SOME DESIGN CONCEPTS

never go out of style. Iconic pieces emerge in every age, then cycle through periods of revival. Examples include the Windsor chair, the Boston rocker, brass beds, Queen Anne- and Chippendale- style dining chairs, the Eames lounge chair and ottoman in leather, and the reclining Morris chair. An eclectic approach works best when classics are in the mix.

joining antiques and reproductions. But an eclectic or contemporary room can be pleasing and timeless. A classic wallpaper or piece of furniture can anchor the space, or provide a quirk of personality.

If yours is an old house, congratulations! You (and your designer) already have all sorts of cues and clues for its decoration and furnishing, courtesy of the date and style of the house. That doesn’t mean your choices are limited—actually, the opposite is true. An old house will suggest styles and treatments far more creative, and far less trendy, than those found in any contemporary showroom. So allow yourself to be inspired! Old-house interiors can be creative, interpretive, and personal. They need not be reproductions.

top left George Nelson’s iconic Marshmallow sofa, designed in 1956, is available again through Design Within Reach. top right A 1957 Modern house is appropriately furnished with mid- century classics. far right A demure Colonial Revival sconce ( revivallighting. com) and a Suffolk thumb- latch ( historichousefitters. com) are good examples of elements that never go out of style. bottom This highstyle painted cupboard ( andersenandstauffer. com) is a hand- crafted reproduction.