Restoring Character: Inside Victoria Summer’s Journey to the Perfect Victorian Hallway

After years of searching for the perfect countryside home, interior enthusiast and content creator Victoria Summer (@summerhousestyle) found her forever house closer to home than she ever expected. Having explored locations much further afield, it was a property almost on her own doorstep that ultimately won her over.
From the very first viewing, Victoria could see the potential. While her husband needed a little more persuasion, she was undeterred even by the considerable challenges the house presented. The Victorian property had been untouched for decades; there was no heating, visible disrepair and even a leaking roof that once sent water pouring into the kitchen.
Yet beneath it all were beautiful original features; fireplaces, coving and cornicing, just waiting to be celebrated.
Following a full renovation, Victoria and her family transformed the house into a warm and welcoming home. However, four years on, one space still felt incomplete: the hallway. Despite its generous proportions and retained period detailing, something was missing.
Determined to restore the hallway’s architectural integrity, Victoria turned to Richard Burbidge to find the perfect dado rail.
She ordered samples of each available profile and held them against the walls, carefully considering scale and proportion, an important step in a narrow Victorian hallway, where every detail needs to enhance the space without overwhelming it.
Her final choice was the Pine Dado Rail (DEC6011), installing 26 metres throughout the hallway. Its slim, refined profile added subtle definition without dominating the room, complementing the original coving and cornicing while bringing the hallway together.
The installation was carried out by Victoria’s husband, a confident DIYer but new to fitting dado rails. He found the process straightforward, particularly since many of Richard Burbidge’s dado rails come pre-primed, helping to make preparation quicker and easier to achieve a smooth, ready-to-paint finish.
For Victoria, the addition of the Richard Burbidge dado rail was the finishing touch that pulled everything together, transforming the hallway into a restored, cohesive space, proof that the right moulding can make all the difference.
Explore Richard Burbidge’s full range of dado rails and stairparts here.


Top Factors to Consider Before Renovating your Staircase One of the most integral parts of a home is the staircase, when designing a home the location of the staircase determines the layout of the entire property. The staircase is the central design focus and a new stairway has the ability to transform your home from the aesthetics to the flow in your house. If you are looking to improve your interior space, a stair renovation may be for you. Here are some of the top factors to consider when looking to renovate your stair space. Interior Décor The staircase plays an integral part in enhancing the décor of your property. When you walk into a home your eyes go immediately to the staircase, the centrepiece and central design focus of the home. There is a staircase design to suit everyone, from glass to timber to metal balusters, every homeowner can find a design to match their interior vision. As the staircase is the first part of your home guests see upon entering, it really sets the tone for the décor style of the rest of the house. High Quality A well designed and well maintained staircase and balustrade can last for a lifetime without needing to be replaced. A good quality stair balustrade will ensure fitting is quick to complete and stays in top condition. Adding Value One of the many perks of choosing to renovate your staircase is that you will add a great deal of value to your home, to both the prospective buyers, and the monetary value. An up to date and current stair design will attract possible buyers to your property, increasing the demand and value. Safety Safety should be one of your top considerations when looking to renovate your staircase, it’s important to choose a company that is transparent about the testing and safety credentials their products hold. At Richard Burbidge all of our stair systems are put through a series of rigorous tests and assessments by FIRA, the recognised authorities in timber product testing, ensuring our products stand the test of time and comply with all the necessary domestic building regulations for your safety. We can confidently say our stair systems are top of the range safety. Experts When installing your new stair system make sure to hire a reputable fitter if you are not confident in installing yourself. We are always on hand to provide our expert fitting advice to ensure your stair renovation runs smoothly. No matter the design, the most integral part of any staircase is the quality of both the materials and the parts. Richard Burbidge is the UK’s leading supplier of stair parts, with over 150 years’ experience manufacturing timber products, you can be confident your Richard Burbidge staircase will be a great investment. See our stairparts collections here. Contact our technical team for any advice prior, during or after installation, on technical@richardburbidge.co.uk or 01691 678 212.
READ ARTICLERichard Burbidge, the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of stair parts, decking accessories and decorative mouldings has relocated its head office to Chirk, North Wales, joining the company’s existing onsite manufacturing and distribution facility. As part of the ongoing development of the company, Richard Burbidge has relocated its office headquarters to join its existing manufacturing and distribution facility in Chirk. The Chirk site forms part of the extensive business history of Richard Burbidge, since it was initially acquired in 1986. The move will improve both the service and quality of products by having all staff in one location, unifying working relationships between all departments, from marketing to distribution, as well as improving efficiency, customer service and delivery. Mouldings Grading Facility Tony Miles, CEO of Richard Burbidge, comments: “The consolidation of all offices to Chirk is a big move and demonstrates just how serious we are about British manufacturing and sustainability. “We are a family business and above all, excellent quality and customer service are our priority. The move is already proving successful, with a unified workforce, improved communication and efficiency. “2020 is a big year for the company with increased marketing and production. Richard Burbidge is proving itself as a leading manufacturer of stair parts, decking accessories and decorative mouldings.”
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