Thread: Eerie Elegance - a Victorian theme

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Hey all. I've re-thought my theme for this year since moving house. I was going to do a voodoo theme, but I've moved into a different house which looks as though it was built in the Victorian era (this is no exaggeration - I'm English so it's very possible the house dates from this time). The house still has some original features such as a bootscraper outside the front door (this dates from the time when horse was the main mode of transport, and the scraper was to get the horse dung off your doors before entering the house!) There's also an old coach yard in the next street where horses were stabled. The house has also got what looks to be the original fireplace, which is a large, black construction with a metal grate, ornate tilework and wrought iron.

So I'm thinking this property lends itself more to a Victorian-type theme. The name of the party will be "Spooky Soiree at Morbid Manor". My OH and I will dress in period costume. But I need a little help brainstorming about how to pull off the atmosphere I'm seeking in an otherwise modern house!

We've repainted many rooms and the living room has blue walls...which don't look very scary! Also, as we've done a bit of work to the house (mostly painting) we want to get a good, decrepit, abandoned old house effect without ruining our decor!

If anyone has any suggestions for this theme, please share them, I really need help bring this idea together!

Thank you

The last couple of years I've done our front office as a sort of Victorian parlor. I bought the Scene Setters wood panel roll and their bat border to put on the bottom half of the walls and found a style of wrapping paper at the Dollar Tree that reminded me of Victorian wallpaper to cover the top half. Looked great - people begged me to leave it up all year!

I found a great mirror for $10 at an antique store, painted the frame black, then realized it had bat shapes all around the frame! It along with a lot of changing portraits (I cut them off the cheesy plastic frames and put them in Victorian-era styled frames) and some candle sconces adorned the walls. I also found a $5 brass "chandelier" at Goodwill, wired it up to be plugged into the wall, painted it black, and added flicker bubls.

Candelabras, lace curtains/tableclothes, bird cages, books..... Lots of options!

I'll just add some pictures to make this easier.....

Actually you could mix the voodoo theme with Victorian feel. It's really not a strange idea.

Originally Posted by Si-cotik

Actually you could mix the voodoo theme with Victorian feel. It's really not a strange idea.

That's a good idea. Think old Louisiana!

I dont have anything to add. I am just liking the ideas you guys got going.

My first thought was to host a seance, given how popular they were in Victorian times. Ghosts in general were such a popular fictional subject that even superficial searching on the web quickly turned up modern compilations of them. Although potentially risky, I could see tying them into voodoo with some kind of traveling priestess visitng the home of an upper crust family obsessed with spirits.

The other thought was to go vampire, given the publication date of Dracula.

Either way, Googling up images of vampire masquerade balls might give you some staging tips as many of these lean heavily on Victorian gothic influences. Researching the elaborate Victorian mourning customs might provide inspiration.

There are plenty of old victorian houses in New Orleans so if you wanted voodoo stick with it. if you really want the old English party games the do bobbing for apples and look up 19th century Halloween games to play.Rikki is great about the decoration part.

Originally Posted by NOWHINING

I dont have anything to add. I am just liking the ideas you guys got going.

Me too!

Rikki - Your front office looked great, and by the way, are they hiring? I wanna work somewhere like that!

Originally Posted by kmb123

Rikki - Your front office looked great, and by the way, are they hiring? I wanna work somewhere like that!

Haha, thanks! That is the front office of the Mixed Martial Arts gym that I own.

Any of you Victorian buffs in the Dallas/Fort Worth area? look what I found for free on Craigslist.

Victorian baby carriage. This has so many possibilities for you guys. FREE

I removed the info since it seems to have been taken. It was awesome looking!