Dear Madelaine,
I have a confession: I am not a modernist! I love visiting house museums and the elegance of fully decked out prewar apartments…only I live in a boring white box! How can I bring some of that old world charm to my plain boring apartment?
What a great question, especially as we’ve been seeing a resurgence in historical and more elaborate design styles. Fear not, there are several ways to authentically add old world charm to your basic builder’s grade space.
1. Tone down, multiply, and augment your lighting
When we think of “old world” style, regardless of location we think of a time before electricity, so when we want to evoke this feeling we need to go beyond a single overhead semi-flush light fixture in the middle of the room. Think candles (flamed or led) scattered throughout a room, candelabra bulb wall sconces, and table lamps with darker and patterned shades.
You can also incorporate some historic strategies to increase the output of traditional low light sources, like mirrors behind those wall sconces (if you didn’t know why they did that, that’s why!) or opposite windows (antiqued mirror tiles are fantastic for this), and glass and crystal bedecked fixtures, each of which acts as a tiny prism to reflect light in multiple directions.
2. Don’t forget the details!
One of the primary tenets of early 20th century modernism was stripping away any non-essential and ornamental details from architecture and interior furnishings (see Adolf Loos, “Ornament and Crime” for a summary of the movement) which has, largely due to cost, become the default starting point for contemporary building. One of the best ways to bring that lost character and historic appeal is with the same details that were stripped out a century ago. The one that first comes to everyone’s mind is crown molding, but there are also more detailed wall bases than the standard builder’s grade, as well as door casings and medallions, chair rails, picture rails, and picture frames (among others). I cannot stress enough how important it is to do your research before adding these trims to a newer build. There are rules of proportion, scale, and layout that should be observed to ensure your home says “charismatic” rather than “caricature”.
This same idea also applies to furniture – think flat pack versus flea market. Look for pieces with personality and don’t be afraid to mix styles, eras, or geographical provenance. One of the signatures of older homes was that they were furnished over time, in some cases centuries, so of course the collection is an eclectic mix. If you prefer your computer to a flea market, Chairish and 1st Dibs are fantastic resources that truly have something for everyone.
And while the word “antique” most often conjures images of tables, sideboards, and other wood items, don’t forget about your upholstered pieces! Sofas, chairs, pillows, and drapes all benefit from proper trimming, be it cords, braids, tapes, or tassels; what the French collectively call passementerie. Even the simplest solid pillow can evoke old world elegance with a little fringe, and it’s such a fun way to easily add your unique personality to your home.
Pro-tip: If you’re not sure where to start, try a tassel tie back for your curtains; they change the shape of how the drapes frame the window (very historic) and can be installed in 5 minutes – fast, easy, and beautiful!
Want to discuss more specific strategies for your home?
Book a call and we can figure it out together!
Till next time…
Madelaine
PS – Do you have design questions? Send us an email at info@designbyadroit.com and we will answer it as quickly and completely as possible in an upcoming blog post!
