SPRING REFRESH IDEAS FOR YOUR OLD-WORLD HOME
Springtime has arrived and there is no better time to refresh your home design. The past year has taken most of us for a whirlwind, and though we hope normal will soon resume, what our homes mean to us has changed for good. Spending more time at home has inspired many of our clients to lighten the overall mood of their Old-World Tuscan Style homes. With the goal of creating a lighter, brighter, refreshed look, Interior Designer, Susan Spath of Kern & Co. has taken on the task. Spath, has been in the design industry for over 25 years and has seen the styles come and go, while she is still in love with the timeless Tuscan Design, it is time to tone down the dark hues and transition from old-world to new. Lighter colors and fresher styles have been trending for quite some time and mixing a bit of the old with the new is a great way to refresh without doing a full remodel.
Follow along while Susan shares a few of her key tricks of the trade in starting a refresh project & check out these spring home refresh ideas.
A FEW TRICKS OF THE TRADE FROM THE BEST:
STAY AWAY FROM HEAVY WINDOW TREATMENTS IN YOUR TUSCAN-STYLE HOME
The easiest trick when transforming your home from old world to new world is doing away with the heavy window treatments. Susan suggests new window treatments in the Tuscan-style home that are lighter, in color, texture, and fabric. When selecting new fabrics, Susan tends to lean towards lighter hues to balance the dark elements in the home. Sheers are a good alternative to heavy drapes, use sheers in areas that blackout is not critical, for example, hallways, living room, family room, office, etc. In the bedrooms, most will opt for blackout drapes or shades, however just because you are doing blackout does not mean it will be heavy! Lighter colors, patterns, and fabric that is lightweight all help to transition away from a heavy look. To go even further, choose new drapery hardware that is simpler in design and stay away from the dark finishes.
PAINT THE WALLS
Many Old-world Tuscan homes have very ornate walls with rich colors. And while Tuscan style is still beautiful today, going for a spring refresh means it is time to paint the walls, ceilings and moldings using light colors. This will instantly brighten up the home. Often there is no need to paint the cabinets, you can keep those the rich brown classic finish. Mixing light walls and dark cabinetry you have a great contrast of old and new which makes a world of difference.
THE FURNITURE
Tuscan style furniture is often darker with very traditional aspects, sofa skirts, fringe, etc. If you really want a refresh, start replacing some key furniture pieces. You can mix in some of your old with new, but you will want to do away with the dark rugs for instance, and reupholstering furniture with lighter fabrics or replace it with a new more modern style for that updated look. For example, keep your Tuscan coffee table and mix it with a new cream sofa. By mixing you achieve the new look you are dreaming of while maintaining the old you are not ready to part with. When choosing new furniture opt for neutral tones, for the rugs, fabric, even finishes.
By changing a few focal design elements, the overall color palette of a room will feel lighter. You may also want to take it a step or two further by selecting new flooring and countertops and perhaps even exploring new lighting ideas. If the dark elements are still too heavy for you and you are looking for a redesign and remodel, we have endless options to show you. Stop in our Solana Beach Showroom located in the design district or contact us today for more information!
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