Take a tour around an eclectic Victorian villa

THE PROPERTY A two-storey Victorian red-brick villa with a loft conversion in Hastings, East Sussex.

THE PROPERTY A two-storey Victorian red-brick villa with a loft conversion in Hastings, East Sussex.
SPACE Basement utility room, living room, snug, kitchen-diner, studio space, plus 4 bedrooms, a bathroom and a shower room.

1/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

room with brown piano and flower in vase

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

A decadent gold mirror adds glamour and warmth to the dining room, while a grand piano and oversized vase take centre stage.

2/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

living room with fireplace and photoframe on wall

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

It’s the unexpected clashes of colour that give this house character. The whole vibe of this living room is welcoming. Warm colours and firelight make visitors feel cosy and get conversation flowing.

The walls are painted in Arsenic by Farrow & Ball. For floral throws and cushions try The Rug Company and for large candlesticks, visit Lombok.

3/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

living room with fireplace and photoframe on wall

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

The owner of this eclectic villa spends time scouring auction houses for orginal pieces and old paintings. As this reading spot shows, the aim is to fill rooms with colour from top to bottom.

4/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

kitchen room with tiled flooring and shelves on wall

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

With its flagstone tile flooring, wooden worktops and butler sink, the kitchen has a laid-back country feel. A fusion of colour, paintings and country-kitchen accessories create a one-off look.

Lombok’s Cerise Pink is a good match for this paint shade.

5/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

dining room with tiled flooring and white table with chairs

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

Although it’s part of the kitchen, the owners have given this end of the room a real dining room style, with rich fabrics and carved accessories. Pink walls add zing and are the perfect back-drop for a mix of accessories. The antique mirror and glittering chandelier add a stylish touch.

The white-painted dining table was bought at an auction for £60.

6/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

living room with wooden flooring and woman painted on grey door

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

Unconventional blue-green walls, second-hand artwork and vibrant splashes of orange lift this scheme right out of the ordinary.

7/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

living room with wooden flooring and flower in white vase

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

White emulsion and blackboard paint was used to restore this damaged hallway table – it had been badly burnt in a pub fire, but now looks pristine. Blackboard paint is great for giving furniture a stylish, matt quality.

8/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

bathroom with photoframes on purple wall

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

The bathroom, with its reproduction roll-top bath and soothing mauve walls, has a nostalgic mood with plenty of Victorian glamour!

9/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

bedroom with bed with pillows

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

This bedroom showcases the main themes of this home: eclectic decorating and upcycling. This screen-turned-headboard was ‘a lucky find’ from eBay. The £10 eiderdown was purchased from the classified section of a newspaper.

10/10 Eclectic Victorian villa house tour

room with wooden chair and printed grey wall

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

Hoards of jewellery, a fluffy lamp and daring wallpaper transforms this bedroom into a stunning gallery for favourite trinkets.

Looking for more modern decorating inspiration? Check out our House Tours section for everything from a rustic French farmhouse to an Arts and Crafts London semi.

Heather Young
Editor

Heather Young has been Ideal Home’s Editor since late 2020, and Editor-In-Chief since 2023. She is an interiors journalist and editor who’s been working for some of the UK’s leading interiors magazines for over 20 years, both in-house and as a freelancer.