Where Does Style Come From?

Last week, my beloved aunt Linda passed away suddenly. She was a mother, daughter, friend, smart-aleck, life of the party and guardian of family history. She was also an incredibly stylish woman and a passionate restorer of her historic home. She was one of many stylish, creative women on both sides of my family: I come from fashionistas, architects, stylists, singers, models, designers, and artists. As I sit and think of what to write today, I am stricken by the parallels between appreciation for one’s history and appreciation for style and design. Both inform, inspire and express who we are, where we are headed and where we have been. Aunt Linda believed that the past informed our sense of life now. And as she is so much of my past, and so much of my sense of life now, I would like to offer this tribute to her, the sassiest of the “Gibson Girls” (that’s us, in her living room, below. Clockwise from top left: Aunt Linda, me, Evelyn [my grandmother], and Diane [my mother]).

Aunt Linda believed in a delicate balance between old and new. Her home is a 1930s Monterey-Revival home (see photo, below) on a grand old street called Euclid Avenue in Upland, CA which was one of the original arteries of the town, on which mule cars used to run in the 1800s, and which is still very much intact, with its wide island and many historic homes. The house is incredible—with a large front veranda and original features like an exterior door for firewood, a milk chute for the milkman and a built-in shoe shining kit (the footrest pulls down out of a wall). The house’s history informed her decisions about it’s future. It was originally built by a prominent lawyer, and Aunt Linda eagerly studied the history of the house before embarking on any renovations (it helped that she knew the previous owners’ family personally). She put her heart and soul into the home, along the way teaching me so much about integrity of houses and of people. So many of the lessons Aunt Linda taught me about life were wrapped in the packaging of lessons about style. As a tribute to her, I’d like to share some of those lessons with you.

Aunt Linda’s Rules of Restoration:

1. Embrace your true colors. In a historic home select historic colors, not modern ones. There is a difference. She selected paint colors from Benjamin Moore’s historical paint book. Also, light quality is often different in older homes than in newer ones due to different window placement, so paint the color on a posterboard and move it from room to room, leaving it in each room throughout the day, to see how it will truly look in your space.

2. Never underestimate the power of crisp and clean. White molding, paneling and period-appropriate wainscoting is your best friend. It can unite disparate elements, cover up a previous owner’s bad reno’ job, lighten and brighten homes from even the darkest of periods, inject a sense of ease to what can easily feel like too serious a space. Be careful when pairing bright white wainscoting with darker colors, as the white could become a harshly bright buzzkill.

3. Look for new (read: better) versions of old materials. Aunt Linda’s home was built in the ‘30s. Back then, linoleum flooring was often used, and the groutless look is still the most flattering option to compliment her small kitchen’s tile counter, drainboard sink and retro refrigerator. But instead of settling for modern faux-tile vinyl or the awful patterns you see in homes from the ‘80s (pink and blue anyone?), she found a very, very cool brown vinyl that resembled cork without trying to look like cork.


4. Or choose a historic look in a newer material. ...Especially if you have kids or pets (see rule # 7). But choose carefully—engineered wood floors, faux-wood shutters and state of the art techno-fabrics for upholstery and drapes are family-friendly and often successful. Faux-metal anything, laminate “wood” floors or cheap accessories like those decorative fake books kill the mood.

5. Save elements which add character. Aunt Linda was able to save and refinish her original wood flooring, save and paint kitchen cabinets, save and re-grout tile, etc. She also was adamant about saving all the cool little features like hidden jewelry storage and fully-functional exterior shutters that actually ventilate, and she gave the most intriguing tour of the house, telling guests all about every nook and cranny and how it served homeowners of the past. Don’t underestimate the power of such good hosting—these tours will forever be one of my most cherished memories of my aunt.

6. Rely on the experts. That's why they're there. Use stores and catalogs that cater to restoration. Many cities have salvage yards, which offer many items you wouldn’t even think to look for. Aunt Linda relied heavily on Van Dyke’s Restorer for period-accurate fixtures (see link below). Also, hit flea markets regularly for great finds. Go early and have a defined shopping list. If you live in the Bay Area like me, the Alameda flea market cannot be beat (see link below), but plan to spend the entire day there.

7. Fake it ‘til you make it. When she needed to buy new, she bought with much thoughtful consideration. Rather than order the de rigeour window treatments, she put research into learning what style her architecture was intended for. The end result was incredible white wood shutters on every window in the house that speak to the home’s originally-intended mood and filter light in a way that flatters the space perfectly (some of which were later sacrificed to her Tibetan Spaniel, Winston’s, scratching). C’est la vie.


8. Mix the timeless with the timely. The most successful renovations blend very pronounced, ornate historical items, such as a carved fireplace, with super-simple, classic elements, like an English-arm sofa. Note the splendidly carved leg of the sidechairs at 2007's Design Showcase house in SF (right), paired with simpler armchairs and table. Too much history and your guests feel overwhelmed by the theme and struggle to appreciate it. Too little history and all sense of personality is lost. In life as in design, a little history goes a long way. A tip for doing this well--Mix curves with curves, and clean lines with clean lines.

9. Once in a while, laugh at yourself. Don’t take your self too seriously—after all, you are restoring a home, not a museum. Aunt Linda put her kooky collection of clocks on one wall as a foil to the famously relaxed feeling of Monterey-revival style. Once in a while, give yourself some reprieve in the form of some temporary hilarity like a mask tossed over a statue’s head, a faux-stag head over a mantle or one of those silly butler free-standing trays in a mudroom for your keys. Once I attended a party where the family portrait the hostess had hung over the fireplace was of the “silly-face” variety. What fun!

10. Keep it livable. The home was originally intended to house a dining table in the relatively tiny space off the living room that leads to the back porch. It is basically an alcove with french doors, only about 6’ by 10’, open to the living room but with a lowered ceiling. Aunt Linda chose to keep the space open to the patio doors for everyone’s comfort, and instead made the breakfast room the primary dining area.

11. Have fun with what you have. The era (and the area) often allow for much more than the predictable stereotypes, if you do a little research: The “California Style” of art was born in the ‘30s and Aunt Linda gave it a nod with a beach theme in both bathrooms, supported by original cabinetry, era-appropriate pedestal sinks and original tile showers.

12. Always choose quality. When you embark upon a restoration, you become part of the home’s history. A restoration is different than a renovation. As a renovator, the home serves your interests, but as a restorer, you serve the home’s interests. Contribute to the beauty and integrity of the home by only choosing quality materials and service-people (see link below) for your project. After all, the home will likely be there long after you, which not only makes you the keeper of its legacy, but makes it the keeper of yours.

This week, please take a moment to appreciate all the people in your life who have made you who you are. And try restoring something (your house, a friendship that has fallen between the cracks, a healthy lifestyle, perhaps?). It will give you a sense of capability and greatness that you can’t get from anything else. Have a great week.

In loving memory of Linda Noel Gibson Lightstone, 1945-2008.

Catolog of Restoration Servicepeople: http://www.restorationmarketplace.com/?id=74

Van Dyke’s Restorer: http://www.vandykes.com/

Alameda Flea Market: http://www.antiquesbybay.com/

2007 San Francisco Design Showcase House, Interior Design by Steven Miller