The Victorians would have thought it extravagant to spend a whole dollar on any one small item. Alas, in today’s economy anything that only costs a buck is considered cheap and Victorian-era antiques are often unattainable for the budget-restrained.

Still, if you would like to decorate in the Victorian style, you can get something of the look by focusing on look-alike accessories.

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Supplies Used and Recommendations:

Use Doilies and Dried Flowers

The Victorians liked doilies and crocheted tablecloths and used a lot of fresh and dried flowers throughout their homes. The dollar store answer is a pretty lace tablecloth and some fabric flowers in a painted vase.


Quick Tip: To give your space a unified look, use the same color of doily and/or tablecloth throughout the room. Dollar store cloth doilies come in packages of two to four (depending on the size).

Add Candlesticks and Knick-Knacks


Knick-knacks like candlesticks and porcelain figurines were a big part of the Victorian decorating scheme. I plunked one of my houseplants into an embossed glass bowl that’s reminiscent of the Victorian love of pattern.

The resin bird ornament from Dollarama was spray-painted white to give it a porcelain-like appearance and the elephant oil diffuser reminded us of a time when India was a British colony.

When it comes to ornaments, you can incorporate your favorite pieces into the mix. The Victorians used lots of bric-a-brac but, as I am among the many who are attempting to pare down our belongings, I have opted to display only a few preferred pieces.

Choose Ornate Frames

Ornate gold or wooden frames were Victorian favorites. These 8×10 frames can, of course, hold smaller pictures with the use of mats, which come in packages of one or two.

We found these frames very accommodating to the ancestors and have had positive comments from visitors about this wall grouping. 

Decorate Using Maps and Globes

Other things to incorporate into decorating in Victorian style, would include maps and globes.

Framing maps is an easy way to create artwork. This reproduction of an ancient map was saved from an old calendar. I turned the insert that came with the 11 x 14-inch frame over to get a plain white surface, and glued the carefully cut out map to the centre of it. When placed in the frame, you get the appearance of matting, without actually having to mat the image.

I actually found this small antique-style globe at Dollar Tree one year. It has a wood base and metal accents, which I love. Thrift shops would also be a great place to look for globes.

Add Hardcover Book Collections

It seems hardcover book collections never quite go out of style. I grouped these three, in the same colour group, together and used some decorative corbels as bookends.

Fun Fact: This copy of Gone With The Wind was my mom’s. It’s the motion picture edition published in 1940 and features colour pictures from the 1939 film.

Display Decorative Plates

Decorative plates don’t have to languish in the cupboard. The Victorians displayed pretty plates on shelves and walls in their living spaces. Dollar Tree gets pretty dishware in every season and, of course, thrift stores are a great place to look for decorative/vintage plates.

While dollar stores can’t supply all of your Victorian decorating needs, it can be a great place to start.

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