iNSIDE

This topic is fresh in my mind as I just saw an example of where architectural continuity wasn’t considered in a design project and it tainted what would otherwise have been a spectacular home. So, to back up a bit, as the name suggests, architectural continuity is all about reading the ‘bones’ of your space and using that as a guide for the types of furnishings and finishes you choose. A good parallel example would be choosing clothing based on your unique figure, age, style, etc. Unfortunately, we’ve all seen examples of where this has gone painfully awry. Heck, there are entire magazine columns dedicated to these mishaps: ‘muffin tops,’ middle aged moms borrowing their teens’ clothing – you get the picture.

So, the example to which I alluded was the 2006 Cottage Living magazine’s IDEA home located in Evanston. My husband and I thought it would make for a good field trip this past steamy weekend when staying indoors was the much-preferred option! Now, I must first say that the home itself is stunning. It’s a 2700 sq. ft. bungalow with wonderful flow conducive to modern family living. In my opinion, it’s new construction at its finest: smartly sized (read: not HUGE!) with modern amenities, but with the soul of an older home. Where I think it was lacking, was in the continuity. Much of the interior styling wasn’t in line with the architecture.

What does that mean? I think the most noticeable examples were the home’s lighting fixtures which were not only inconsistent from room-to-room (the main living floor had modern nickel pendants in the kitchen which opened right to the dining room that showcased a much more traditional brass lantern-like fixture), but some had finishes that weren’t in line with a Craftsman bungalow-style home. Many of the materials chosen were too ornate for a home whose style is supposed to embody simplicity and hand-wrought charm. The effect, I felt, was visual discord. Even an untrained eye would recognize that many of these pieces didn’t fit with the feel of the home. I’m all for mixing styles and periods, but when used together, they must create a feeling of harmony, especially within their setting.

How do we prevent this from happening in our own spaces? Ask yourself: what is my home’s innate style and (if applicable) period influences? Thinking back to the fashion example, is it young and fresh or mature and stately? A tomboy or a fashionista? This doesn’t mean that you can’t work outside of these constraints, it just dictates whether you should ‘dress it’ in pared down and simple vs. Louis XVI. Think of it as accentuating your home’s best features.

If only the 'muffin tops' would do the same.


So, to summarize:

1. Determine the style of your home.
2. Always keeping in mind that style, think about what pieces will accentuate the best of your home, and which ones will detract from it.
3. Feel free to mix styles WITHIN THOSE CONSTRAINTS. For example, antiques paired with modern pieces look wonderful together – BUT – choose the appropriate size and style that work with your home. Gothic Revival and Arts & Crafts are both considered antiques, but each has a radically different look.

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