Welcome to The Victorian Emporium how-to tips
How-to tips on Victorian living
Welcome to the How-To Tips area of The Victorian Emporium. Here you can view and read all of our advice articles on their various subjects.
How to identify Victorian furniture
Design of anything in a particular period will depend on the social and creative background to the period and in Victorian Britain there was a massive diversity in styles and a high output of furniture. The Victorians loved to show off their wealth and good…
How to Identify Victorian furniture
Background to Victorian decoration and furniture Design of anything in a particular period will depend on the social and creative background to the period and in Victorian Britain there was a massive diversity in styles and a high output of furniture. The Victorians loved to show off their wealth and good taste and this was demonstrated by the interior design and decoration of their homes and the furniture they chose for it. The newly…
How to restore Victorian tiles
We get a lot of calls from customers who have had the good fortune to purchase a Victorian house with a wealth of period features including some original tiles on floors and walls. The Victorians typically tiled a wealth of their house’s surfaces including…
How to restore Victorian tiles
We get a lot of calls from customers who have had the good fortune to purchase a Victorian house with a wealth of period features including some original tiles on floors and walls. The Victorians typically tiled a wealth of their house’s surfaces including hallway floors with intricate and colourful patterned designs sometimes incorporating encaustic tiles; porch floors and walls tiles to encompass skirting, dado and feature tiles in eye…
How to restore a Chaise Longue
I love restoring antiques, using some of the fantastic modern fabrics now on the market. Mixing old and new. Creating an original, one-off piece of furniture. This article will give you an idea of the process of re-upholstery; it’s not a step-by-step…
How to restore a Chaise Longue
I love restoring antiques, using some of the fantastic modern fabrics now on the market. Mixing old and new. Creating an original, one-off piece of furniture. This article will give you an idea of the process of re-upholstery; it’s not a step-by-step instruction manual. Traditional upholstery is a craft that takes years to master. Originally, it was a 5 year full time apprentiship. Now there are many short and long courses. But it still…
Authentic period home renovations
When undertaking period home renovations, there is a danger that any new products that are incorporated will look brand spanking new and at odds with the other interior elements. This is a common concern with our customers which is why we’ve put together a…
Creating authentic looking period features during your period home renovations
How can you add period features to your home? When undertaking period home renovations, there is a danger that any new products that are incorporated will look brand spanking new and at odds with the other interior elements. This is a common concern with our customers which is why we’ve put together a guide to creating and sourcing authentic looking period property features. Some of the products that we sell will help to recreate that…
Modern Victorian Interiors:Combining Period and Contemporary
Have you purchased a period house and are planning a restoration, but don’t like the idea of living in a time warp? If so, here is our brief guide on how to restore modern victorian interiors whilst also enjoying the original features of the house. This will…
Modern Victorian Interiors: Combining Period and Contemporary Style
Have you purchased a period house and are planning a restoration but don’t like the idea of living in a time warp? If so, here is our brief guide on how to restore your house with modern victorian interiors whilst also enjoying the original features of the house. This will help to complement the house without looking out of place or from the wrong architectural period. It is possible to create a stunning modern interior whilst still…
Essential Elements of a Victorian Style Study
Do you have a room in your period property that you need to use for work or household administration purposes? It can be a wonderful space to transform into a Victorian style study. There are a few essential elements to look out for and if you can accommodate…
Essential Elements of a Victorian Style Study
Do you have a room in your period property that you need to use for work or household administration purposes? It can be a wonderful space to transform into a Victorian style study. There are a few essential elements to look out for and if you can accommodate all of these, your room can become a sophisticated and calm place - ideal for working productively. In order to transform your room into a Victorian style study, first of all,…
Where to admire Victorian architecture on your travels
Victorian architecture is a beautiful feature of many streets in the towns and cities of the UK. But did you know that other countries have a wealth of Victorian homes and buildings too? Here are some locations picked from around the world so that you can…
Where to admire Victorian architecture on your travels
Victorian architecture is a beautiful feature of many streets in the towns and cities of the UK. But did you know that as a result of the expnsion of the British Empire, other countries have a wealth of Victorian homes and buildings too? Here are some locations picked from around the world so that you can admire these beautiful buildings on your travels. Where did the British empire expand to? During the 18th century, a few English…
My best and worst purchases for my period house
The opinions of our customers and their wealth of experience never ceases to impress. What is the best and worst thing they spent money on during their house renovation?
My best and worst purchases for my period house
Foresight is a great thing but not always possible in the minefield that is period house restoration. So we hope this picking of brains will prove useful as we ask our customers to tell us what was the best and worst thing they spent money on during their house renovation.
Things I wish I’d known before buying my period house
Here are some of the collective nuggets of wisdom from a large handful of our customers, the proud and often frustrated owners of old houses that they have been busy restoring. Hopefully these experiences will help you avoid expensive mistakes or at least go…
Things I wish I’d known before buying my period house
It’s always easy to be wise in retrospect. “If only I’d known”, you may often think to yourself when renovating your period house. But in truth as these customer testaments reveal, most renovators would not swap their money pit for a problem (and character) free new-build under any circumstances.
Fitting Victorian coving
At the Victorian Emporium, we sell both wood and plaster coving which can be confusing for some customers. Therefore firstly let us explain where you may wish to use one type in preference over another. And then provide some tips about fitting coving in your…
Some tips for using and fitting Victorian coving on your period house
Plaster coving is best used on plastered surfaces i.e. walls and ceilings. Wooden Victorian coving is best used outdoors and is commonly used on porches and verandahs. It is also used to give a professional finish around the tops of kitchen cupboards and for making decorative curtain pelmets. Many people choose to use wooden coving on walls and ceilings instead of plaster because they perceive plaster coving as being heavy and messy and…