Spiffing Victorian Kitchen Ideas for Modern Homes

28 Jan 2025

Sailing a chartered catamaran, a young couple with tousled hair laugh, her in a bikini and floppy hat, him at the helm in a billowy shirt and canvas shorts, wearing a loose Rolex far too close to the water. You know the type: old money. Those with a Victorian kitchen and a Bentley at home.

What are they doing? Adventuring? What’s the source of their wealth? A family estate? Nobody knows exactly. All we do know is that everyone wants that old-money aesthetic – their clothes, vehicles, even kitchens. Well, look no further. At least on that final point, here at Sigma 3 Kitchens, we’ve got you.

While you might not have their globetrotting wealth, you can still replicate their style, which has consumed the limelight in recent years due to TV shows like Bridgerton, The Crown and Downton Abbey. Today, we’re sharing expert advice for homeowners who want a beautiful Victorian kitchen.

A Solva Olive and Highland Stone range by Sigma 3 Abergavenny

Deploy Vintage Kitchen Styles

Phase one: start with a Victorian house. Only joking! You can actually give any room a Victorian interior design, whether it starts similar to a French country kitchen or a lofty new-build apartment. The key is to create a backdrop with traditional kitchen doors. Both Shaker and classic designs will do the job.

A Clifton Light Grey range and an Ashbourne Highland Stone range by Sigma 3 Abergavenny

How long have they been fashionable? Three whole centuries, across multiple cultures. It’s safe to say they’ll never go out of style, even if you swap out modern Victorian décor for French kitchen décor. Whatever you choose, this backdrop will make the details appear like they were baked into the plans.

"Classic and Shaker doors were popular throughout the Victorian era but existed before it and continue to be prevalent to this day. This makes them a versatile door style that can evolve with your taste. Fancy modernising your décor in five years? That’s fine. These doors go with everything!"

Build Antique Kitchen Storage

Look past the old-money outfits of a Sunday-night period drama and you’ll often spot an immaculate butler stocking an intricate storage feature. In that respect, Victorian kitchen furniture was customisable, more so than cabinets made by many modern manufacturers.

A Hawksmoor Ivory range and a Hathaway pantry by Sigma 3 Abergavenny

The reason is simple: people cooked more whole foods so needed more drawers, shelves and pigeonholes. Hence, if you want a kitchen that mirrors that old-money fashion style, vintage décor is just the beginning. You also need your storage to be multi-faceted – like our Hathaway or Lansbury pantries.

Transcend Period Kitchen Colours

Once you’ve nailed down your door style and Victorian storage features, next, consider your colour scheme. Did Victorians choose eye-catching colours? No, but that’s only because they didn’t have access. Modern homeowners are opting for combinations that enhance the Victorian home aesthetic.

A Hatfield Highland Stone and Graphite range by Ratford Bridge

Dark green Victorian kitchens have perennial appeal. That said, you can use splashes of colour if you don’t want to go the whole hog. For instance, a blue Victorian kitchen island makes a particularly creative statement. Alternatively, if you’d prefer, you can even go dark with a black Victorian kitchen.

Layer Old-Money Kitchen Features

Interior designers who discuss the Victorian house style often use the term “cottagecore” on Instagram and Pinterest. Why? The term idealises the fashions, homes and lifestyles that remind people of rural European life, which shares a lot of overlap with old-money interior design.

A wine drawer in Portland Oak in a Hardwick Highland Stone range by Stratton Studios

Say you want the old-money style. In that case, achieving cottagecore is vital, but solely using accessories as garnish has minimal impact. Only showstopper furniture will offer the full effect. Our wine drawers are ideal, empowering you to display your old-money wine collection for visitors to see.

Distribute Dark Academia Kitchen Decor

Arguably the nineteenth century’s greatest author, Jane Austen was famed for her prose. Critics praised how much her characters left unsaid, enriching her worlds by forcing readers to read between the lines. In many ways, you can – and should – achieve the same outcome with interior design.

A VelaBin and an Amalfi Onyx and Madoc Reclaimed Oak range by Sigma 3 Newport

Indeed, preserving “dark academia” – or “Victoriancore” (a darker relative of cottagecore) – requires similar omission. Hidden bins, like our VelaBins, can hide any plastic, which is effective if you have kids who love to distribute sweet wrappers around the house like a wedding flower girl throws confetti.

"Hiding disposable goods is essential if you want your home to resemble the sort of authentic Victorian house’s style that complements the old-money aesthetic. Nothing shatters the illusion of upper-class wealth faster than an exposed recycling bag or colourful packaging."

Enjoy an Old-Money Aesthetic Yourself

If you feel inspired to remodel your kitchen with an old-money upgrade reminiscent of the Victorian kitchen aesthetic, find your nearest Sigma 3 showroom and visit us, or become a Sigma 3 Insider for free. As an Insider, you’ll get design guides to help you remodel your kitchen like a true Victorian.

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