Interior Design Sense

The Mechanics Institute Hall that is. Think Victorian era guild or trades halls. Almost church like. This modern conversion plays with scale and height, positive and negative space, open and enclosed. Love the kitchen, the spiral staircase and the soaring grey ceilings, the clever use of half walls of storage to divide spaces and the privacy of the bedroom and bathroom tucked away in the mezzanine but a little confused by the large box like lights. The Old Mechanics Institute Hall 1857, South Melbourne. Link here while it lasts.

We tend to think of Victorian homes as being stuffy, formal and certainly not kid friendly. ‘ One of my most recently completed projects, a Victorian in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, was to transform the home into anything but these conventional stereotypes. ‘ The home, built in 1872, came under foreclosure in 2008, and an’ imaginative’ couple jumped at the opportunity to transform this historic dwelling into their modern dream (family!) home. ‘ Working with both my firm (Buckingham Interiors + Design) as well as the hugely talented architect, Jean Dufresne, of Space Architects + Planners, the family painstakingly overhauled every square inch of the dwelling. ‘ One of the main reasons they fell in love with this house, however, was its expansive yard, perfect for a family of six and unusual for this part of town. This fantastic project is the third home that I have designed for one of my hands- down favorite client families, who moved around the corner from our previously designed home into this grande dame

One of the most exciting parts of working on this project was certainly the addition to the back of the house. ‘ Totally deviating from the Victorian style of the original structure, this modern space represents the eclectic taste and open-minded nature of these visionary homeowners.

{addition to the back of the residence}

Looking for Victorian era tiles for your bathroom reno? Take a cue from Italian company Petracer, and its glamorous late-XIX century-inspired bathroom Victorian tile ideas. The Capitonne collection features that signature diamond design with buttoning – a detail that’s classic for furniture, but fresh and contemporary as a wall treatment. Pictured here in timeless white, it’s easy to add a punch of color with vibrant red details, or dress it up in silver or gold. Turn your bathroom into the lap of luxury with these Victorian era tiles. For more information visit Petracer.

Looking for Victorian era tiles for your bathroom reno? Take a cue from Italian company Petracer, and its glamorous late-XIX century-inspired bathroom Victorian tile ideas. The Capitonne collection features that signature diamond design with buttoning – a detail that’s classic for furniture, but fresh and contemporary as a wall treatment. Pictured here in timeless white, it’s easy to add a punch of color with vibrant red details, or dress it up in silver or gold. Turn your bathroom into the lap of luxury with these Victorian era tiles. For more information visit Petracer.