I particularly love the asymmetry - modern homes tend to be variations on a box. Victorians appreciated ornamentation, a celebration of form, sometimes over function, but that is okay with me. We loved them so much we built a new one. They term these "neo-Victorians." We used old color plates from Scientific American to get ideas. Amazon sells these. We could not find an architect in the SF Bay area that had any experience with designing a new one, so we designed it ourselves. It still needs a lot of gingerbread. Spectis moulders is a great resource for this kind of thing: http://www.spectis.com.

Totally agree. I thought those Victorians that were painted like this were called " Painted Ladies"? Am I mistaking this for something else?

I guess i'm the only crab here :) my house is slightly post-Victorian and it's great in many ways, but oh let me tell you!!! i'm grateful during bad storms however, because I know my house won't blow away :)

For those who don't like them for whatever reason, you need to live in one to love one. We bought our home 18 years ago and even though we want to downsize, it's going to be very difficult to give up not only the charm but the space. Ours is 2400 sqft with large principle rooms and bedrooms. We only had two bedrooms without closets and lots of room to put a wardrobe. It is an original 1880 home and we have had very little work keeping it up. It was built right. And our expensive are less than a 1980 bungalow with only $800/yr for heat.

So much character!

Oh yes I agree with you on that. My first house I ever bought was a 101 yr old Victorian on 10 acres. It was magnificent. I miss that house more than any other.

I just think coming home to one of these houses would make any bad day better. I like the 'neo-Victorian' idea, where you can keep the feel and details of the originals, but get to put in modern touches, like bigger bedrooms, updated kitchen (which can still retain that 1800s feel) and baths. We have several here in Manassas, VA, and every year seems to bring a new paint scheme to one or another of them, which is fun to watch. Some of the choices have admittedly been atrocious, but some of them are just stunning in the use of color to accentuate the architectural details and make the homes feel very welcoming.

Here's an article about a home that I just loved at the entrance to Old Town; it was heartbreaking to watch it fall into disrepair. Thanks to the love of a neighbor, it was saved from demolition. Work has begun, and in a few short months it already has back some of the dignity lost over the last 20 years: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-06-09/local/39856467_1_short-sale-neighbor-home

Here's a shot of how she looks these days from the outside: http://www.insidenova.com/news/local/manassas/prescott-house-event-raises-more-than-for-habitat-for-humanity/article_987fdfc6-0f2a-11e3-b108-001a4bcf887a.html?TNNoMobile

That's really good news. I used to be a cub reporter and covered Old Town Manassas. There were so many revitalization meetings I had to attend. This was in the 1980s, and I lived in a refurbished A-frame house that was turned into four apartments. Whenever I have time to drive down to Manassas, it's wonderful to see how charming it is, and wonderful to see new people appreciating it all.

Maybe Victorians are great because they remind us of a simpler time and people didn't have as much "stuff" back then. Perhaps we have too much "stuff" in todays world.
We own a 1905 victorian with a turret. We are in the middle of a renovation and a add on. I love all the character that victorians have and the durability of our house. They sure knew how to build houses back then!!

@Katy -- what a great story! I would love to see how this turns out. Okay, I just saw your second link... wow! What a difference!

I don't own a Victorian (yet), but I commute every day past a derelict, recently foreclosed house on 5 acres. You can barely see the house from behind all the greenery that's taken over the property, but it'd be a good size for us to grow into, since we want to have a 'gaggle', or about 6 kids. The beauty I'm having daydreams about was built/finished in around 1900, so it makes the cut for "Victorian", albeit just barely. We're hoping we can afford it when it finally comes back on the market. It's our only chance of getting into the neighbourhood within our budget, so could as well. Its neighbouring faux-Tuscan villas on their about 1/10th acre lots start at $650k and up, so our hopes aren't super high.

Pretty much each of my grandparents either lives in a house in Helsinki, Finland, built prior to 1900, or owns a country house built prior to 1900. My aunt's home is a merchant's station in the Finnish archipelago built in the pre-Victorian era, so I'm used to old, creaky houses, and always having some project going to restore them. My late grandmother's home was always being restored or renovated when I was growing up, so I've been around a lot of construction sites, as well as museum folks since I was little. I somehow can't see myself NOT living in a Victorian.

