Innehållsförteckning för Design Center Sourcebook 2022 från Old House Journal

THIS CURATED COMPENDIUM goes beyond a list of specialty sources. Instead, it’s an introduction to period-inspired design, showcasing selected products from companies you may not know. Goods are timeless and of high quality, offering a true alternative to the short-lived trends of big-box stores and even many show-rooms. These sometimes hard-to-find companies, in the opinion of our editors and contributors, offer excellent products and good value. For listings, we favor companies of high reputation, products with authenticity, and materials beautiful and traditional. You’ll find smaller companies and artisans selling direct to the customer. You’ll also find appropriate specialty lines from larger manufacturers. When you own an old house, trendy remodeling is the first thing the next owners will want to tear out. Better to listen to the house, regardless of…

LEARN MORE > Kitchen cabinets set the tone for overall design, take a beating in use, and will affect resale value of the house. According to Consumer Reports, cabinets take 40% of the kitchen renovation budget. The way cabinets are sold can be confusing. Generally, there are three categories: stock, semi-custom, and custom. But one maker’s “stock cabinet” may use hefty ¾" plywood and have dovetailed drawers, while another’s is made of particleboard and MDF pieces. • STOCK CABINETS (also called economy, budget, builder-grade, modular, RTA) Sold in home-improvement stores, these may be “in stock” to take home, or available for quick shipment; they may be fully assembled or sold Ready To Assemble. Quality may be decent, but low cost is the primary concern for stock manufacturers. Standard widths mean that filler strips will…

ANTIQUE WOOD WORKS antiquewoodworks.com Reclaimed wood hand-crafted into countertops, farmhouse tables, and fireplace mantels. (888) 350-4790 BENDHEIM CABINET GLASS bendheimcabinetglass.com Breathe new life into old doors and cabinets with their elegant decorative glass. Choose from a vast online library of over 100 glass designs and colors. Transform the appearance of your kitchen—the heart of the home. (800) 221-7379 COPPER SINKS DIRECT coppersinksdirect.com They combine form and function with luxurious sinks and vessels for kitchen, bath, and bar. Their artistic designs add to the most common of spaces. (866) 789-7465 ERICKSON’S ANTIQUE STOVES ericksonsantiquestoves.com Offers expert restoration of vintage and antique stoves. Also: custom hoods to match. Visit the online photo gallery. (978) 857-8014 JACLO jaclo.com Unique decorative plumbing collections with traditionally styled faucets, showerheads, fittings, trim kits, and many accessories.…

TILE IS, OF COURSE, found throughout the house, not just in the kitchen and bath. Tile is a durable finishing material that approaches a true art form. Use it to add style or period sensibility to an entryway, a fireplace surround, a wet bar, a fountain, a conservatory, or a floor. Today find art tile from small studios… carved relief tiles, subway tile and mosaics, glazes matte and iridescent… plus encaustics and California revivals. Even manufactured tile has gone far beyond the 4 x 4 square, as you can choose from hexagons, octagons, oblongs, diamonds, and rhomboids, in many sizes. Mesh-mounted basketweave- and herringbone-pattern tiles update traditional patterns. 1. CARREAUX DU NORD carreauxdunord.com Handmade art tile for architectural installations and decorative accents since 1995. Studio “made to order tile” for the…

Today’s interiors combine old and new, period and contemporary. When your house restoration is nearly complete, it’s time for finishing touches. This part should be fun, but many people find buying furniture daunting. Some basic advice: Take cues from the age and style of the house. Embrace what you love and can live with long-term. Buy good furniture, even if it means living with folding chairs and patio wicker while you save to buy one high-quality piece a year. (Then you can move the wicker to the solarium or porch!) As you start furnishing a room, consider buying a thematic piece first. This may be something unique, or something you simply must have. A period classic—a Morris chair, an iconic Modern piece—can anchor a room. The thematic piece of furniture…

Compare a door set from a generic home store to a modestly priced $100 set made by a company specializing in reproductions, and the latter will win hands-down, even if it’s a few dollars more. At the home center, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything that looks even remotely like the builder’s hardware from a century ago. Mass-market brands follow prevailing fashion. Affordable reproductions, while closer to old styles, will have been modified in size and scale to cover the pre-bored holes now standard in new doors.…

