Weekly Design Inspiration: In the Chapel
Every once and a while, a unique opportunity presents itself. A beautifully designed church becomes available for home ownership. Sometimes the bones are there and the finishes are not; other times the space has been beautifully preserved. We thought that we would take a look at some of our favourite restored churches to see how art history can be transformed.
Let’s get Crafty!
This restored home has been dipped in Arts and Crafts and we love it! The rich warm tones perfectly complement the amber-infused stained-glass windows in this church. Tones of walnut and oak flow throughout the space and provide the perfect grounding feature for the high ceilings and airy feeling. We love how well-preserved some of the features are; the corbels and loft banister feel like they have come straight out of a storybook. The design really takes into account the existing architecture, using the millwork to define the spaces and using the colours to help guide the furniture choices.
Source: The Design Files
Source: The Design Files
Pink Paradise
Next up is a converted home full of whimsy and fantastical elements. These homeowners clearly understood that taking over this space would be a labour of love. We appreciate the details that have been maintained, such as the uneven bricks and the Tudor and Gothic millwork designs throughout the home. However, the design also feels surprisingly fresh, introducing features like the pink door paired with the medieval divider and the black wainscotting paired with the dark walnut ceiling.
Source: Design Sponge
Source: Design Sponge
Arch You Glad You Met Me?
Whenever we feel uninspired, we simply need to look up a charming, eclectic home like this one to revive our creative spirits. We love how these homeowners respected the architectural elements in the church while still displaying their own personalities as well. This home has so many unique architectural features, like the column footings and ceiling medallions. The homeowners clearly took that same approach to their furniture selections, finding pieces as unique as their surroundings, incorporating fine china, mid-century modern tables, and minimalist lighting.
Source: The Nordroom
Source: The Nordroom
Design Tip: The sad fact is that many of us won’t be able to restore beautiful places like these in our lifetime. However, you can incorporate pieces of history within your home. You can pretty easily find pews on second hand websites, and they almost always have a great story behind them.
