Victorian terraced houses are a familiar sight in many Irish towns and cities. From their period features to their compact layouts, understanding what makes them unique can help you renovate yours beautifully, whether you're planning an extension or attic conversion.
If bay windows, sash windows, fireplaces and decorative cornicing are all part of your home's original character, you don't necessarily have to get rid of them. Understanding its features can help you decide what to keep when you renovate.
2. Make more of the space you have
3. Bring natural light into darker spaces
Victorian terraces can be narrow and dark through the middle. Roof windows and flat roof windows can bring daylight into corridors, stairways and extensions, helping your space feel brighter, more welcoming and more enjoyable to live in.
What is a Victorian terraced house?
A Victorian terraced house is a home built during the time of Queen Victoria, between 1837 and 1901, as part of a row of adjoining houses. Each home shares walls with its neighbours, creating the terraces you can still see lining streets in Dublin and other Irish towns and cities today.
Victorian terraces range from grand townhouses to smaller redbrick homes built as cities and towns expanded during the 19th century. But there’s much more to these homes than just being built in a row. Victorian architecture is known for its beautiful period details, from sash windows and decorative brickwork to high ceilings, cornicing and fireplaces.
Victorian terraces usually have a long, narrow footprint, with rooms leading towards the back of the house. While that layout suited Victorian life, it can present a few challenges for modern homeowners – especially when it comes to space and natural light.
Key characteristics of a Victorian terrace
Wondering whether your home is a Victorian terrace? Features vary depending on where and when it was built, but there are a few characteristics you might find:
- Bay windows: a classic feature that brings more light into the front room and creates extra space inside.
- Sash windows: tall windows made from panels that slide vertically to open.
- Decorative cornicing: look up and you might find ornate plasterwork where the walls meet the ceiling.
- Fireplaces: lots of Victorian homes were built with fireplaces in several rooms, often with decorative surrounds.
- High ceilings: generous ceiling heights can make narrower rooms feel spacious.
- Narrow hallways: Victorian terraces often have slim entrance halls leading through the house.
- Small gardens: many have compact gardens or yards at the back rather than large outdoor spaces.
You won't necessarily find all of these features in every Victorian terraced house. Years of renovation and changing tastes means plenty might have been altered along the way.
Victorian terraces vs Edwardian terraces
Victorian terraces are normally narrower and more uniform in style, whereas Edwardian houses are usually wider with more outdoor space and lighter, airier layouts. Both are beautiful period properties, but their proportions can make them feel very different to live in.
Victorian terrace
Edwardian terrace
From the street
Uniform rows on narrow plots
Wider fronts on more spacious plots
Layout
Usually long and narrow
Usually wider and more spacious
Interior light
Darker middle rooms, hallways or stairwells
Generally lighter and more airy layouts
Outdoor space
Typically smaller gardens or yards
Often more generous gardens to match the wider property size
Why do Victorian terraces get renovated so often?
Victorian terraces were designed for life in that era. With long, narrow layouts, smaller rooms, closed-off kitchens and darker spaces in the middle of the house, their style isn’t always an ideal match for how we live today.
But that doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. Lots of Victorian terrace renovations focus on creating more space and bringing in more natural light. This might involve knocking through the walls of adjoining rooms, extending on the side return or into the back garden, converting an or bathroom, and even adding roof windows or flat roof windows to brighten dark spaces.
The goal isn't necessarily to change everything. Whether you make small or big structural changes, the goal is to create a home that works beautifully for your day-to-day life while keeping the period features that give your home its character.
How can you extend a Victorian terrace?
A rear or side return extension can give a Victorian terrace the extra space its original layout lacked. Both are great ways to create a larger kitchen and living area withoutchanging the character of the front of your home.
A side return makes use of the narrow strip of land that can run alongside the original kitchen. A rear extension pushes the back of the house further into the garden. Depending on your home and the space available, you could also combine the two.
