The Challenge
My clients had decided to restore a 1890's arts and crafts home in Glendora with the intention to sell it. Unfortunately the interior of the house was dark and gloomy, covered in dark wall paper that was dismal and busy. They had been advised to paint everything white, but they realized this would ruin the appeal of the house and remove it from its true nature. The other challenge with this project was that the bathroom, which was an add-on, needed to be modernized with lots of light, and yet stay in line with the historic spirit of the house.

The Solution
By selecting a color palette that was historically accurate, yet rich and warm in tone, I was able to bring light into the living room. The yellow walls accented the wood and brought the room to life. We added draperies that fit with the arts and craft's style of the house and nicely framed the historic glass windows. With the bathroom, we again focused on keeping in the same time period as the house by using hexagonal tile, stained glass in the windows, and fabric treatment that looks like stylized stained glass. The claw-foot tub, a clear indicator of a luxurious past, added a focal point to the room. By painting the exterior of the tub, we were able to blend it well with the color palette. The modern glass rain shower with stone floor adds rustic charm without detracting at all from the historic nature of the home.

The Results

• With carefully researched design we were able to bring a warm and personable feeling to the house while still staying in tune with it's historic roots.
• By not compromising on modernity, the home still meets new home buyers standards of moving into an 'all-amenities' house without having to make any changes or update any of the basic necessities.
• The clients were able to sell the house much more quickly than they had anticipated and the new owners were thrilled to have such a beautiful house.
• This house is being featured in Arts and Crafts Home in August of 2009.

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