London’s Victorian properties are the heart and soul of the city’s architectural landscape. Their elegant proportions, solid construction, and wealth of original features are the reason they remain some of the most sought-after homes. However, the very things that give them character – the long corridors, separate reception rooms, and small rear kitchens – are often at odds with the demands of modern family life.
This creates the central challenge for any homeowner: how do you modernise for a contemporary lifestyle without erasing the historic soul of the building? How do you create light-filled, open-plan spaces while respecting and restoring original craftsmanship?
This is the art of a high-end Victorian house refurbishment. It is a delicate balancing act between preservation and innovation. This guide will explore the key strategies for undertaking a sympathetic yet ambitious renovation, transforming your period property into a home that is both timelessly beautiful and perfectly suited for the 21st century.
The Golden Rule: What to Preserve, What to Replace
The first step in any successful period property renovation is to audit the existing features. A key part of adding value is retaining and celebrating the unique character that makes these homes special.
Features to Preserve & Restore:
Original Cornicing, Skirting & Ceiling Roses: These plasterwork details are the signature of a Victorian interior. Careful restoration can bring them back to their former glory.
Fireplaces: Even if no longer functional, original cast iron or marble fireplaces are a stunning focal point in reception rooms and bedrooms.
Sash Windows: The vertical sliding mechanism and elegant proportions of sash windows are integral to the facade. They should be repaired and draught-proofed wherever possible.
Original Floorboards: Beneath old carpets often lie beautiful pine or oak floorboards that can be sanded, restored, and finished to create a warm and authentic foundation for your design.
Elements to Thoughtfully Upgrade: The goal is to replace outdated elements with modern versions that are either high-performing replicas or an elegant contemporary contrast. For example, single-glazed sash windows that are beyond repair can be replaced with new, custom-made double-glazed sashes that perfectly replicate the original design, satisfying both thermal efficiency needs and conservation area requirements.
CREATING LIGHT & FLOW
The Open-Plan Victorian Terrace
Perhaps the single most transformative intervention in a Victorian house refurbishment is tackling the layout of the ground floor. The classic layout often feels dark and disconnected by modern standards.
The most common and effective solution is to make structural alterations to the rear of the property. This typically involves removing the original back wall of the house and part of the side wall to combine the rear reception room and the side-return kitchen into one large, cohesive space.
This creates the light-filled, open-plan kitchen-diner that is now the benchmark for modern family living. The new, wider space allows for a large kitchen island, a dining area, and a soft seating zone, all connected seamlessly to the garden via large glazed doors. While this requires significant structural work, including the installation of steel beams to support the house above, it fundamentally changes how the home is used and enjoyed. Our BIM process is essential here for modelling these complex structural changes with millimetre-perfect precision.
(This type of alteration often forms part of a larger Home Extension project.)
CREATING LIGHT & FLOW
Kitchens, Bathrooms, and a Home's Hidden Systems
A truly high-end refurbishment integrates modern amenities seamlessly into the period fabric of the home.
Kitchens: The design challenge is to create a functional, modern kitchen that doesn’t feel out of place. This can be achieved by using timeless materials like natural stone and wood, or by creating a bold contrast with ultra-modern, minimalist cabinetry set against a restored, exposed brick wall.
Bathrooms: Victorian homes were not built with multiple bathrooms in mind. A key part of the refurbishment process is often cleverly carving out space for a new family bathroom or a master en-suite, using elegant, period-inspired sanitaryware and brassware combined with modern performance.
Heating & Insulation: To make a Victorian property truly comfortable, upgrading the „unseen” systems is critical. This is the perfect opportunity to install energy-efficient underfloor heating, fully insulate the loft and floors, and upgrade the plumbing to a modern, high-pressure system.
The Reltic BIM Difference: Precision Engineering for Period Homes
Working with older properties presents unique challenges. Walls are rarely perfectly straight, and floors are seldom level. This is where our technology-led Design & Build approach provides a crucial advantage.
Our process begins with a 3D laser scan of your entire property, creating a perfect digital replica of the house as it currently stands, with all its quirks and imperfections. This BIM model becomes our canvas. It allows our architects and engineers to design new structural elements with surgical precision, to plan the routes for modern plumbing and electrical systems without damaging historic plasterwork, and to show you exactly how your new space will look and feel in virtual reality.
This meticulous digital planning de-risks the entire project. It allows us to provide a fixed-price contract for your London property refurbishment, because we have already solved the potential problems before they can arise on-site. It is the modern, professional way to guarantee a flawless result.
(Ready to start your journey? Explore our full Property Refurbishment services to learn more.)
A New Chapter for a Classic Home
Modernising a Victorian property is one of the most rewarding projects a homeowner can undertake. It’s a journey that celebrates historic craftsmanship while embracing the best of contemporary design and technology. Success lies in a sensitive, respectful approach, guided by an expert team that understands the unique language of period architecture. The result is a home that not only functions perfectly for modern life but also carries its unique London story into the future.
Considering a Refurbishment for Your Period Property?
A conversation is the first step in any great restoration. Contact our team of period property specialists today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your vision.
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