The mission was to 'stay true to the era, but add a healthy dose of casual charm' in this Colonial home that is full of unexpected features – including a kitchen cabinet detail you'll want to copy

When homeowners Tom and Mary found themselves entering a new chapter as empty-nesters, rather than downsize, they decided to stay put and transform their 1930s Colonial home into a space that better reflected their new chapter.

While the bones of the home were beautiful, they no longer felt at home with the space's formal, family-forward aesthetic that didn't reflect their newfound desire for a warmer, more relaxed design. So, they enlisted the help of 'mix master' and interior designer Heather Peterson to reimagine their home with a renovation project that stayed true to the era but with plenty of character, comfort, and charm.

The end result is a home that feels layered, personal, and effortlessly inviting. And it is proof that you don't need to relocate to enter a new era – you just need to pair up with a design team that can bring it back to life.

The goal wasn’t to strip the 1938 Colonial of its history, but to loosen it up and reimagine it through a lens of casual, lived-in charm. Looking to Heather for her layered design eye and love of the 'mix' (interior design styles, eras, personalities – you name it), the couple wanted to honor the traditional architecture of the property while softening its more rigid edges.

And, surprisingly, it all started with sunflowers.

Once the design team had landed on the vintage-style sunflower chandelier in the dining room, everything else began to fall into place. 'It was the first piece we chose,' Heather explains. 'The shape is traditional, but the form is softened by the playful, casual flowers.' By pairing it with neutral linen shades, the team struck the perfect balance of old and new – an aesthetic that runs throughout the home.

And that's certainly not where the unexpected details end with this project.

Throughout the home, thoughtful design choices quietly elevate each space – but that doesn't mean this isn't a color rich interior.

Upstairs, the bedrooms showcase Heather’s talent for dramatic yet inviting bedroom color ideas. In the primary bedroom, chocolate brown walls create a cocoon-like effect and feel super on-trend for such a vintage-style bedroom. The neutral bed is then layered with a mix of ivory and floral bedding, and a simple antique armchair completes the look.

In the guest room, twin beds dressed in matching yellow bedroom throws echo the symmetry and formality of the original architecture of the home, but soft textures and relaxed styling keep things from feeling stiff, while an antique chest offers added storage with character.

The transitional kitchen is where the balance between old and new sings most clearly.

Working with a traditional white kitchen as the base, Heather layered in a palette of deep, saturated colors and antique details to create a space that feels beautifully functional.

Originally, the island was meant to be blue – a color the homeowners loved and had used previously throughout the house, but during the design process, Heather proposed something richer.

'In fact, one of the first and only inspiration images the clients shared showed a white kitchen with a blue island. It always felt a little coastal to me, and this deep red by Farrow & Ball spoke to the Colonial roots of the home – and added a tremendous amount of warmth to the space,' Heather explains.

When they brought in large samples of both the blue and red, Mary instantly fell in love with the unexpected red. The compromise? Blue remained a design red thread throughout the home, and everyone walked away happy.

Opposite the island, the pantry wall is what really catches your attention.

'The architects, Mark Larson Rehkamp Larson, did a beautiful job of creating tons of hidden storage in the pantry wall, including a coffee bar tucked behind retractable doors,' says Heather. 'They also included thoughtful details like stepping the upper kitchen cabinets back in the center section to create dimension and diminish the bulk.'

The genius here is in the details: the antique mirror backsplash that softly bounces light, dark bronze hardware that will patina over time, and something a little unexpected behind the glass-front kitchen cabinet doors.

'Glass is such a lovely, reflective option, but being able to see into cabinets can add the stress of having to keep everything tidy,' Heather notes. 'The shirred fabric treatment hides any clutter, and adds softness to a kitchen to offset all of those hard surfaces.' The cabinet curtain fabric – created similarly to a cafe curtain or skirted kitchen island – is a delicate block print by GP & J Baker and brings a subtle pattern into the space without competing for attention.

Tucked behind classic glass-front doors, the addition of fabric adds warmth, movement, and a whisper of nostalgia to an otherwise clean-lined, tailored kitchen. It’s one of those quiet kitchen cabinet details that changes the entire feel of a space, and would be super simply to recreate in your own space if you feel inspired.

Equally clever is the built-in banquette just beyond the main kitchen.

'The built-in banquette seating is an updated version of one original to the house, and a favorite spot for cramming in overflow diners,' Heather describes. Originally all wood, the team updated it to include suspended back cushions, which attach by snaps and are fitted with recessed ring pulls for comfort – 'and could be updated in a new fabric down the road (though this fabric is perfect!)' she adds.

'The window in the banquette is off center, because of symmetry on the exterior, so we balanced it out with a pair of the clients' special wall prints, and used an overscale light fixture to distract the eye.' A move that adds symmetry without forcing builder-grade levels of perfection.

The thoughtful mix of high-low and old-new continues into the living spaces. In the snug room, seen above, a tufted olive green ottoman brings a jolt of texture and color, surrounded by a deep, plaid corner sofa that is perfect for reading or relaxing with a glass of wine.

Throughout the home, it’s this delicate push and pull between tradition and informality that gives the project its soul. The result is a space that honors the homeowners’ history while embracing their future.

'They had just built a cabin from scratch,' says Heather, 'and it opened their eyes to what was possible. They didn’t want to downsize; they wanted their existing home to grow with them.'

And grow it did. With a kitchen that charms and cozy living spaces that welcome you to stay a while, this Colonial house is now a character-filled home with a relaxed elegance woven into every detail.

Shop the look

What began as a formal house has become something far more personal, thanks to designer Heather and her team. Now, this inviting, character-filled home reflects not only its architectural roots but the lives of the people within it.