While renovating their 1896 house to make it work better for their family, homeowners Patrick and Liz tried to uphold the Victorian-era character they love while also pursuing a fresh take. Making decisions about the interiors provided the chance to update the rooms throughout the house, whether with wallpaper, bookcases, hardware finishes, or upholstered pieces. Along the way, TOH in-house design expert Jaclyn Bohn offered advice that can help in any design projects at your house.
Embrace Bold Wallpaper in Small Hits
“With bold wallpaper in a just few rooms, you can take a risk but not overwhelm the house,” says Jaclyn. Homeowner Liz pictured something colorful and surprising for two particular rooms—the powder room off the mudroom and the second-floor laundry room. She settled on two patterns: a vibrant green vine-motif wallpaper for the powder room and a brightly colored strawberry-and-flower print for the laundry room. Here’s how to pull it together:
Wallpaper all walls
For the powder room, the wallpaper covers all four walls, and TOH painter Mauro Henrique painted the room’s trim a vibrant green he color-matched from the wallpaper.
Wallpaper just one wall
For the laundry room, only one wall is covered in the strawberry-and-flower motif paper (‘Strawberry Fields,’ from Painted Paper). The other walls, plus the trim, ceiling, door, and the utility sink base cabinet are all painted in a pink hue that complements the patterned wallpaper.
Upgrade builder-grade white
For maximum boldness in a small, wallpapered room, Jaclyn suggests painting the trim, ceiling, and door in a single hue that is echoed in the wallpaper’s pattern.
Balance the Bookcase Display
To fill built-in bookcases, Jaclyn’s advice is to strive for a visual balance of books and decorative objects. “You also need to think about the room’s use. For example, go with a more formal display in a dining room, and more casual in a living area,” she says.
Bookcase display
Jaclyn’s tips for filling bookcases include decorating up within one floor-to-ceiling bookcase versus across several bookcases, taking the height of each object into account. What also makes a visual impact is to allow for some breathing room among the objects and not overstuff the shelves. “You can even group books by color after removing book jackets,” she adds.
Formal approach
When creating a polished look for bookcases in a dining room, where more formal entertaining takes place, mix elegant serving dishes with ornamental objects. Liz had special pieces like a Waterford bowl that was a wedding gift and a favorite ceramic pitcher that she and Jaclyn arranged with decorative boxes and brass candlesticks.
Casual take
For a living area bookcase, try a more laid-back arrangement with a selection of family photos, sentimental objects, and books. Keep the array more flexible so you can change things up with new items.
Mix Finishes in the Kitchen and Bath
Kitchen and bath fixtures, fittings, and pulls come in a dizzying array of finishes today, making it tempting to choose just one finish for simplicity’s sake. However, she says combining a select few finishes is what makes things interesting instead of feeling flat.
A little of this, a little of that
“Invest in a premium finish for one element, and then mix in other finishes,” advises Jaclyn, who adds that a good pairing is to choose one finish for sink fittings and another for cabinet pulls.
Add some shine
The Needham powder room has a faucet in polished nickel—considered a luxury finish—alongside burnished brass sconces and a burnished nickel mirror. For the kitchen, the sink gets the luxe treatment with a polished nickel faucet, and the cabinets have bronze pulls.
A stunning contrast
In the primary bath, polished nickel sets an indulgent tone for the sink and tub faucets, wall sconces, and vanity mirrors, while natural wood warms up the vanity drawers and pulls.
Lean into Comfort for Hanging Out
One of Jaclyn’s maxims when it comes to choosing furniture is to “make your life easy”—in other words, opt for comfy upholstered pieces made of materials that will last.
Durable yet soft material
For the living area at the Needham house, Room and Board sofas provide comfortable seating upholstered in a kid-friendly performance fabric with the feel of chenille.
Ottoman rule
A sturdy ottoman is key for kicking up feet and impromptu seating. Jaclyn’s design advice: “For the best look, the ottoman has to match the sofa or be totally different in texture or color—don’t go halfway.”
Bring the Look Into Your Home
Use these ideas as a starting point and remember that your own style will evolve over time. Each decision you make—whether it’s about wallpaper, bookcases, finishes, or upholstery—is one more chance to create the home you’ve always envisioned.
