Ornate, charming, mysterious, elaborate. All of these words can be used to describe Victorian architecture. But what makes a style Victorian? You might be surprised to find that, not one, but many different styles of architecture are considered Victorian. Just about any home built during or shortly after the reign of England’s Queen Victoria (1840-1900) can be considered Victorian.

With the Industrial Revolution (late 1700′s – early 1800′s) having brought about new machines allowing for mass production and the railroads having improved transportation nationwide, the average person was finally able to get the materials they needed for building fancier and more interesting homes. This availability led to the array of styles we refer to as Victorian. Some of the most notable styles that comprise “Victorian” style architecture are Queen Anne, Second Empire, Italianate, and Stick-Eastlake.