Christmas Lights for a Victorian House

Christmas lights for a Victorian house

A Victorian has too much detail to light all of it, so pick three features: the turret, the gable peaks and the porch. In the worked example the turret cone alone is about 79 ft of mini lights, the gable rakes about 56 ft and the porch edge about 48 ft. A well-chosen three look richer than a full outline of everything.

Pick three features

New England magazine's guide to Queen Anne houses lists the signs: a round or polygonal front corner tower with a conical or domed roof, a wide porch with turned gingerbread spindlework, and a steep roof with cross gables or large dormers. The style was built roughly from 1880 to 1910. Each of these is a lighting target, and each wants a different treatment.

Worked example: 8 ft wide turret, two gables, 36 ft porch with a 12 ft wrap
Feature	Measure	How to light it	Reach
Turret cone	ring about 25 ft plus 6 ribs of 9 ft, about 79 ft	Mini lights, one color	Pro, or skip the ribs and light the ring
Gable rakes	2 gables, 4 rakes of about 14 ft: 56 ft	C9, in line with the eave	Ladder at eave, pro above
Porch roof edge	36 ft front plus 12 ft wrap: 48 ft	C9	From the ground or a stepladder
Spindle frieze	36 ft	Mini lights on the beam behind it	From the ground
Windows	14 ft each	Mini lights, only on the focal ones	Ground and ladder

Front of a Queen Anne style house with a round corner turret under a cone roof, two cross gables and a wraparound porch; the turret and gables are drawn as yellow bulb runs and the porch edge as green — Turret, two gables and porch: the three features that read as Victorian. Diagram drawn from the calculator numbers.

Handle the porch like carved furniture

The spindles, brackets and railings are the reason people like the house, and string on them hides what they look like. Light the porch roof edge and run a second line on the beam behind the frieze, so the spindles are silhouetted. For a 36 ft porch at 8 ft per bay that is 4.5 bays, so about 36 ft on the roof edge and 36 ft behind the frieze.

Do not staple or screw into old trim. Use clips on the gutter or beam, and for historic wood, ties or removable hooks. On an old house the porch is part of what makes it historic, which is the reason to keep fasteners out of the wood.

Close view of one eight-foot porch bay with a row of turned spindles under the porch roof, a bracket at each post, a yellow bulb line on the roof edge and a red line behind the frieze — One porch bay: light the roof edge and a line behind the frieze, not the carved wood.

The turret

A conical turret is a good use of a mini string: wrap a ring at the base and run six ribs up to the point. With an 8 ft base and a 9 ft slant that is about 25 ft for the ring and 54 ft for the ribs. The slope is steep and the base is high; if you cannot get a ladder to it safely, light the base ring only or use a warm uplight at the foot. See hiring an installer.

Looks that suit a Victorian

Victorian mini: small lights that follow trim without competing with it.
Gingerbread: scalloped strands on the gables and porch.
Gold champagne: a warm tone that suits painted ladies.

Upload a photo of your Victorian to see which three features look best lit. Preview it on my house, free

Frequently asked questions

How do I light a Victorian house with turrets?

Wrap the turret base with a ring of mini lights and run ribs up the cone if you can reach it safely. Otherwise light the base and uplight the shaft.

Should I light every detail on a Victorian?

No. Choose the turret, the gables and the porch and leave the rest dark so the shapes show.

How many lights does a Victorian need?

The worked example needs about 79 ft on the turret, 56 ft on gable rakes and 48 ft on the porch edge. See the calculator.

Can I damage Victorian trim with clips?

Yes, if you screw into it. Clip to gutters and beams and use ties on the trim.

Is this a job for a pro?

The turret and gable peaks often are. See installation cost.

Christmas lights for a Victorian house