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Let’s discuss old homes and how to modernize and enhance their unique beauty through thoughtful design, while honoring their history. I’ve included a list of resources for you for heritage paint brands in both the USA and Europe, and listed some great resources in Europe for finding unique cupboards, sinks, and other special antique items for your historical home.
This is a topic I’m passionate about, especially given my 15 years of experience as an Interior Designer in both the United States and Germany. I currently enjoy the charm of historic architecture in my German city, but I’ve also had the pleasure of living and working in New England – I’ve lived in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. I mainly spent the most time though in Boston, one of the earliest settlements in the United States, which is renowned for its beautiful and historically rich architecture, making it one of the most picturesque cities in the country.
Here in Germany, I am lucky enough to have a beautiful old turn-of-the-century Jugendstil apartment from 1901 in Hannover’s most beautiful districts called List. I chose this space for its architecture, square meters (230m2), access to the forest behind my house, and the natural light that fills the rooms from morning to night. I also wanted to live here because I love the unique features such as 125 year old herringbone wood flooring, original double doors in several rooms with glass panels, some of the ceilings have intricate carvings, we have beautiful old doors as you enter each room, a grand entryway, and transom windows, to name just a few of the unique traits in my space. I also have two wintergartens, completely surrounded by glass, for relaxing in the summer and for my 48 plants and succulents. Each evening, I unwind as the sun sets over the clay-tiled rooftops, casting warm light through my dining room and scattering playful reflections from a disco ball atop my cabinet. I love the charm of historical property and hope to always be fortunate enough to enjoy property like this.
As for my design style – well my furnishings blend various styles and periods, from vintage flea market finds to sleek Scandinavian pieces, with a nod to my American roots through Knoll and Eames chairs. My home is a blend of old and new, inside and out with lots of art and handmade objects like ceramics – which I collect and love. The bathrooms and kitchen floors date back to the 80s, adding another layer to its history but sadly, not an era I loved – so these rooms are my least favorite in the house and in dire need of renovation. However, this mix of past and present, new and old, imperfect and very imperfect, creates a truly special living space – at least in my eyes.
This is why I thought to share some ideas around heritage decor and to highlight one of my favorite books at the moment which perfectly captures this blend of styles, but also that teaches you how to embrace heritage homes and their special charm, along with navigating the path to making them more modern without losing their sense of history and originality.
“Heritage Style” is the latest book by British stylist Selina Lake, published by Ryland, Peters & Small. It’s a beautifully styled and photographed guide that brings together her best ideas on period decor.
The photos in this post are from the book. Selina graciously allowed me to select some of my favorite photos, styled by her and photographed by Rachel Whiting, to share with you here, I hope that you enjoy them. Selina’s gorgeous book celebrates what she calls the “new nostalgic mood” in interiors, showcasing homes she’s styled with a mix of vintage, inherited, and modern pieces. She offers tips on how to achieve this timeless look, resulting in a home that’s both personal and stylish.
I found this book inspiring and even picked up a few new ideas, which made it worth sharing with you because sometimes I truly think in the world of design I’ve seen and heard it all, but I did pick up a lot of good information in this book.