactic of using gradations of the same color is one approach, but feel free to accentuate the architectural details with other deep colors as accents in the plum, blue, or even dark red family. Most often, you will see naturally occurring colors, like organic greens or rich chocolate browns and deep reds, which were consistently popular for this style of home. 

Are You a Victorian Enthusiast?

People that love Victorians never seem to get enough of their historic beauty and charm, so what about you? Do you love the styling of a Gothic Victorian home, or do you appreciate something a little more modern? Please share your thoughts and stories; I always love hearing them!