The History of Victorian Moulding
"Here in Seattle, our rich history helped to shape the local architectural landscape, including the use and variety of moulding profiles."
Depending where you go in the country, you'll find all kinds of different moulding styles. Take Seattle as an example, where our rich history helped to shape the local architectural landscape, including the use and variety of moulding profiles. At Dunn Lumber, we know that moulding can be extremely regional, which is why we went to several local remodeling contractors and asked what mouldings best represent the homes in Seattle's neighborhoods. They picked six different styles—including the Victorian profile—which are all on display at our Bellevue moulding showroom.
Here in Seattle, the Victorian style was the first to arrive on the scene. Emblematic of an era when the only thing more abundant than wood was the public’s love for rich ornamentation, Victorian moulding represented a high point for beautiful trim and elaborate millwork. From high baseboards and decorative wainscots at the floor to picture rails and stacked crown moulding at the ceiling, Victorian moulding was a completion package, all centered around the classic reeded pilaster casing with plinth and corner blocks that define the look of the period.
I sat down with certified interior designer Keith Miller of Miller Interior Design, who walked me through the history and appeal of Victorian-style moulding in Seattle:
“The Victorian era was inspired by Queen Victoria of England. It had everything to do with grandeur, large scale, and opulence. During the early 1900s in America, trends were starting to formulate in the broader culture, and this aesthetic—the Victorian era—became prominent throughout the East Coast and New England, extending through the Midwest as people were finding wealth. America was settling into its personality and finding wealth by industry. There was a reaction and a powerful moment in history where we had an industrial revolution that changed the way manufacturing occurred. All of a sudden the middle class and the upper middle class could have the beauty of royalty, because they had access to millwork, stunning carpentry, light fixtures, and more because of machine manufacturing.
Seattle was finding itself prominent; an attractive place to escape from the rest of the country right around the turn of the past century. The gold rush in Alaska brought an enormous influx of income and wealth that showed up in this region, overlaid on this stunning natural setting.
There were a few Seattle neighborhoods that blossomed in that time, with glorious Victorian houses in Queen Anne, Denny Hill, and First Hill, but those were all torn down after the Great Fire. City planning and further development meant a loss of additional neighborhoods in the Victorian style, but thankfully we still find Victorian homes tucked all over Seattle.”
At Dunn Lumber, we know moulding is worth experiencing firsthand. That’s why we created our Bellevue moulding showroom, where you can tour six different styles to see how they uniquely complement floors, walls, windows, and doors. The showroom is a place for homeowners to envision their dream home, get answers from our experienced team members, or sit down with their contractor to lay out some plans and talk.
You can find the right style of moulding for your home at all nine of our Puget Sound Dunn Lumber locations.
