What comes into your mind whenever you come across a Victorian House? Well, these magnificent architectural wonders have a small story to tell regarding how people lived in an era that was so different from our modern world.
A glance at their decorative trimmings and splendour hardly give you a true picture of how it was like living without the spoils of our current civilization. Inasmuch as we take our modern comfort for granted today, during the Victorian era, the thought of comfort was just an illusion and unimaginable for most people.
As a matter of fact, people managed to survive without hot water or central heating system that is now a common thing in nearly every home today. Instead, they installed open fires or heated water on what was popularly known as a range in a bid to stay warm during extreme winters.
In addition, there were neither washing machines nor vacuum cleaners to make their washing easy. Looking after their homes was a very daunting task. To give you a clear picture of how it was like back in the days, we are going to discuss the Victorian houses for both the rich and the poor in the following section.
Victorian Rich Houses
As the name suggests, homes for the wealthy were a little bit better compared to those of the poor. Both upper and middle classes lived in absolute comfort surrounded with all types of luxury they could lay their hands on.
Their houses were larger and better built as a symbol of status for the affluent and influential. Most of the houses had new items installed such as gaslighting, flushing toilets and inside bathrooms among other features that distinguished them from the houses of the poor.
Quite a number of Victorian Rich Houses were skillfully decorated using the latest styles. From heavy curtains to flowery wallpapers and expensive carpets to rugs all the way to ornaments, Victorian rich houses had almost everything that made the rich comfortable. Speaking of comfort, rooms in these houses were heated, thanks to the availability of the open coal fires.
When it comes to lighting, candles, gas or oil lamps lit the entire house because electricity was still years away to be discovered. And when it was discovered, electricity became part and parcel of the Victorian era, making houses for the wealthy more comfortable and inhabitable.
Water pumps were installed to supply water in the kitchens and washrooms. Their waste materials, including rubbish, were discarded through the underground sewer system.
A good percentage of homes had servants who lived in the same houses in order to render their services anytime it was needed. Unfortunately, servant homes were not comfortable (in winter or summer) compared to their masters whose bedrooms were located on the top floors. Basically, that is a sneak peek of how it was to live in a Victoria rich house.
Victorian Houses Rich and Poor
At the helm of the Victorian era, the number of rich people was small. Sadly the wealthy were greedy and looked down upon the poor let alone neglecting them. These rich people had nice homes that bore a huge contrast to those owned by the lower class or the poor.
Besides, the Victorian houses for the rich had almost all the latest gadgets including flushing toilets, oil or gas lighting and inside the house bathrooms. On top of that, their houses had decorative curtains, flowery wallpapers, rugs, well-designed furniture, ornamental plants and paints among others. Certainly the wealthy during the era of Victoria had almost every necessary household gadget that made their lives more comfortable.
On the other hand, the Victorian poor houses bore a sharp contrast to the Victorian rich shelters. For them, life was a struggle and had to work harder to make ends meet. Most of their houses had two rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs.
If they were lucky enough, their houses would be equipped with the tin baths. Otherwise, the Victorian poor houses did not have running water, indoor bathrooms or toilets and water from the pumps would always be polluted. In fact, several houses would share a single water pump installed outside.
Worse of the worst, many family members crammed into one room during the night. This description shows clearly the wider gap that existed between the Victorian houses for the rich and poor during that era.
Rooms in a Rich Victorian House
By physical culture, what would you have expected to see in the types of rooms that were there in the rich Victorian house? Keep in mind that this was a large house for the wealthy.
Obviously, the rooms would be bigger, large in number and varied. They would include utility as well as storage rooms. And don’t forget that the rooms would be furnished to suit the rich man’s needs.
For instance, the dining room was brightly coloured and comprised of very expensive furniture and beautiful chandeliers or candle holders as a sign of the wealthy’s family influence. The washrooms and toilets were well-equipped with the latest accessories and most of them were considered private.
The bedrooms were only meant for the respective family members making them out of bounds for visitors or guests. But there were rooms that were designated to be a common space for everyone including guests and servants. Indeed the rooms in a rich Victorian house had all the necessary facilities that defined the status of that particular wealthy family. If you want to learn more about Victorian interior design, reach out to these people – Interior Designers Bath.
Rich Victorian Homes
One of the basic characteristics that the rich Victorian homes had was the presence of chimneys on the roofs. Most of these homes were known for their bay windows, roofs crafted from slate, Flemish brick bonding, attractive coloured patterns dotting the brickwork and other features that made them look part of that wealthy society during the Victorian era.
The homes were always in better condition and well-built with the necessary facilities such as toilets and bathrooms. Since there were no cars at the time, you wouldn’t expect to see a garage in a rich Victorian Home. Otherwise, these homes had all the necessary luxury and comfort that enabled the rich to enjoy their lives in a comfortable way.
Conclusion
The Victorian era saw the emerging gap between the rich and the poor as far as their living standards were considered. The rich lived a comfortable life surrounded by the finest things in life and basic needs. But the poor had to struggle day-in-day-out to make a living. That is why the Victorian houses for the rich had a sharp contrast to those for the poor.