STEP THREE
Before moving forward with developing your customized style profile, it is important to consider how your chosen interior style reference(s) can complement the exterior style of your home.
A complementary style will provide a common thread of connection between the exterior and interior through materials, colours, décor, and proportions. In other words, the interior style should extend the visual language established by the exterior. If done well, even contrasting styles (e.g., minimal interior for romantic style exterior) can also work when they are intentional and balanced.
Below are some ideas to help you establish a common thread to tie your interior and exterior styles together.
Acknowledge the Historical Context
The exterior architecture and date of construction provide hints as to the historical context. Don’t get hung up on this but use it as a baseline. What would be common at the time the house was built? Can this historical context help to establish a thread of connection between the interior and exterior?
Example: Victorian house; use some salvaged Victorian furnishing (commonly available at antique markets for low prices). This doesn’t mean necessarily committing to a heritage style.
Example at Steep Hill Cottage: The building was originally built using locally sourced materials, which we’re using throughout the new built wherever possible. To furnish the space we’re sourcing vintage items or crafting our own pieces to suit the needs, which will contributed to the storied nature of collected items over time.
Continuity of Materials
Select materials that complement exterior features and visible construction materials. This will provide a sense of connection between interior and exterior style.
Example: If the exterior is brick, a brick fireplace would provide a sense of continuity. You might also take note of trim around exterior windows and doors and carry the same style inside. Even something as simple as matching colours from the exterior surroundings can provide a subtle connection.
Example at Steep Hill Cottage: There are two sets of flagstone steps leading up to entry doors and surrounding the front perimeter of the building. This is carried through on the Muskoka Room (enclosed porch) floor. The window trim profiles are the same inside and out. The texture of the exterior wood siding and soffit is carried through on the ceiling with the tongue and groove cladding.
Respect Scale and Ornamentation
Where original features (moulding, masonry, floors, plaster work, front door, wrought iron, etc.) can be identified and generally conform to functional and aesthetic desires, maintain them. These features, particularly in old houses, are very difficult to replicate. If they are in good shape or can be salvaged, it might be worth using these as anchor elements in your design. Quality and craftsmanship will enhance the application of any style reference.
Examples at Steep Hill Cottage: We are maintaining the simple, utilitarian form of the building and gabled rooflines. We’re also using cedar bevel siding to clad the building, which will evoke a similar vintage effect to it’s original siding format.
Windows: We are using the same windows styles as the original, a double hung with a single grid to two lites on each. We’re also replacing the gable window at the front of the build a small
Doors: We’ve modelled interior doors after a door we found in the old cottage.
Colour: The original cottage exterior was a dark green and we are using a dark green stain on all the buildings.
Don’t Be Too Rigid
Unless you have a truly magnificent heritage home, don’t be too rigid in your thinking about interior styling. Most architectural styles offer considerable flexibility with respect to interior styling. A common thread in material, décor, or colour is often enough to support even highly contrasting style combinations.
Example: Victorian house with modern interior styling. A common thread as simple as maintaining original flooring and select mouldings can create an adequate sense of continuity between interior and exterior.
Steep Hill Cottage Example: Where possible we are using materials and making design choices that honour the original cottage. However, we are making adjustments when needed to ensure the building is comfortable to use (new doors and windows) and designed to host a modern lifestyle (new appliances, functional heating and cooling).
IF YOU NEED SOME INSIGHT ABOUT HOW TO Craft a complementary Interior to your home’s exterior, FEEL FREE TO GET IN TOUCH.
WE’D BE HAPPY TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS.
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-This guide provides a brief, highly graphical overview of Canada's architectural heritage, highlighting the defining characteristics of various building styles and types across different historical periods. We love older Parks Canada publications.
Parks Canada. Buildings of Canada: A Guide to Styles and Types. 1980, https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/7173/buildingsofcanada.pdf.
-This guide, commissioned by an East coast municipality, is quite comprehensive. It provides more detailed information on the architectural styles that are common in Canada.
Town of Sackville. Heritage Architecture Style Guide. 10 Mar. 2014, https://sackville.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Heritage_Architecture_Style_Guide_Final_10March2014.pdf.
-This book provides a comprehensive overview of major architectural styles and building terminology in Ontario from the late 18th century to relatively modern times.
Blumenson, John J.-G. Ontario Architecture: A Guide to Styles and Building Terms, 1784 to the Present. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1990.
-A concise introduction to considering the architectural character of your home is provided in the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Cultural Resources - Preservation Guides. The National Park Service preservation guides are a great resource in general and well worth exploring.
-This book outlines what to look for, what to do and what not to do when working on important building details.
Cusato, Marianne, and Ben Pentreath. Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use & Avoid. Sterling, 2007.
-This book provides an excellent detailed guide to American residential architecture (basically the same as Canadian architecture).
McAlester, Virginia Savage. A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised): The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America's Domestic Architecture. Knopf, 2015.
-This book provides detailed information on building elements.
Benjamin, Asher. The American Builder's Companion. Illustrated ed., Feb. 26, 2009, Dover Publications.
-This book provides detailed information on building elements indicating scale and proportion.
Radford, William A., Bernard L. Johnson, and Charles P. Rawson. Radford's Portfolio of Details of Building Construction: A Remarkable and Unique Collection of Full-Page Plates, Accurately Drawn and Reproduced to Exact Scale. Complete Details for Every Style of Interior Trim, Including Special Built-In Features. Illustrated ed., Dover Publications, Aug. 31, 2012.
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