CANVASWORKS canvasworksfloorcloths.com Traditionally styled murals, fireboards, and folk-art paintings, made individually by artist Lisa Curry Mair. Many years experience creating custom floorcloths for historic homes and museums. (802) 263-5410  CEILUME ceilume.com Decorative vinyl ceiling tiles and drop-ceiling panels that are affordable, easy to install/maintain, mold/mildew resistant, and dust (and rust!) free. Perfect for hard-to-finish rooms. (800) 557-0654 CLASSIC CEILINGS classicceilings.com Tin ceilings, embossed metal tin-ceiling panels, and cornices with custom antique finishes. Nationwide shipping. (800) 992-8700 FELBER ORNAMENTAL PLASTERING felber.net For more than 30 years, perfecting the art of high-quality ornamental plastering. Choose from their collection of 2,000 molds for such architectural details as medallions, brackets, domes, cartouches, mouldings, cornices, niche caps, and more. (800) 392-6896 FINE PAINTS OF EUROPE finepaintsofeurope.com Marine-quality Dutch paints in a full range of colors for…

WOOD FLOORS suggest durability as they convey understated beauty. Don’t assume that all resilient flooring is modern, or made of vinyl: Real linoleum—made of ground cork and linseed oil—dates to the 1860s and is a great medium for inlaid patterns. For practicality and color in the kitchen, you can’t beat a resilient floor. Cork is perfect for a Mid-century Modern house. Stone can be dramatic in a foyer or bath. Today’s stone floors are likely to be beautifully cut slate, limestone, or granite. 1. CHESTNUT SPECIALISTS chestnutspecialists.com Custom, solid-plank flooring from reclaimed antique chestnut, oak, and heart pine. Every custom-milled floor they produce is done with customer satisfaction in mind. They also offer weathered barn siding, hand-hewn barn beams, and original-surface reclaimed boards and planks for authentic building and decorating. (860)…

They do build ’em like they used to! Case in point, a new Shingle Style house in Connecticut, designed by architect Douglas VanderHorn. The Colonial Revival overlay and Arts & Crafts allusions make the house look as though it dates to 1915. The house has local stone on the first floor, but is clad in cedar shakes above, and has three well-proportioned, hipped-roof dormers. Nostalgic details include shutters that really close and period muntin patterns in upper sash. The family preferred a new house designed with modern amenities. Still, they wanted the new-build to seamlessly blend in with their historic neighborhood. Painting the shingles a pale, seaside blue nods to the site as well as to Colonial Revival precedent—a generation earlier, shingles would have been left to weather. Other indications…

WHETHER YOUR HOUSE is of a certain style and vintage, a true antique—or newly built to stand the test of time ahead, you’ll find inspiration in the past. We’re in the middle of a booming design revival… of carpets and rugs, furniture, lighting, fabrics and wallpapers, and lighting. Some of the work is contemporary, some interpretive of historic styles, some faithful to the original. Paint colors are grouped into well-researched palettes; hardware is authentic in style and finish. While some reproductions are “document”—that is, a replication of the original, including its scale and colorway—others are adapted for modern taste or use. Taken together, this segment of the market looks to centuries of period design, generating more ideas and creativity than any showroom can give you. Let the house itself tell…

HOW TO DESIGN A KITCHEN that will still look good and function well in 20 years? Rely on timeless materials. Keep the design simple or incorporate period conventions. In cabinets and millwork, take design cues from your dining room, or from an old pantry in the house or the neighborhood. Modeling a new bathroom on those of the early 20th century is just one approach for a house that wouldn’t have had plumbing until then. 1. CROWN SELECT crownselect.com Built by the same artisans that create Crown Point cabinetry, Crown Select is hand-crafted to the same quality, fit, and finish, but for a budget-friendly price. Available direct, nationwide. (603) 542-3399 2. FORBO LINOLEUM forboflooringna.com Marmoleum is naturally healthy and water-resistant flooring. Inherent anti-static and antimicrobial properties repel dust and dirt, making it…

A QUICK INTRO to lighting eras: Colonial styles date from before 1820 and include patinated copper lanterns, chandeliers with faux “tapers,” onion lamps, and mirrored sconces. Gaslight-era lighting of the Victorian period is usually electrified in reproduction; originals may have burned gas (shades face up). Stylish Arts & Crafts lighting (ca. 1895 to 1930) runs to art glass and mica, hammered copper, and “Mission” sconces. Designs from the age of electricity were made in styles Colonial Revival to Sputnik. 1. PERIOD LIGHTING FIXTURES periodlighting.com For over 40 years, the largest selection and most accurate reproductions from 1620 to 1850. Chandeliers, lanterns, and sconces hand-made in the old-world style. Completely made in the USA, and UL-listed. Custom sizes and repairs. (800) 828-6990 2. BEVOLO GAS & ELECTRIC LIGHTS bevolo.com The Original French Quarter…

