Interest in the actual contemporary architecture of the Victorian era seems to have been much stronger in America than in Britain. This makes sense, really - in America, new building was constantly underway. Hence, whatever was being built in this time frame was, by definition, Victorian architecture. Britain, conversely, was still a landscape dominated by buildings of the past - and in general-interest magazines at least, articles on architecture tended to focus on historic buildings rather than contemporary structures. This section looks at contemporary architecture of the Victorian period, including the house plans provided in such magazines as Godey's and Demorest.

Victorian House Plans

Portable Swiss Chalets (Art Journal, 1858)

Architectural Plans from Godey's Lady's Book: 1860 • 1863 • 1867 • 1868 • 1873

Architectural Plans from Demorest: 1879 • 1880 • 1888

Houseplans (Ladies Home Journal, 1896)

Images and floorplans for a variety of inexpensive homes.

Victorian Architecture in America

Modern Dwellings: Their Construction, Decoration, and Furniture, by H. Hudson Holly (Harper's Monthly, 1876A)

Modern Dwellings: Their Construction, Decoration and Furniture, by H. Hudson Holly (Harper's Monthly, 1876B)

The Tile Club at Work (Scribners, 1879A)

Some of the Union League [Club House] Decorations (Century Magazine, 1882A)

The Architectural League of New York, by Roger Riordan (Century Magazine, 1883A)

Old New York and Its Houses, by Richard Grant White (Century Magazine, 1883B)

Recent Architecture in America 1&2: Public Buildings, by M.G. Van Rensselaer (Century Magazine, 1884B)

Ornamental Forms in Nature, by Roger Riordan (Century Magazine, 1883B)

How natural forms are incorporated into design and architecture.

Recent Architecture in America 3: Commercial Buildings, by M.G. Van Rensselaer (Century Magazine, 1884B)

Recent Architecture in America 4: Churches, by M.G. Van Rensselaer (Century Magazine, 1885A)

Recent Architecture in America 5 & 6: City Dwellings, by M.G. Van Rensselaer (Century Magazine, 1886A)

American Country Dwellings, by M.G. Van Rensselaer (Century Magazine, 1886B)

A follow-on to the "Architecture" series.

American Architecture in English Eyes (Century Magazine, 1888A)

College Fraternities, by John Addison Porter (Century Magazine, 1888B)

Though this is primarily about fraternity life, the article includes lovely illustrations of the fraternity buildings of a variety of colleges.

Mural Decoration in America, by Royal Cortissoz (Century Magazine, 1896A)

• See also Sites & Buildings in New York City as well as America State by State for articles on architecture in specific towns and cities.

Victorian Architecture in Britain

English Homes: As They Are, and May Be, in Furnishing and Decoration, by John Stewart (Art Journal, 1859)

Decorative Art and Architecture in England, by M.D. Conway (Harper's Monthly, 1874)

A Pre-Raphaelite Mansion, by Theodore Child (Harper's Monthly, 1891A)

The home of F.R. Leyland, who aspired to live the life of an old Venetian merchant in modern London.