If you've decided to flip a historic property, are moving into a home that's been in the family for quite some time, or are simply working with a less-than-modern foundation for an upcoming renovation, you will have already come across the significant challenges associated with restoring older properties. Aside from the regular logistical issues you'll need to double-check for – structural damage, mold, and all the modern-day utilities, to name a few – it's likely that the home's style has dated a bit over time. Designing the interior of your heritage home to include the perfect blend of old and new, and nailing is tricky – while architectural details like molding and millwork add character and charm, you'll need to be thoughtful about their place in the final project.
Interior designer Shea McGee ran into this challenge recently while completing Studio McGee's Maryland Heritage Remodel project. And luckily for those of us updating a historic home for modern-day living, she just shared six key takeaways that made the finished project shine. These are her top tips for designing a heritage home without compromising the property's storied appeal.
A photo posted by studiomcgee on In her , Shea was tasked with renovating and redesigning a client's childhood home, which she moved into with her young family (including three children under five). With 'a lot of time in the home to dream,' Shea says in a YouTube video unveiling the remodel, the client 'had lots of ideas on how i.