Traditional Home Spring 2021

Old house or new architecture? It can be a tough decision for lovers of traditional design today. One moment I swoon over historical homes built under long-held tenets, and I long to remodel a beauty someday. I also love to see how today’s architects and designers reinterpret those tenets in newly built homes—I start dreaming of floor plans and new facades. This issue of Traditional Home brings great examples of both—along with thoughtful renovations that provide ultimate hybrids for modern living. Most of all, these homes are the result of talented design professionals who navigate the tender process of deciding what old things are worth preserving and what should be replaced. It’s about imbuing a new home with the elegance that comes from a sense of age. And it’s about breathing…

SEEING A PATTERN Lisa Hunt walks a fine line between graphic and glamorous. Inspired by Art Deco style, the New Jersey-based artist screens simple lines into repetitive geometric silhouettes. Each piece is chic in its mod execution. With snazzy touches of gold that represent the presence of the precious material in decoration throughout history, it’s a little luxurious too. lisahuntcreative.com Romo Painterly, colorful, environmentally attuned. The new collection of fabrics from Romo fits many buckets. Design Director Emily Mould, left, uses a soft hand to paint the patterns for the Otelie collection. Its loose and airy motifs based on English botanicals are ideal for spaces in which you want to channel the fresh colors of spring all year long. romo.com MAISON MAISON Rattan and seagrass span far beyond seasonal summer seating. Houston French antiques emporium…

The pendulum has swung. After years of neutral, monochromatic palettes and streamlined decoration, interior spaces have pivoted toward the colorful, cheerful, and spirited parts of design. Florals in particular are to credit for the rise of this latest version of what’s considered to be pretty. Overlapping blooms in saturated colors only leave room for the occasional bird or vine to gently interrupt the motif. Just ask Caitlin Wilson. The Dallas-based designer has built her business on sweet floral patterns that are delicate in style but mighty in presence. “People are returning to what is truly beautiful with fresh eyes,” Wilson says. “Whether it’s inspired by nature, color, or a romantic appeal, the ethereal beauty of a floral is universal.”…

With many meals taking place at home, it’s an ideal time to rethink the tablescape and its potential for a knock-your-socks-off presentation. Dismiss any thoughts of “it doesn’t match or go together.” A multiple-person table setting that repeats itself with declarative authority works. Take a look at what tableware you already have—especially vintage and all of those “onesies” without a match—and then mix eras, colors, and patterns. Layer in pieces where they’re needed. Marry a chic new matte ceramic plate and a wood charger with the salad plate from Grandma’s dainty wedding china. The challenge is to build a table surface with an aesthetic vision that hasn’t been tapped into before. “Set the table every night,” says Dallas-based Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, a lifestyle blogger, author, and online retailer of Shop KSW. “Mix…

History lives on Benefit Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Eighteenth- and 19th-century architecture lines the cobblestone lane, illuminated by the glow of old-time streetlights. Like moths to the flame, Dan Parent and Debra Halpin were drawn in. The couple were looking to move from the suburbs to downtown when a friend bought and renovated a house on Benefit Street. “Debra went over to look at it and was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ It was incredible,” Dan says. “When the house next door came on the market, we snapped it up.” Their house, built in 1864, was listed in the 1947 Green Book as a beauty parlor friendly to Black travelers. It was next door to a house that offered overnight accommodations. “The history is the neat part of owning this home,”…

See more great new products in the spring issue of Beautiful Kitchens & Baths on newsstands and at magazine.store.…