As a long-time fan of Country Living magazine, earning their February cover featuring a beautiful new home I worked on was so exciting! We gave this new Franklin TN home a little patina and age to achieve a more rustic, relaxed feel.
To share more of this gorgeous home and and lots of tips on how to create your own dream house, I'll be speaking at the upcoming Country Living Fair THIS WEEKEND! Details and a ticket giveaway are below!
The February cover story was especially meaningful because the homeowner, Mandy Reeves, has been a dear friend for almost 30 years. She has impeccable taste and had a very clear vision for her new home, built by Carbine & Associates in the Franklin area. So, how do you create an "Old" new house? Here are my tips on adding age and interest to new construction.
- Incorporate vintage or antique architectural elements during construction. For example, add old transoms over doors for extra height, shiplap to walls for texture and stained glass pieces for color.
- Display family heirlooms in a fun new way. Pretty lace doilies mounted on natural linen and framed in lucite shadow boxes are given new life. For extra impact use four or more and hang in a grid pattern.
- Add Texture! Consider seagrass floor covering, vintage or grasscloth wallpaper and reclaimed wood floors. Find what you love and you’ll find a place for it.
- Create curb appeal. Add limestone, cast iron, and reclaimed brick to the exterior. Also, bold additions like large antique planters to flank the front entrance are beautiful and welcoming.
- Befriend your landscaper. Get advice on what plants grow quickly, stay green and endure unpredictable weather. Then, add a pergola and plant wisteria at its base. Within three years, you’ll have a gorgeous outdoor retreat that feels like it’s been there for ages.
These are just some of the tips we used to achieve that old farmhouse feel for the Reeves’s home. I’ll be talking about some of these elements and steps for creating a happy home at the Country Living Fair this Friday, April 22 at 3 p.m. at the James E Ward Agricultural Center, Lebanon, TN. 
Want to win tickets? Join me on Instagram for your chance to win!
Are you interested in scheduling an interior design consult? We've got several different ways we can work together. Check out our Interior Design Services.