The Five Phases of Interior Design
Talie Jane Interiors
June 29, 2026
Talie Jane Interiors®
Interior design isn’t just about creating a home that looks new and current. It can also be about preserving the past and respecting the character of an older home. If you’re lucky enough to have a house with some time-earned character or an apartment with a certain quirky charm, consider these tips for addressing the issues that need a touch-up while bringing out the best of your home’s past, present and future.
Interior design isn’t just about creating a home that looks new and current. It can also be about preserving the past and respecting the character of an older home. If you’re lucky enough to have a house with some time-earned character or an apartment with a certain quirky charm, consider these tips for addressing the issues that need a touch-up while bringing out the best of your home’s past, present and future.
1. Paint the walls, ceiling and trim one color to hide imperfections.
Often some of the first features that make you fall in love with an older home are beautiful molding, trim and door details built during a different era, when finishing touches carried a certain polish and personality. A simple coat of paint, then, is your first step to preserving and highlighting these details. I typically paint the walls, trim and ceiling one color, but with a slightly higher gloss on the trim to subtly call attention to it. With this palette in place, a bold shade like dark gray on the doors makes them architectural standouts.
12. Make rugs your “accent wall.” Besides defining an area, rugs are also a great way to bring a sense of color to a zone in a house when there are no walls to logically pick as an accent. This a good approach for homes with unusual or open floor plans in which the rooms don’t have clear starting and ending points. Drop them anywhere to add a sense of structure without touching the walls.
13. Don’t forget the personality. No matter what style you choose, it’s important to make a home with a history feel like your home, so make sure to include some of your old favorites, not just new, “perfect” furnishings, and look for ways to incorporate your photos and memories into the personality of the home. Unusual nooks and pockets make the best gallery spaces, so your home can become not just a time capsule of the past, but also a reflection of you today.
Article published on Houzz.com
