10 Toilet Features for Modern Life
The biggest changes in Victorian houses have happened in the kitchen, making it virtually impossible to make an authentic replica without compromising on contemporary conveniences. The contemporary stovetop has replaced the wood-burning stove, the refrigerator has replaced the larder and the dishwasher has altered the scullery. But this does not mean we can’t update a kitchen while keeping some of the Victorian influences.
Austere and operational, the Victorian kitchen looked much different than the remainder of the home. Homeowners wasted little expense on architectural characteristics in this room. Now this aesthetic can give itself to a fresh and modern makeover, or you can focus on introducing similar moldings and finishes to the remainder of your Victorian home to give it a much more traditional feel — authentic or not.
LKM Layout
The scope. Traditionally the biggest feature in a Victorian kitchen, the stove usually sat inside the chimney breast. In case you’ve got the space, a woodstove is likely to create your Victorian kitchen comfy and atmospheric. Place it next to a table for mealtime warmth and include some cast iron or copper pots and pans for authenticity.
Glenvale Kitchens
The chimney. It makes the ideal — and traditional — dwelling for your oven and range. You can discover contemporary ranges available in a huge selection of colors today. For me personally, this kitchen strikes the perfect note for an austere Victorian kitchen brought up to date, as a result of the debut of the red Aga.
Emily McCall
The dresser. Aside from the range and oven, the dresser would be the only other piece of furniture in a Victorian kitchen. There were no upper, eye-level cupboards. Open shelving, much as in a modern professional kitchen, made for efficient access to everyday products. Good first dressers can be pricey and hard to find, but if you find one you love it will be a lifetime buy. Remember that you can strip and repaint it to really go with any traditional kitchen colors.
MN Builders
The kitchen dining table. The critical kitchen table completed the Victorian kitchen. Rather than being a place to consume, it sat in the center of the space as the major work place. It is not too surprising that work islands are popular today — the ease of working in the center of a room and retrieving items saved around the borders comes from Victorian houses. Pick a contrasting color to the wall components to split up uniformity and make the table stand out as the work place.
InsideOut Design, Inc
Wall finishes. In a Victorian kitchen, wall finishes necessary to be lasting. This painted tongue and groove in this kitchen feels accurate, and the tiles produce a sensible backsplash (sometimes called a splashback from the U.K.) to the traditional butler sink.
Actual-Size Architecture
The layout. Reminiscent of a Victorian kitchen, that kitchen includes a central workspace, plain cupboards at the base level and spacious upper shelving. Functional, efficient and designed for a cook, the contemporary space nevertheless feels Victorian. Conventional moldings across the window and the painted wooden backsplashes and components all give it Victorian design.
Heydt Designs
Tiles. The Victorians did use tiles in their kitchens, as backsplashes and everywhere. But, finding a complete set of those authentic tiles is difficult today. Try out subway tiles for a modern look with a traditional twist, as they echo the plain functionality of this Victorian kitchen. To get a quirkier classic appearance, searching salvage stores for mismatched but same-size tiles to design a characteristic supporting the stove.
Venegas and Company
The sink. Traditionally, the sink and prep area were located in the scullery. Many sculleries have been lost in favor of open-plan dwelling or converted to utility rooms. Either way, the sink generally had an open plate rack over it.
I love this kitchen combines an old butler-style sink, tiles and plate rack with cupboards painted in a contemporary black. The chandelier would have been a bad idea in a sensible Victorian kitchen, although I do not disagree with adding some glamour in a kitchen today.
Insignia Kitchen and Bath Design Studio
Lighting. Victorian kitchens and contemporary kitchens equally exude very good lighting, although lighting may have been more important in Victorian houses, since most kitchens sat in the basement. The task lighting would have been easy and practical and located over the central worktable. The lights here are a nod to that practicality — the “rise and fall” feature means they can be corrected for the kitchen island’s double intent.
Taste Design Inc
Finishing touches. If you’ve taken the traditional-style path, make sure you carry it through. There are some excellent breeding fittings and taps. And remember, just because you’ve decided on a Victorian kitchen does not mean you can’t use modern appliances. Simply conceal them away or invest in the huge selection of retro styles available.
More: Back to the Future of the Home