NOVEMBER 2008 » book review

Back to the Future

The Victorian House Book: A Practical Guide to Home Repair and Decoration, Fourth Edition
by Robin Guild
Firefly Books Ltd., Westport, CT; 2008
322 pages; hardcover; 500 color photos, 1,500 line drawings; $49.95
ISBN 978-1-55407-371-9

Reviewed by Lynne Lavelle

At a time when mankind's domination over the earth appears to be dwindling with its natural resources, the excitement and confidence of the Victorian era seem increasingly distant. Then, the new technologies of the Industrial Revolution promised endless possibilities, inspiring unprecedented invention in the U.S. and Britain. Of course, with dramatic change came profound – and bittersweet – social changes, as towns and cities consolidated around the textile and heavy industries and expanding railroad networks. As these towns and cities grew crowded, the new middle classes were drawn to their perimeters, which were often connected with new roads and railroads; the suburb was born.

More than five million houses were built between the 1830s and the outbreak of World War I in the U.S. alone. During this time, architects, surveyors and engineers formed professional bodies, with guidelines and charters to protect their new interests in response to rising land prices. The onset of building regulations improved structural soundness, drainage and sanitation. And designers, energized by improvements in manufacturing, and responding to the demands of the new middle class, began experimenting with window designs, paint, hardware and more.

Today, "Victoriana" in its many forms remains a common housing type on both sides of the Atlantic. For better or worse, few over 100 years old remain unaltered, so the dilemma of how to adapt a Victorian home to 21st-century comfort and conveniences while preserving its character is a common one. The late interior designer and author Robin Guild addressed the many pitfalls in The Victorian Housebook. Now in its fourth edition, this frankly written, comprehensive guide to exterior and interior architectural detail and decoration covers everything from door numbers to gazebos, and is illustrated by photographs, designs and plans from the historical to the present day.

According to The Victorian Housebook, creating a home that is comfortable, vibrant and relevant is all about the balance between past and present. Chapters on Victorian style and housing types are supplemented with advice on retrofitting for energy conservation, adapting Victorian fixtures and fittings to modern standards, as well as how to approach planning and building codes.

Every element of the Victorian home is explained within its historical context, from key manufacturers, innovators and developments to the social climate. "In early town houses, the front door opened directly onto the street; railings became popular during the 18th century to define the property and protect the strip of land in front, as well as to add another touch of elegance," Guild writes. "In the 19th century, the wish to enclose the property became stronger, reflecting the growth of private ownership and the simultaneous transformation from a rural to an urban society. The new owners of suburban villas wanted to mark out their territory, just as the landowners of the 18th century had done."

Guild's advice may ruffle some purists. While he remains highly critical of the "aesthetic vandalism" that sees original details obscured by plastic siding, he is equally critical of "period cocoons": "Their gaslight, coal boilers, tub baths and belfast sinks may be irreproachable, but nothing will stop the world going on its way outside. Cars will pass in the street, not carriages, and their children will come in wearing jeans, not pinafores."

The Victorian Housebook favors a common sense approach. It recognizes that buildings will be split into multi-units, attics will be converted and dividing walls will be removed. When carried out responsibly, there is no reason that these alterations can't preserve, or even enhance, character.

There are no easy shortcuts, however; Guild recommends consulting an architect and heeding local and national historic guidelines at every stage. "Legal restrictions are imposed by planning restrictions and moral restrictions are increasingly recognized and accepted; as homeowners, we not only inherit the work of past generations, we are trustees for prosperity, and we ought to discharge that duty at the same time as securing our own comfort," he writes. "A respect for Victorian architecture should encourage us to make the outlay necessary to preserve it in recognizable form."  

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