There is a certain romance and charm that you find in historic homes that simply cannot be replicated today.  So when it came time to renovate her 1929 Tennessee home, this homeowner turned to designer Todd Richesin to create a soothing respite that remains true to its era and serves as the perfect backdrop to her collection of antiques.

Todd worked hand-in-hand with the architect and contractor to honor the original architecture and avoid increasing the footprint. The basement stairs were relocated to make room for the kitchen, and the original kitchen was turned into a laundry room/catering kitchen. Volume was added by opening up the ceilings in both offices in the front wings. The only addition to the home was the powder room which was popped out to suspend over one of the garage bays. And an existing terrace was enclosed to create the sunroom.

“It was about the fourth or fifth time the homeowner and I had worked on a major project together so I had her total trust which is always nice,” Todd said.  The color scheme was built around the beautiful ballerina painting over the navy sofa in the living room and a coral pink the client loves. Many of the furnished pieces were designed and created specifically for this home, and all of the rugs were custom created and handwoven to Todd’s design specifications by Stark. Beautiful antiques include a 17th century Italian painted cabinet in the foyer and the beautiful walnut display cabinet in the dining room…

Interestingly, the architect of this home – George F. Barber – was the homeowner’s uncle, although the house did not descent through the family.  For additional information, please visit Todd Richesin Interiors and Bobby Todd Antiques. My Q&A with Todd can be found here, and for ongoing inspiration, please follow @toddrichesin on Instagram.