How to Hire a Designer for a Historic Home Renovation
A dining room facing Cherokee Park in Louisville, Kentucky
Owning an historic home is like being in a relationship with with a good looking and charismatic, but needy partner. Is it worth it? Absolutely. But, oh! the patience and maintenance required.
These beauties require their basic needs to be met—box gutters, HVAC , drainage—before you can ever even think of sprucing up the interiors. And like every great beauty, she’ll insist that you keep everything that makes her gorgeous, and just give her a little tweak here and there.
That’s why, when it comes time to hire an interior designer, it is essential that you choose someone with experience in historic homes. Don’t be confused by a portfolio full of traditional designs—”traditional” and “historic” are not synonyms. There are many new construction homes that are modeled after historic architecture, but as these homes were built from the ground up, the process of design is very different.
A true expert in historic renovations understands the most sensitive way to add effective HVAC to a home with original marble floors and plaster moldings. She’ll know who to call to refinish the floors, repair the hardware, and upgrade the electrical.
Many designers are skilled at selecting furnishings and finishes that would be harmonious in a traditional interior. Few designers understand the alchemy of mixing historic architecture with mid-century modern furnishings, antique Chinese Art-Deco rugs, and rich, saturated colors.
This is what sets Kentucky interior designer, Bethany Adams Interiors, apart. It’s the rich architectural knowledge and background of historic homes combined with the artistic flourishes that make these grand ladies sing again.
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