Tour a Beautiful Historic Home Reimagined With Glamour
Watch and read how a designer found on Houzz updated a 100-year-old home with elegant finishes while honoring its past
Mitchell Parker
December 10, 2021
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
These Pittsburgh homeowners had lived in their 100-year-old home for more than 20 years and raised their kids there before deciding to renovate. They found Florida designer Andrea Martoccia-Fava of Motivo Home on Houzz and hired her to “reinvigorate the spaces that they use and love the most,” she says.
A major focus was the kitchen, where Martoccia-Fava took down a wall to expand the space to fit double islands. She also relocated the range to take in views of a back garden and koi pond. Beautiful quartzite countertops, gold finishes, a high-gloss ceiling, rich woods and a bank of green cabinets deliver glamorous style while staying true to the history of the home.
Martoccia-Fava used Houzz Pro software to coordinate with her clients and design team for the project, which also included elegant but cozy updates to the living room and main bedroom.
A major focus was the kitchen, where Martoccia-Fava took down a wall to expand the space to fit double islands. She also relocated the range to take in views of a back garden and koi pond. Beautiful quartzite countertops, gold finishes, a high-gloss ceiling, rich woods and a bank of green cabinets deliver glamorous style while staying true to the history of the home.
Martoccia-Fava used Houzz Pro software to coordinate with her clients and design team for the project, which also included elegant but cozy updates to the living room and main bedroom.
In the kitchen, a cherry island features a Cristallo quartzite countertop with a waterfall edge.
Martoccia-Fava incorporated many details that were commonly used in historic homes of the era, including lots of gold details. “Right now, of course, it’s all shiny and new, but my hope is that they begin to age and warm up with time so they really feel like they’ve been there much longer than they have,” she says.
The home originally featured a lattice wood pattern floor that crisscrossed green-and-purple-toned slate tile. They pulled the slate up but weren’t able to salvage the wood. Instead, Martoccia-Fava re-created the pattern with wood-look tile spanning large-format white tile.
Watch now: Step inside this glamorously updated historic home on Houzz TV
Martoccia-Fava incorporated many details that were commonly used in historic homes of the era, including lots of gold details. “Right now, of course, it’s all shiny and new, but my hope is that they begin to age and warm up with time so they really feel like they’ve been there much longer than they have,” she says.
The home originally featured a lattice wood pattern floor that crisscrossed green-and-purple-toned slate tile. They pulled the slate up but weren’t able to salvage the wood. Instead, Martoccia-Fava re-created the pattern with wood-look tile spanning large-format white tile.
Watch now: Step inside this glamorously updated historic home on Houzz TV
Martoccia-Fava relocated a new, larger range to the bay windows to give the homeowners views of the garden and koi pond. “That was one of the hardest selling points in the designs that I gave them, but they really trusted the vision,” she says.
Shop for range hoods
Shop for range hoods
The countertops pick up the gold tones used for the sink, stools, plumbing fixtures and range hood.
“They are luxurious,” Martoccia-Fava says of the countertops. “And they keep everything light, bright and open.”
“They are luxurious,” Martoccia-Fava says of the countertops. “And they keep everything light, bright and open.”
Paneled doors with mercury glass antiqued mirrors conceal the fridge and freezer.
Watch now: Tour more of this renovated kitchen
Watch now: Tour more of this renovated kitchen
Martoccia-Fava took down a wall between the kitchen and an informal dining area to expand the kitchen into one long space.
A second island is used for casual dinners and entertaining. “I didn’t want it to feel like it went from kitchen to dining room,” she says. “I wanted it to feel like one big kitchen. So that’s why we duplicated the island with the same cabinets, the same countertop material and the same lighting.”
A bank of storage cabinets is painted in a green commonly found in historic homes.
A second island is used for casual dinners and entertaining. “I didn’t want it to feel like it went from kitchen to dining room,” she says. “I wanted it to feel like one big kitchen. So that’s why we duplicated the island with the same cabinets, the same countertop material and the same lighting.”
A bank of storage cabinets is painted in a green commonly found in historic homes.
Walls of windows framing leafy views surround the entertaining island.
A high-gloss lacquered white ceiling reflects light. “The ceiling is my favorite,” Martoccia-Fava says. “It was a hard sell because it did take a lot of work to get it to be what it is today, but I think the paint contractors really nailed it and brought our vision to life.”
Watch now: Tour this home on Houzz TV
A high-gloss lacquered white ceiling reflects light. “The ceiling is my favorite,” Martoccia-Fava says. “It was a hard sell because it did take a lot of work to get it to be what it is today, but I think the paint contractors really nailed it and brought our vision to life.”
Watch now: Tour this home on Houzz TV
The entertaining island area, seen in the background here, leads to this family room. Martoccia-Fava brightened the space with lots of white paint and reconfigured the furniture layout to move the TV from over the fireplace to its own wall on the left.
She used the same white on the built-in as was used for the kitchen cabinets to create cohesion between the two spaces. A light-colored performance fabric sectional also helps lighten the look.
Martoccia-Fava refinished the existing cherry floors and updated the fireplace with a dark marble surround and hearth.
An antiqued mirror coffee table brings a bit of glam to the space and ties back to the mirrored elements in the kitchen.
Black grasscloth wallpaper helps visually camouflage the TV.
Browse a collection of stylish living room furniture
She used the same white on the built-in as was used for the kitchen cabinets to create cohesion between the two spaces. A light-colored performance fabric sectional also helps lighten the look.
Martoccia-Fava refinished the existing cherry floors and updated the fireplace with a dark marble surround and hearth.
An antiqued mirror coffee table brings a bit of glam to the space and ties back to the mirrored elements in the kitchen.
Black grasscloth wallpaper helps visually camouflage the TV.
Browse a collection of stylish living room furniture
A Sputnik-style chandelier adds a bit of glamour over a seating area in the family room. The homeowners had a table there before that they used for dining, catching up on email and enjoying their morning coffee, so they decided to keep the function in the updated space.
“When something’s working for a family and it’s something they use and enjoy, you can just make it a little bit better,” Martoccia-Fava says. “You don’t have to get rid of it.”
“When something’s working for a family and it’s something they use and enjoy, you can just make it a little bit better,” Martoccia-Fava says. “You don’t have to get rid of it.”
Updating the main bedroom was also a top priority for the homeowners. A dark navy velvet bed sits against a paneled wall that features doors to dual closets.
Gold cork wallpaper on the ceiling, velvet curtains and velvet-and-leather recliners give the room a boutique hotel feel.
Watch now: Go inside this reimagined historic home on Houzz TV
Shop now: Browse a collection of stylish living room furniture
Watch now: Go inside this reimagined historic home on Houzz TV
Shop now: Browse a collection of stylish living room furniture
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Lovely
I find myself going back to this story time and time again. I love absolutely everything about this home and have used it for inspiration during my own renos
Would love to see picture's of the his and her bathroom