Beyond Pinterest: How Your Home's Architecture Should Guide Your Renovation

I had so much fun this past weekend helping some clients-turned-friends show their 1890s historic home at the Lockeland Springs Lawn & Home Tour. Beginning in 2021, we had worked on transforming the house back to its former glory after it spent time as a multi-rental unit and endured unfortunate renovations. The biggest transformation was the kitchen, where we completely rethought the layout while preserving character and ushering it into a modern era where the kitchen truly serves as the heart of the home.

A before and after of the kitchen in my client’s historic home. See the full reveal here.

As neighbors walked through the home — many commenting it was the highlight of this year's tour — I loved sharing details and challenges of the kitchen renovation while also providing insight into questions about their own upcoming projects. It was wonderful to see so many people on the tour seeking inspiration for their own historic homes. With that in mind, I thought I'd share some of the most frequently asked questions and offer guidance that might help you as well.

Where to Start?

While browsing Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration is fun, that’s really all it is — INSPIRATION. When it comes to where the rubber meets the road, you need to start looking at materials that are readily available, talk to cabinetmakers and contractors, and find sources for tile, plumbing, lighting etc. The first place to start when moving from inspiration to formulation is your own home! I often find that houses will tell you what they want to be if you just listen.

What Year Was Your Home Built?

Many options can be narrowed down simply by paying attention to the year your home was built and its original architectural style. For example, white subway tile might feel like a trend that has come and gone with the modern farmhouse movement — but it’s actually an affordable material naturally aligned with many architectural styles, including Victorian, Four Square, Craftsman, prewar metropolitan apartments, and traditional American farmhouses. It was commonly found in bathrooms and kitchens where sanitation concerns drove material choices and where it served as a practical surface for food preparation.

In this case of my client’s 1890's Four Square renovation, using white subway tile in a standard size for the backsplash was taking into consideration the age of the home. We also used a brick tile for the mudroom floor, and 1-inch hexagon in the shared bathroom upstairs.

The new bathroom floor - shown here - was very much in line with the original architecture of the home. During renovation we happily discovered a 1” hexagon under layers of tile, confirming our choice.

In a renovation process where there are an overwhelming number of decisions to make, having the architecture lead the way provides a helpful guide that naturally narrows down the options. So rather than viewing materials as “IN” or “OUT” - consider how their alignment with your home’s architecture creates either a timeless or trendy moment.

When Materials and Architecture Clash

Trendy material combinations that create architectural dissonance are unfortunately commonplace. Here are some particularly jarring examples:

• Barn Doors in Urban Condos

  • Rustic sliding doors with exposed hardware mounted in sleek high-rise apartments

  • The agricultural reference has no historical or contextual relationship to urban living

  • Creates a theatrical effect rather than an authentic connection to place or architecture

• Industrial Pipe Shelving in Traditional Colonial Homes

  • Raw plumbing fixtures retrofitted as display shelving in formal, historically-specific interiors

  • Undermines the refined millwork and proportional systems that define Colonial architecture

• Moroccan Encaustic Cement Tiles in Mid-Century Modern Spaces

  • Busy, colorful patterns disrupt the clean horizontal planes essential to mid-century design

  • Contradicts the fundamental principle of material honesty in modernist spaces

• Shiplap in Urban Brownstones

  • Rural agricultural cladding inappropriately applied to formal 19th century architecture

  • Erases the sophisticated plasterwork and material hierarchy intrinsic to these spaces

• Tuscan Stone and Heavy Timber in Suburban Developer Homes

  • Mimics the materiality of centuries-old Italian farmhouses without the structural necessity

  • Applied as veneer rather than integrated into the building's structural logic

• Ultra-Contemporary Waterfall Islands in Victorian Houses

  • Crisp, minimalist forms with mitred edges inserted into ornate, historically detailed kitchens

  • Creates chronological confusion without meaningful dialogue between periods

• Open Concept Renovations in Georgian Architecture

  • Removal of walls in spaces designed around formal circulation patterns and distinct room functions

  • Destroys the sequential spatial experience that gives these homes their architectural integrity

What makes these combinations problematic isn't merely aesthetics but intellectual dishonesty — they create environments that confuse rather than clarify a home's architectural identity. The best approach is to respect architectural integrity while allowing for thoughtful evolution, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of how materials and space should relate.

Let Your House Be Your Guide!

Here are some of my favorite resources for learning more about your home’s architecture and materials that align with those spaces:

Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use & Avoid

A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised): The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America's Domestic Architecture

Traditional Construction Patterns: Design and Detail Rules-of-Thumb

After determining your house style, I suggest digging in deeper and ordering some books specific to your home's architecture and era.

Create an Architecture-Based Design Guide

A moodboard of my client’s kitchen which includes traditional inset style cabinetry, unlacquered brass finishes, and modern integration of hiding appliances behind traditional cabinet panels.

Once you have explored the history of your home, it can be helpful to create a renovation guide for your project. This guide can be as detailed as you want, serving as a reference when exploring options and making decisions. Here’s an example of what you might include:

• Architectural Style Foundation

  • Document your home's architectural style and age (Craftsman, Mid-Century Modern, Colonial, etc.)

  • Note key identifying features that define this style

  • Include historical reference photos of similar homes

• Exterior Elements

  • Roofing materials and profiles

  • Siding/exterior wall treatments

  • Window styles and proportions

  • Door designs and hardware

  • Porch/entry details

• Interior Structural Elements

  • Ceiling heights and treatments

  • Wall treatments (paneling, wainscoting, etc.)

  • Flooring materials, standard sizes, and patterns

  • Staircase design and materials

  • Interior door styles

• Trim and Molding Profiles

  • Baseboard height and profile

  • Crown molding styles

  • Window and door casings

  • Chair rails and picture rails

  • Corbels and decorative trim elements

• Cabinetry and Built-ins

  • Cabinet door styles (Shaker, flat panel, raised panel, etc.)

  • Materials and wood species

  • Hardware styles and finishes

  • Built-in features typical to your architectural style

• Surface Materials

  • Tile styles, shapes, sizes, and patterns appropriate to the period

  • Countertop materials that complement the style

  • Backsplash options

  • Wall surface treatments (plaster, drywall textures)

• Fixtures and Hardware

  • Light fixture styles and finishes (you can go more modern here if you want to mix styles as these are like the jewelry of the home)

  • Plumbing fixtures appropriate to the style (I always recommend sticking to classic finishes like unlacquered brass, polished nickel, or chrome — depending on home style — and avoiding trendy plumbing finishes)

  • Door and cabinet hardware

  • Vent covers and register designs

• Color Palette

  • Period-appropriate color schemes (it's good to know the history, but this is an area you can go more modern even in historic homes)

  • Trim vs. wall color relationships

  • Accent color options

Begin with respect, evolve with intention. This approach to renovation isn't about creating museum-quality replicas or limiting creativity—it's about understanding your home's architectural DNA before deciding how to thoughtfully adapt it for modern living. The most successful renovations I've witnessed start with this fundamental respect for what already exists, then make deliberate choices about where to preserve, where to restore, and where to reimagine. By letting your home guide the conversation, you'll make decisions with confidence, avoid costly mistakes, and create spaces that feel both authentic and fresh.

A dishwasher to the left of the sink is hidden with a white oak cabinet panel in a traditional style. Natural stone countertops and unlacquered brass plumbing and hardware patina with age. Although we were unable to save the original fireplace brick, we refaced with reclaimed brick to highlight the original architecture. Photography by Justin March.

After all, the goal isn't to erase history but to become part of it—adding your chapter to the ongoing story of a home that will likely outlive all of us.

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Carly