Mixing old and new

Creating either a traditional design or a modern one is straightforward. Creating a space that marries the two styles can lead to a design divorce. If done incorrectly, the outcome can be awkward — but if done with care, the results can be truly amazing.

I put this principle to work during a recent project for clients Anne and Jeff, who had a large ground-floor living room with a large problem. The room was packed with mismatched furniture and jarring styles: chic sofas rubbed elbows with ornate chairs, modern artwork hung alongside antique paintings.

Unsure how to make it all gel, Anne and Jeff asked if I could help them unify their old and new pieces and turn the discordant room into a harmonious space.

The couple had a contemporary chocolate-brown sofa and love seat they wanted to keep. So, I decided to start the process with those two pieces, bring in some of their antiques and make everything speak the same language with color and pattern. To this end, I selected a palette of bright colors (creams, greens, blues and yellows) and chose a variety of bold fabrics (linens, paisleys and weaves).

My next task was to give some of the older pieces a new lease on life. I sent out an antique sofa and two cane chairs to be painted white and reupholstered — a blue/green woven fabric for the sofa and a funky paisley for the chairs. I also cut an old dining-room hutch in half and painted the bottom turquoise-blue — a color you wouldn’t normally see on such a traditional piece.

I then organized the room into separate zones and brought in new furnishings. I created a reading area by the room’s glass doors, which I furnished with new shades in a distinctive arabesque pattern. I put the repurposed antique sofa against one wall and flanked it with two white bookcases. I also put in a new round wooden table, two white and Lucite chairs and hung a cool, globe pendant light above it all.

Next to this, I created a lounge area with the brown sofa and love seat. I added a square glass coffee table, the two antique cane chairs and a floor lamp with an ostrich-feather shade. Above the main sofa, I created a gallery of the couple’s artwork that combines both traditional and modern pieces. The whole seating area faces a wall that houses the repurposed turquoise hutch, which now holds a flat-screen television.

I moved Anne and Jeff’s piano into a corner beside the seating area and chose a large, ornate wall mirror to anchor that area. I then repurposed an existing chandelier by painting it white and hung it above the piano. Beside the piano, I created a small seating area with a white leather egg chair and an arc lamp.

I also put in accessories, like carvings, bowls, vases and pillows, to mix things up even further.

Life is about appreciating the past while embracing the present, and the same can be said for good design. By mixing colors, patterns and styles, Anne and Jeff’s space went from eccentric to eclectic. It is now the perfect marriage of old and new — and I’ll toast that union any day of the week.

ŸInterior decorator Candice Olson is host of HGTV’s ‘’Candice Tells All.’’