Interior design isn’t just about creating a home that looks new and current. It can also be about preserving the past and respecting the character of an older home. If you’re lucky enough to have a house with some time-earned character or an apartment with a certain quirky charm, consider these tips for addressing the issues that need a touch-up while bringing out the best of your home’s past, present and future.
How to Incorporate Additions to Old Homes
1. Paint the walls, ceiling and trim one color to hide imperfections.Often some of the first features that make you fall in love with an older home are beautiful molding, trim and door details built during a different era, when finishing touches carried a certain polish and personality. A simple coat of paint, then, is your first step to preserving and highlighting these details. I typically paint the walls, trim and ceiling one color, but with a slightly higher gloss on the trim to subtly call attention to it. With this palette in place, a bold shade like dark gray on the doors makes them architectural standouts.
2. If your trimwork is in good shape, paint it a neutral contrasting shade. If the existing trim is in great condition and you want to really show it off, a neutral or near-neutral contrasting shade (like a blue-green gray) will make it stand out, while working in every room throughout the home for a sense of consistency. Applying the same color to the ceiling helps to tie the look together as well, for a stately, architectural appeal.
3. Celebrate stained glass. If you’re lucky enough to have beautiful stained glass windows, simple white walls will let them act as art and color.
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