What seems to appeal to me greatly about Victorian homes, is that most of them have a room division that would work out with our little family's usual routines. We don't really need an acre of bedroom, if we only sleep in it. And I'd rather have a library than a giant walk-in-closet or en suite bath. Call me weird, but those modern follies are less appealing to me than outhouses. I'm a country girl to the core in some things.

I love the beauty, the rock solid construction, the uniqueness, the history they have to tell. The "ladies parlor", the "gentlemens parlor", woodwork, trim, etc. In other words I love everything about them.

There are many Victorians of differing styles here in Oakland CA and most that've been reasonably maintained over the years and are still in good or at least workable shape are that way in part due to the fact that they were well-built with the kind of lumber that's now hard to get and/ or no longer sustainable to harvest; so keeping your Victorian home in good shape helps to also maintain it's market value. Some Oakland neighborhoods that were not well-considered for decades tho that are still known to have Victorian homes are definitely seeing a comeback!

I took some photos at an open house of one in my neighborhood last summer. It was in pretty bad shape, but there were some really wonderful original features, including a painting directly on one of the walls. The house sold and what looks like a younger couple moved in and has been working on it. I SO want to go knock on their door and bring them cookies to get a look at what they've done. All the house needed was someone to love it. I bet it's fantastic now.

Have to find those photos!

Found some! Can't believe I didn't get a photo of the wall painting. Oh well.

One more!

@melaniegross - I believe the term "painted ladies" refers to the color scheme on a Victorian of any style - Queen Anne, Second Empire, Italianate. We painted our neo-Vic Queen Anne with 12 colors, but I don't know what the cut off is. It is less elaborate than many.

love Victorian homes ours was built in 1880 is very modest yet is still so full of charm and character they built better homes back then used real wood higher ceilings beautiful trim and baseboards even heating vents were a work of art lovely claw foot tubs the list goes on and on she's kept us warm in winter cool in the summer and has always welcomed us home sadly though its time to move on down size and be closer to our children and grand children and as we are looking for a new smaller home we know what a gem we will be leaving behind :-(

While this is not a victorian, but a Greek Revivial built in 1865, I thought you would all appreciate the before and after as my husband and I saved her from demolition a few years ago. My favorite part is the curved staircase up to the 3rd floor attic. You can't resist climbing the stairs to see where they lead.

My before and after pictures on my previous comment aren't posted. I browsed, attached and submitted. Am I missing something?

@carrieannk Are they saved as jpeg files? If not, that may be the issue.

Thanks Emily, here we go again:)

carrieannk, that's a really charming ghouse. I feel like I'm looking at the "best haunted looking house remodels of the year" gallery from TOH. Great job!

@carrieannk Beautiful! That's a fantastic before and after.

I absolutely love Victorian homes especially ones in San Francisco and Ashland, Oregon. So wish I had the money to own one and restore it! Would love to just rent a room in one. Love the high ceilings, pocket doors, wood trim, wood floors, and some have amazing porches. I'm in heaven when i'm in a Victorian!

I would love to remodel a Victorian home and live in one,

I'm interested in buying a Victorian home in Quebec, Canada. Really very beautiful. Wood doors, window frames etc have been replaced. I would like to paint all the trim and frames to brighten the home. I would love some feedback. Is this a huge mistake. The wood trim smells and I would like to bring some light to the surroundings. Many thanks. M

Hi Dunzer, Do you have any photos you can share of the house? I know many folks are against ever painting original wood, but if it is in poor condition, I think you can do it tastefully.

Hi Emily. Difficult to get a good photo. Here is a sample of one like it.

Are you sure it is the wood trim that smells? Seems there could be multiple sources, textiles most likely. If it is the wood perhaps a simple new coat of varnish could combat any effect. That wood looks beautiful in the pics, seems a shame to paint should you decide to buy the home.

