Designers with an eye toward this form of enhancement, and who are willing to step back are likely to succeed in a world of showoffs who care little about the integrity of the design, but only want to be the first to try something new and outlandish.

When trying to design a room, take a good hard look at its architectural design to help set a mood and style. While you may be able to gut an old worn Victorian kitchen and turn into a high-scale modern one, something would definitely be lost. Why not take the opportunity to showcase your talent and ingenuity by trying to capture the essence of the architectural style and taste by preserving the style in a way that still enables the homeowner to enjoy all the modern conveniences of today?

Keep your eye out for unique room dimensions; unusual window casements; intricate moldings and trims; old fireplaces and doors. Sure, it would be easy to rip out (or paint over) and old brick fireplace and replace it with new sleek travertine, but ask yourself firs is something important would be lost if you did.

Too many buildings today are built exactly alike, making the designer’s job more difficult to try and create a unique setting for each homeowners of office. When you are lucky enough to be given the chance to re-do a local artifact, use its unique design and architecture to showcase its beauty – even if doesn’t quite match your personal style.

So, what should you be looking for when doing your initial walk-through for ideas? Here are a few places to start:

Original Fixtures.
Although original lighting and plumbing fixtures can rarely be used as-is, you can either have them refaced, or you can buy new “retro” ones that offer the same style of the originals, but which feature, newer more modern features. The same is true for things like old claw foot bathtubs; sinks and even ovens found in the kitchen.

Woodwork.
Many older homes and buildings sport beautiful woodwork and hardwood flooring. It can be expensive and time consuming to have them redone vs. ripping them out or painting over them, but is well worth the effort.

Large windowsills and older casings.
Preserving older windows can be tricky since there are energy efficiencies to consider. But, it is possible to preserve the same look and feel of the older windows and still be able to attain more modern temperature control.

Classic Colors.
One way to preserve an older style is by using original colors in the rooms and exterior. Research the original time period of the building to see what was popular in its heyday.