Blending Old and New- Primary Bedroom
This rewarding project involved a homeowner transitioning from her Springfield, VA home to a charming farmhouse in Purcellville, VA, as she approached retirement. With an extensive collection of fine art and cherished family heirlooms, she was determined to incorporate her unique treasures into the new design.
The challenge was significant; the farmhouse, while full of character, offered less square footage and presented various design obstacles. Our goal was to remodel and decorate the space to honor her eclectic style while preserving the essential warmth and charm of a traditional farmhouse. By thoughtfully blending her personal artifacts with strategic design choices, we transformed the farmhouse into a beautiful reflection of her journey—a harmonious blend of her past with the cozy embrace of her new home.
The chandelier from her former living room fit perfectly in her master bedroom vaulted ceiling. The side chair was repurposed after getting newly upholstered and fit right in with the new bed, tall dresser, rug, and metal end table.
The process to make this new space a warm home was to evaluate the client’s priorities, goals, and budget. It was clear from the start that she had a strong attachment to her large collection of home goods, but the modest-sized farmhouse would not have enough space for all of it, so how do you decide what makes the cut? I measured and drew the existing floor plan, then made my recommendations, including placement of her existing pieces while augmenting with new furniture where it made the most impact. A scaled floor plan is my best tool when setting the proper expectations; it helps clients visualize proportions so everything else falls into place.
No closet in the master bedroom?
The architectural challenge in the large master bedroom was the lack of a closet, making storage a priority, but with a full wall of windows facing the 10 acres of land on one side, and dormers on another wall, the options for building a closet were very limited. My solution provided two closets (walk-in and reach-in closets), while maintaining the integrity of the voluminous ceilings, by carving out a space on the wall that had a short window facing the driveway. The new walk-in closet is the backdrop for the bed and the reach-in closet is neatly formed in the corner near the entry door.
Blending new with old.
How do you make family heirlooms feel at home in a farmhouse? I did it by combining some of her antique furniture with new pieces that provided a warm and chic farmhouse feel and highlighting the rustic planks against the brushed brass frame of her new bed and dresser. These pieces married perfectly with the chandelier from her former home’s living room and her grandmother’s wall sconces.
Her armless slipper chair was reupholstered in a modern ivory quatrefoil fabric which instantly revitalized her room. Additionally, reflecting her love of color, I commissioned wall art to tie in with the existing art collection and sourced a handmade wool rug in a cosmic modern pattern which allowed us to introduce the moody plum walls and highlight her space with pops of color.
This bedroom was truly a wonderful project to work on because my client can now feel at home in her rustic, modern, and unique space.
Photo credit: Christy Kosnic Photography