Thank you:) I think some yes but not all. I agree it could be drains, furnace, ventilation! I will have a closer look. Thank you.

We live in the house I grew up in. It was built in 1880 and we bought it from my parents. Yes, Victorians are a lot of work, but so worth it. All of the windows are original and we wouldn't dare replace them with plastic. There are storm windows on the outside, so we close them when it gets colder in the fall. Yes, it's drafty at times, but we never get sick, as my mother always says. Having a Victorian is a labor of love and not for the faint at heart. If you want all the new bells and whistles, then go buy a cookie cutter home. Also, on the topic of storage space, yes, it can be a challenge, however, you don't have to own everything in the world and store it anyway. Victorians rock!

when cared for they are amazing... fun to steam punk

The following is the same as what I posted on the Facebook comments section. I'm hoping that I can post multiple images here. I was only able to post one on the FB page. In Dec 2012 I bought a house built in 1900. While not a Victorian it has a gorgeous oak staircase, woodwork, and floors as well as incredible stained glass windows. It is my dream home. I am almost done with an extensive kitchen renovation. I always thought I'd have an SF Victorian like my grandmother's home on Haight St. but I was priced out of the market. I bought my dream home in Pittsburgh, PA for what I would have had to pay for the down payment on an SF Victorian. For some reason I couldn't upload more than one photo, but it's the window in my bathroom. This bathroom also has original subway tile on all four walls and the ceiling and hexagonal unglazed tile on the floor. I love juxtaposing furniture from different periods including very modern. I think it looks great in these old homes. I don't like my home to have a museum feel. I like an eclectic funky vibe.

And here is one more.

I love living in a flat of a 1900 Victorian home, it feels timeless, solid, and comfortable. my neighborhood has many... in a tree lined street in midtown Sacramento

This is awesome. I love the Victorian chaise in the garden. I feel more relaxed already.

Julie, your home is amazing. Congratulations on living in such a wonderful place.

Julie, your home looks amazing. I also live in a Victorian house with a very similar staircase with the stained glass window. And the floor looks so similar too! I always enjoy seeing how similar yet different other Victorians are.

beautiful!

Thanks Elizabeth! Your staircase and windows are awesome. Where is your home located? I'm in Pittsburgh, PA.

Julie G, I love your home.
I appreciate all of these brave souls who live in these beauties. They need to be lived in and loved. I live in a home built in 1888. No regrets! Not a great pics, just from phone a while back

there are several very old lovely homes for sale in my area. someone needs to buy them before they become rentals...

Does anyone know of a older home that needs to be moved in the South Texas area. I like to move and restore an older home.

You could check with This Old House, if they have "Save This Old House" -listings, or know of listing agents in the area you're looking. Searching on their website, there were two in Texas, but I have no idea how close or far, of if they're still available.
http://search.thisoldhouse.com/search.html?bu=0&x=0&y=0&Ntt=save+this+old+house+texas&Ntx=mode+matchall

I live in a historic town in Pennsylvania and I wouldn't live in any other style house. I love the Victorian homes and mine is a classic example of that style. The town I live in has hundreds of Victorian homes and we seem to have beauty on every corner. My favorite part of this house is the turret windows and the four open air porches . Yes, there is work to do on Victorian homes but I see work in any style home if you are a responsible owner and want to maintain the beauty and function on your home. After all, aren't the places we live in supposed to reflect us?

We live in an 1895 Queen Anne Victorian in San Jose, CA, and we love it! Our woodwork has never been painted, and we have tons of stained glass and original fireplaces, picture rails, etc.

I've gone pretty wild with color inside the house - but people love it when they come over. For example, I've always wanted a coral dining room - I thought it was just such a decadent idea - so I did it! Coral Gables by Benjamin Moore. I painted above the chair rail jade green (Bunker Hill Green by Benjamin Moore), and the ceiling is metallic Ballroom Gold (by Ralph Lauren). It looks fabulous with my wood trim.

Anyway, hello Victorian friends! ;-)

I love everything about Victorian houses and the era. I wish I had one myself.