Home Style Basics
A friendly guide to home style and character
A plain-language starting point for reading a home's character, covering the features that signal its style, how eras and materials build on each other, and where to begin looking.
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Art Deco houses: geometry, curves and decorative detail
Find out which features mark an Art Deco house, from stepped forms and geometric ornament to streamlined curves and the materials behind the style's polished look.
Architectural StylesBrick, stone and render: how exterior materials age
Brick, stone and render weather differently because of porosity, mortar and finish. Learn the early signs of decay, the repair mistakes that speed it up and how to clean older walls safely.
Materials and CraftsmanshipBringing family history into the rooms you live in
Family objects look best when a house gives them a place to belong. Learn how to choose meaningful pieces, protect them from light and damage, place them with the architecture and hang them safely.
House History and StoriesCommon mistakes when mixing styles in one home
Mixed-style homes feel unsettled for a few repeatable reasons: overloading one era, ignoring scale, copying showroom looks and fighting the architecture. Learn how to spot and fix each one.
Home Style BasicsCraftsman bungalows: origins and defining features
Craftsman bungalows grew from the Arts and Crafts movement. Their low gabled roofs, deep porches, exposed structure and built-in woodwork define a style worth recognizing.
Architectural StylesCreating conversation areas in long or narrow rooms
How to split a long or narrow room into zones, pull seating together, and use rugs, side tables and lamps to make each area feel like a place to talk.
Furnishing and LayoutDining room layouts that suit the original plan of a house
How to plan a dining room around a house's original layout, covering where the room historically sat, table size and clearances, kitchen routes and existing doors.
Furnishing and LayoutEclectic rooms: how to mix eras and origins with intention
Combine furniture and objects from different eras and places so a room reads as curated rather than jumbled, using one unifying thread and a balance of old and new pieces.
Interior Design Styles