Heritage & Restoration

A Journey Through Australian Architectural Styles: Victorian (1837-1901)

05 September 2025

The discovery of gold in 1851 sparked more than just a rush to regional Australia, it ignited a wave of ambition that swept through the cities. As fortunes were made, new businesses emerged to meet the needs of booming urban populations. Prosperity flourished, and with it came a desire to express newfound status.

For Victorians, wealth was never quietly held. It was worn, celebrated, and most enduringly, built. Grand gatherings, indulgent feasts, and finely tailored garments were all part of the display but it was the architecture of one’s home that spoke the loudest. To be seen was to be known. Or as Oscar Wilde wrote in The Picture of Dorian Gray, “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”

As Queen Victoria’s reign unfolded and the Industrial Revolution gathered pace so too did architectural ambition. What began as restrained and orderly gave way to richly ornamented façades, intricate ironwork, and bold interpretations of Gothic and Queen Anne styles. Victorian architecture in Australia reflects a society on the move elevating itself through design, and leaving behind a legacy of craftsmanship that still endures.

Front of a white house, featuring a pink door, Victorian lacework, TradCo hardware and a cat.

Milton Knob - Long Backplate

Milton knob on long backplate. Made from solid brass.

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Defining Features of Australian Victorian Homes

Verandahs

A feature specific to Victorian architecture in warm climes was the verandah, most notably celebrated in the lacy, filigree-style buildings of the period. Not only did they create a social space outside the home, but their shade stopped the hot sun from beaming directly into the windows, creating a cooler environment inside.

Cast Iron Lacework

On those verandahs you’ll often see complex lacework balustrades and balconies in cast iron – a signature material of Victorian architecture internationally. Thanks to the Industrial Revolution, cast iron became both easier to manipulate and far more affordable. Ornate designs were created and produced en masse, ready for the rising classes to use on their homes to promote their status. Many elements were also constructed of brass. Their perforations created patterns of dappled light on the building and allowed air to flow through, creating ventilation.

Defining Features of Australian Victorian Homes

Elaborate Plasterwork

Elaborate designs didn’t stop on the outside of Australian Victorian homes. In fact, the best way to spot a Victorian interior is to look up. In all likelihood, you’ll see decorative cornicing – which just got more intricate the wealthier the owner was, depicting motifs like flowers and birds, even pomegranates – and a large ceiling rose bejewelled with detail, at the centre of the room. These were generally produced from plasterwork, the makers artisans; artists even, of their era.

Terraces

Built on a grand scale to house the rising middle classes as populations flocked to Australian cities, there isn’t anything quite so representatively Australian Victorian than a terrace.

Stained Glass

Influenced by its popularity in the United Kingdom, coloured glass features in the home, specifically lead-light stained glass in Australia, not only limited light coming inside and heating it up, it added even more detail – and therefore grandeur – to the home space. The lush colours speak redolently of the Victorian fashion for a rich colour palette, and the ecclesiastical association fits neatly into the later Victorian Australian Gothic style.

Ornate Rim Lock

Low security rim lock.

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Victorian Lever - Long Backplate

Victorian lever on long backplate. Made from solid brass.

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Classic Sash Lift - Large

Solid brass sash lifts. Available in 2 sizes.

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Key Materials for an Australian

Victorian Home Renovation

When trying to reestablish aesthetic Victorian values in a home, it’s vital to pay close attention to materials. The Victorians didn’t save on them – their objects were real, solidly-made things. That’s why so many Victorian design pieces still survive today.

Brass

Brass will outlive us all. The Victorians employed it extensively in their home hardware, so incorporating it into your Victorian renovation is key to a faithful interpretation.

Cast iron

Hardy cast iron will last generations if it’s taken care of. The Victorians adored it.

Plasterwork

Install real plasterwork, not gyprock or polystyrene, for a true taste of Victoriana.

Victorian Lever - Round Rose

Victorian lever on round rose. Made from solid brass.

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Heritage Hardware for an Australian Victorian Restoration

Door Furniture

Solid brass door handles feel authentic and untouchably Victorian, and highly ornate handles even more so. Try matt black door handles made from solid brass, or cabinet handles in elaborate Victorian designs.

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Sash Window Accessories

Sash windows were prevalent in the Victorian era. Expensive to install from scratch today given their artisan nature, upkeeping original ones is achievable if appropriately robust hardware is used.

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Period Switches and Sockets

Classic period switches and sockets evoke the latter days of Victoria’s reign, when electricity started to emerge into Australian homes.

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Curtain Sweeps

Solid brass curtain sweeps. 3 styles available.

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Picture Rails

A picture rail, where paintings can be swapped around regularly, remains key to the Victorian aesthetic.

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Curtain Fittings

A deep love of curtains– their plush, thick, expensive fabric helped promote the idea of one’s wealth, whilst their luscious drapery evoked images of Byronesque adventure. Their sheer weight – heavy, robust – kept out the heat on warmer days, and their metal fittings enhanced their luxurious appeal.

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