Interior design is not just about creating a home that looks new and current. It can also preserve the past and respect the character of an older home. If you’re lucky enough to have a current home or a charming apartment, keep in mind that these tips may come in handy when you need a touch-up.
1. Painting
Paint the walls, ceiling and hide the imperfections of the house with a suitable paint. Often some of the first features that make you fall in love with an old house are the finishes, the chairs and the details on the doors. You can tell they have a personality of their own. A simple coat of paint is the first step in preserving and highlighting the details. Paint the walls in a paste color or off-white, while the doors and furniture should be a muted ash color, such as dark gray to subtly draw attention to it. In case you have enough, you can always resort to chair rentals for events.
2. Add a neutral color
In case the overall paint is fine, it’s always great to add a neutral or near-neutral shade (such as a bluer gray) to make it stand out from the rest. Applying the same color as the ceiling helps focus attention on the whole place.
3. Colorful Stained Glass Windows
3. Colorful stained glass windows
If you are lucky enough to have big, beautiful stained glass windows along with white walls just let the sun shine through them.
4. Tone
The use of the same tone on the windows keeps that touch of sobriety while giving it a vintage touch. The type of curtains is important, I advise you to choose retractable hanging curtains. They add a modern touch that maintains the feeling of integrity of the original space.
5. Curtains
Use long, large curtains to hide the windows. Older homes often have quirky windows in unusual places, but adding curtains can be the perfect way to subtly disguise the weird look of the windows without blocking all the light.
6. Use windows as shelves
In old houses, in many occasions we will find that the windows have large projections that we can use as shelves which is also an elegant way of storage and is a display space for collectibles, such as books or potted plants. In addition, we will hide a past architecture.
7. Use contemporary furniture
Modern furniture tends to be very linear and simple. They are a good tool to give a vibrant contrast between modern living and the traditional home but be careful not to go overboard with either style because they will seem to rival each other. Look for rich textures, clean lines and soft colors without going radically modern or feeling tied to older styles.