ANTIQUE DRAPERY ROD COMPANY antiquedraperyrod.com Artisan window hardware hand crafted in the USA from recycled and sustainable materials. Historically accurate, and period authentic. (214) 653-1733 COASTAL BRONZE coastalbronze.com Fine bronze gate hardware, plus door, decorative cabinet, and restoration hardware for new projects or renovations. They also offer hardware for barns, carriage doors, and shutters. (888) 784-7399 JOHN WRIGHT CO. jwright.com Manufacturer of fine cast-iron and forged-steel hardware for shutters, windows, doors, and furniture. Products combine traditional looks with modern fit and finish. (717) 252-4442 LANDMARK IMPRESSIONS  landmark-impressions.com Porcelain enamel products: custom-made plaques and signs, markers and memorials to give your home period appeal. (208) 336-7111 LEMONT HARDWARE lemonthardware.com Elegant door, furniture, and cabinet hardware in their Hand-Hammered and Classic Collections. Bespoke European design in a variety of finishes, available only…

ONCE YOU DISCOVER the decorated wall—time-honored paint techniques and printed papers, embossed surfaces, ornamental plaster, carved wood—white walls may come to feel like the absence of finish. True colors of the early periods include brilliant yellow, Prussian blue and turquoise, clear green, blood red, plus black and rich ivories tinted with grey, yellow, or pink. By the 1870s the tripartite treatment was fashionable: walls divided into dado (or wainscot) below the chair rail, a fill or field section, and a frieze at the top of the wall. A generation later, Colonial Revival rooms feature off-whites, cream, and grey. 1. HULL WORKS hullworks.com Architectural millwork: over 350 historical mouldings from 1870–1940, including all of the important house styles. (817) 332-1495 2. W.F. NORMAN CORP. wfnorman.com Founded in 1898, they have the nation’s most…

AMERICAN RESTORATION TILE restorationtile.com Family-owned business makes replicas of the unglazed porcelain mosaic hex tiles popular during the pre-war era. Mosaics come in a range of colors, lending themselves to decorative borders and intricate floral or geometric patterns. They also produce custom tiles to match old patterns and sizes. (501) 455-1000  BROAD-AXE FLOORING broadaxeflooring.com Traditional, top-quality wide-plank flooring and paneling in Eastern white pine, from a small family business. (802) 257-0064  CARLISLE WIDE PLANK FLOORS wideplankflooring.com For over 50 years, they’ve been crafting the finest premium wood floors for restoration and historical projects nationwide. Every Carlisle floor is made by skilled craftsmen who create floors true to the historical period and help preserve the timelessness of the original structure. (800) 595-9663 GLOBUS CORK corkfloor.com Exclusive manufacturer of vibrantly colored cork…

The first clue about the date and style of a house is the exterior. Right behind that come large architectural elements, especially the staircase and the mantels, if any. These elements are the vocabulary for the language spoken by the house: Victorian or Tudor, formal or country. If you inherited original elements, even if you choose to downplay them, they are cues to go by. Avoid visual confusion by using the same language in any permanent upgrades or additions.…

Among your many options for kitchen faucets is one that involves placement: should the taps and spigot be deck-mounted or wall-mounted? Wall-mounting (into the sink or wall backsplash) gives a utilitarian look that’s modern and uncluttered yet old-fashioned. Some vintage sinks, of course, demand it. Wall-mounting keeps the deck clear and easier to clean. The only downsides: fewer styles are available, the cost can be 30% higher than a deck mount, and it’s a little harder to install. Measure carefully before purchase for clearances and to be sure that the faucet comes out at least seven inches from the back of the sink, so you don’t bang your hands. If you’ll be mounting it on an exterior wall, be sure the wall is furred out and insulated to avoid frozen…

