Why Historic Homes Feel So Special — and How to Design for Their Charm

There’s something about historic homes that stirs the heart. Perhaps it’s the creak of old floorboards, the curve of a bannister polished by a century of hands, or the weight of a door that’s swung open a thousand times. In an age of efficiency and uniformity, many of us are drawn to the imperfect charm and lasting craftsmanship of older homes. These buildings embrace us gently and invite us to explore their quiet stories.
As a designer who works with period homes — and who lives in one myself — I know their charm is no accident. There’s a rhythm to these properties: a sense of human scale, material honesty, and craftsmanship that modern builds rarely match. And when designing for them, the most successful schemes are those that step in beat to that rhythm.

What Makes Historic Homes So Appealing?

While every house is unique, most period homes share certain qualities that make them deeply desirable to live in — and incredibly rewarding to design for.

Architectural Character

Original cornices, fireplaces, deeply recessed windows, exposed beams, and panelled doors are more than decorative flourishes — they bring authenticity and a sense of permanence. Some features reflect the fashions of their time — such as Arts & Crafts carved panelling or colourfully glazed Victorian wall tiles — but they were often grounded in proportion, purpose, and craftsmanship.

This designer, featured on TheNordroom.com, has embraced a potentially awkward dormer window space to create a seating nook.

Natural Materials with a Story

Aged oak, worn stone, lime plaster, forged iron, terracotta — these materials mellow beautifully over time, developing a softness and richness that modern substitutes rarely replicate. They lend texture, tactility, and grounding to a space.

A Sense of Evolution

Many historic homes have changed and adapted over the centuries, with layers of paint, unexpected level changes, and architectural quirks to show for it. That patchwork is part of their charm. These aren’t blank slates — they’re spaces with stories. Your new wallpaper is another chapter; the scratches in the floorboards speak of your everyday life.

Design Lessons from historic homes

So what can today’s homeowners learn from historic homes? And how do we embrace the past while still living comfortably in the present?

Embrace the Quirks

Not every wall will be straight. Not every floor will sit level. These quirks are part of what give period homes their soul. When a friend first saw my early 1800s cottage, she asked if I was planning to straighten out the bulging bathroom wall. I told her if I started there, I’d need to straighten out the entire house!
Instead of erasing these oddities, work with them. Commission bespoke joinery (or custom millwork if you’re US-based), add castors or leg extenders to furniture on sloping floors, and sew a draught excluder (aka draft stopper) in a favourite fabric. Even better — spotlight the quirks of your historic home with lighting, such as soft fairy lights wrapped around the beams in an attic bedroom.

Balance Modern Needs with Gentle Intervention

Modernising a historic home doesn’t mean stripping away its essence. But neither does it mean you must live in a time capsule. Underfloor heating beneath reclaimed stone, double glazing that respects heritage proportions, or sleek appliances fitted within a traditional scullery layout — these updates allow comfort and character to coexist.
In my own period home, I’ve fitted an air source heat pump, replaced aged double glazing with more energy efficient cottage-style versions, and transformed an uninviting en-suite into a warm, insulated sanctuary. The aim is to enhance — not compete.

Using a free-standing stainless steel kitchen works with the acute angles of this cottage. Image from realhomes.com

Layer the Old with the New

Some of the most beautiful historic homes embrace contrast: a vintage console behind a modern sofa, contemporary art above a carved Georgian fireplace, or a striking modern pendant hung in a Jacobean-beamed room. Period homes shine when they’re treated as a backdrop for today’s life. It’s this layering — thoughtful, personal, and unforced — that makes a home feel lived-in and loved. See my related post: How to Blend Vintage and Modern for Timeless Style

My Approach to Design in period homes

I always begin with the people: who lives here, how they move through the space, what the home needs to do for them. Only then do I begin reading the property itself. What is the architecture trying to tell us? How does the light shift? Which details deserve to be centre stage — and which should fade quietly into the background?
I don’t believe in rigid historical recreations. I do believe in honouring a building’s roots — and layering in thoughtful design that feels joyful and current. A well-chosen fabric can bridge eras. A rearranged floorplan can unlock a home’s potential.
Whether I’m working on a grand Edwardian hallway or a snug Victorian cottage kitchen, my goal is always the same: to create a room that functions beautifully, reflects the people who live there, and feels richly characterful.

Final Thoughts: connecting with history

To live in a historic home is to become part of its story. The way you paint the walls, position your furniture, and move through the space — it all adds to a legacy of living that stretches before and beyond you.
Designing for period homes isn’t about preservation for preservation’s sake. It’s about connection. Knowing when to modernise, when to restore, and when to leave something be — that’s what brings harmony. And it’s in that harmony that these homes reveal their quiet, enduring magic.