The challenge is thinking about natural light. Extending the back of a long, narrow house can leave the middle feeling darker, especially as windows and doors move further away. But bringing daylight in from above can help brighten the deeper parts of your home.
For a side return or kitchen extension with a flat roof, VELUX flat roof windows are a great way to bring natural light directly into the space. Think about where you need daylight most, such as over dining areas, kitchen worktops or the transition between the old and new parts of your home. You can also speak to a VELUX expert for help if you’re not sure.
How can you convert the loft in a Victorian terrace?
A attic conversion in a Victorian terrace can give you extra space without increasing the size of your home. That could mean turning an unused attic into a new bedroom, bathroom, home office or even a playroom.
The type of conversion that's possible will depend on your roof. For example, an end-of-terrace property could have a hip-to-gable conversion, which extends the sloping side of the roof to create more space inside
It’s worth thinking about natural light and ventilation when turning attic space into a room you'll use every day. Sloped roof windows can bring both into the space, while making the most of the views from the top of your home.
If you live in a heritage, conservation or historical property, you can also choose roof windows designed to blend old and new. There are two VELUX options, depending on the look you’re after and how much light you want to add.
Heritage conservation roof window
The VELUX Heritage conservation roof window is designed for heritage, conservation and historical properties where keeping a traditional look is especially important.
Its appearance is traditional both inside and out, with a top-hung opening and classic winding handle. From autumn 2026, it will also be available with new high-performance glazing for improved energy efficiency. It's a good option to consider where protected structure or conservation requirements are particularly strict.
Conservation roof window
The VELUX Conservation roof window combines a traditional exterior look with more choice in how you use it, making it a good option where conservation requirements are less strict. You can choose between centre-pivot and top-hung opening styles, depending on your space.
It can let fresh air in while the window is closed, while the pivot function makes the outside easier to clean from indoors. For windows that are harder to reach, you can also upgrade it to solar operation using a conversion kit.
How can you modernise a Victorian terrace without losing its character?
Modernising a Victorian terrace is all about finding a balance between old and new. You can make your home warmer, brighter and better suited to everyday life while keeping the original details that give it character.
Start with the features worth celebrating. Original fireplaces, decorative cornicing and sash windows can sit beautifully alongside a modern kitchen, updated lighting and an open-plan layout.
Behind the scenes, improvements such as insulation and rewiring can make a period property feel more comfortable for you to live in if your budget allows it. And if you find that natural light is limited, roof windows or flat roof windows can brighten darker spaces without taking away from your home's original charm.
All in all, a Victorian house renovation shouldn't make your home feel brand new. It's about keeping the details you love while making the rest of the house work better for how you want to live in it. And the best part is you have a chance to make it completely unique.
Ready to start yours? Get inspiration for your home renovation project, learn how to brighten up dark spaces, or find out why natural light could be the next best addition to your home.
Victorian terraced houses: quick questions & answers
How do you modernise a Victorian terraced house?
You can modernise a Victorian terraced house by improving the parts that no longer suit how you live while preserving the period features you love. You could update insulation and electrics, open up smaller rooms, and extend the kitchen or convert the loft – all while keeping original fireplaces, cornicing and sash windows.
What are the characteristics of a Victorian terrace house?
Victorian terraces are typically long, narrow homes built in rows with shared walls. Typical features include bay windows, decorative brickwork and cornicing, high ceilings, fireplaces, narrow hallways and smaller rear gardens. Not all houses have the same features, as some might have been changed over time.
What is the difference between Edwardian and Victorian terraced houses?
Victorian terraces tend to be narrower and more uniform with smaller gardens and darker internal spaces. Edwardian houses usually have wider fronts, more outdoor space and lighter, airier layouts. Both are period homes with lots of character.
Do I need planning permission for a Victorian terrace renovation?
It depends on the work you're planning. Some home extensions and alterations can be classed as exempted development, meaning you might not need planning permission if they meet certain conditions. If your home is a protected structure or sits within an Architectural Conservation Area, other restrictions could apply. Check with your local planning authority or a qualified building professional before starting any work.