Traditional with an Edge

This is a house that I did a few years ago, that has never been published, but remains one of my favorite homes ever. It is Southern California and is done in a quiet Traditional style with a few twists that gives it some interest. This is the Living Room and you can see that it is a blend of textures with the rubble stone wall, antique plank ceiling and the solid bronze French doors. With all of this happening, I wanted to layer the room with some more old world pieces, so I used a cut Linen velvet on the sofa and some antique Bergeres adjacent to that. I also used an old rug too, that was a nice complement to the stone floor. The coffee tables though are a little bit more modern, and by using two I was really able to break up the scale a little bit too. Even the under scaled painting did a lot for the whole composition, and makes the painting feel more important.

I like mixing styles and directions, it creates a feeling that this is a collection that has grown over time, not a random selection of stuff that your designer has brought in. Here are some ideas that you may want to implement to help create that "lived in" look:

1. Don't be afraid to mix furniture periods, but if you do, pay close attention to scale and color, there should always be some unity between the pieces you choose.
2. Any painting will take on more importance if you place it on a wall by itself, so be sure it can stand up to the attention, if not place it in a grouping.
3. When contrasting textures try to go from extremes, hard to soft, rough to smooth. Almost smooth to smooth, just looks bland.
4. Don't be afraid of adding in more modern pieces to your collection, it will spice things up and make your older pieces look more special.
   

Kitchens

A lot of the projects that I do, are renovations of older homes that people have bought. I am a huge fan of these places, there is something about the scale and detail of these houses that make them very special. The challenge becomes, though, how do you make a room, like the Kitchen, feel like it is in context, while still making it modern enough to fit a contemporary lifestyle. For me it is important that this room feel like it is part of the original structure of the home, without feeling like an overly romanticised pastiche.

Here are some tips that you might find helpful in recreating a period kitchen:

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  Pick one or two decorative elements that evokes the style you are trying to create, more than that and it will look like you are trying too hard. Use these elements throughout the kitchen.


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  Try to use surface materials that are true to the style (very few kitchens of the twenties and thirties used granite), try looking for slate or stainless steel counter tops.


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  If Stainless Steel counter tops are out of your budget, then Stainless appliances will do the trick.


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  Try to avoid things that are very fashionable at the moment, like vessel and apron sinks, they will date your new Kitchen quickly.


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  Use a different material on the back splash, than on the counter top, this is very typical of the period.


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  Although recessed lighting is very efficient in this situation, try to use a couple of pendant fixtures too, especially ones that have a vintage feel to them. There is a great selection at www.circalighting.com .


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  Try to find something cool for the floor too. I am a fan of Linoleum, but in Kitchen above we used Terrazzo which is another old world material.


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  The Cabinet Hardware is another opportunity to create your style. I find a great selection at www.crowncityhardware.com try using butt hinges on the doors as they are more old world feeling than the modern Euro hinge.


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  Another interesting idea is don't paint the kitchen all the same color, maybe make the island another color. I use the rule of thumb, that if the Island is the same color as the rest of the Kitchen, I can change materials (maybe do a wood top), but if the Island is a different color, then the surface materials, remain the same throughout.


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  Years ago while reading a Martha Stewart Magazine, I read about a tip where you paint the inside of glass fronted and open cabinets a contrasting color. It makes the contents really pop. This has now become a staple for me that I have used to great affect.

Well, Good luck with your Kitchen adventures!