Think Edwardian town house or fine hotel: cool, classical bathrooms remain in style. Leggy porcelain console sinks are often labeled “Belle Epoque,” a style reference to that “beautiful era” spanning from the late Victorian art movements until the start of the First World War. Design reflected the optimism, prosperity, and scientific thinking in this time of England’s King Edward VII and France’s Art Nouveau—America’s Gilded Age. The era’s finer bathrooms are coveted still. This master bath was retrofitted into a restored 1912 house in Victoria, British Columbia. Not all is old-fashioned: A capacious glass-front shower-bath, in white tile, is fitted opposite the tub. 1. LEGGY FIXTURES A curvy Roman tub and bold console sink bring luxury along with solid, old-fashioned heft. Unfitted fixtures that float above the floor lend an…

FURNITURE COMPLEMENTS a room by virtue of its proportion, shape, material, and fabric pattern. Or it can work because it comes from the same period: Hepplewhite furniture in a Federal house, furniture designed by C.F.A. Voysey for an Arts & Crafts Tudor. Still, period rooms are the goal of a very small niche of old-house owners. Most take an eclectic approach, mixing handed-down furniture and comfortable pieces with the occasional splurge. Spare, mid-century chairs can play well in a room dripping with ornamental plaster. 1. TAPPAN CHAIRS tappanchairs.com Historic style with a contemporary edge: Handcrafted in Sandwich, New Hampshire, since 1819, Tappan Chairs are not reproductions, they are the real thing. (833) 827-7267 2. PUTNAM ROLLING LADDER putnamrollingladder.com Manufacturing rolling ladders since 1905, each one custom-made to clients’ specifications. Available in many…

Owner/designer Chas Fitzgerald has been infatuated with the Arts & Crafts movement since childhood. In North Carolina, Chas and partner Jackson Hammack stumbled on a neighborhood of handsome—and apparently new—Arts & Crafts houses nestled in the hills. For their own build, they adapted stock plans, keeping costs manageable. The goal was to make the home seem as if it had been built in 1914. Local period detailing includes pebbledash stucco on the upper level, a heavily bracketed entry porch, and local Doggett Mountain rock for the rustic stone piers. In the adjacent kitchen, custom cabinets and open shelves hold locally made plates and mugs. Cabinets are painted in soft colors to lessen the visual impact of the kitchen from the living area. 1. THE TILED FIREPLACE It’s hard to tell…

SIMPLE, LAYERED, OR changed with the seasons, textiles add softness and muffle sound. They round out a dominant color scheme or introduce accents. The homespun, damasks, and quilts of early American interiors added color and comfort without fussiness. Arts & Crafts interiors (ca.1895–1930) relied on embroidered curtains and portieres (interior doorway curtains) and stenciled table scarves. Simple roller shades, blinds, and lace curtains are favorites still. 1. THE VERMONT COUNTRY STORE vermontcountrystore.com Nothing says “Home Sweet Home” like their classic ball fringe curtain. They also offer traditional bedding, sleepwear, apparel, and food. (800) 547-7849 2. ZWICK WINDOW SHADE CO. windowshades.net Custom-made window shades. Wide selection of materials, styles, trimmings, and pulls available. See the catalog online. (877) 588-5200 3. ARTS & CRAFTS PERIOD TEXTILES textilestudio.com Textiles made with techniques used at the…

ANAGLYPTA A lightweight, embossed material made of cotton pulp, to be painted or faux-finished after installation.  BORDER A narrow strip of small repeating pattern used to highlight the architecture of a room, as when run around doors and windows. CHAIR RAIL Moulding (originally to protect the wall from chair backs) dividing the low dado from the wall fill area. The division alternatively may be expressed as a painted or papered border. COVE Curved, concave plaster surface between the wall and ceiling.  CROWN/CORNICE The moulding, usually plaster or wood, at the top of the wall, abutting the ceiling. DADO The lower wall beneath the chair rail, and also its decorative treatment. FILL/FILLING The main part of the wall surface, above the dado or wainscot and beneath the frieze or cove.…

A HOUSE BUILT of related components speaks eloquently. When you understand the architectural style, what you add will look “as though it’s always been there.” Happily, many traditional building elements, from mantels to garage doors, are being made today. Mechanical systems don’t generally fall within the scope of a design book. Some innovations, though, offer practical or aesthetic advantages peculiar to old houses, so the editors describe them here: heating and cooling retrofits, efficient fireplace inserts, etc. Find, too, elements for landscape and garden, from trellises to urns, pavers to glass houses, all of which round out the beautiful impression. 1. CHRISTIE’S WOOD & GLASS entryways.com Custom entryway builders for over 35 years introduce the Breeze—America’s answer to the Dutch door. The beauty of a hand-crafted entry door with the function…