Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Old and New Find a Place in This Victorian Home
A New Jersey homeowner decorates her family’s 19th-century home with streamlined vintage pieces and personal touches
Rebecca Hardiman, a freelance editor at a design magazine, and her husband, Alex Hardiman, moved from New York City to an 1878 Victorian home in a quaint neighborhood in South Orange, New Jersey, 12 years ago after learning they were having twins. With spacious rooms and four stories of living space, the home was right for their growing family, Hardiman says, but the decor was not. “The dining room walls were pink, the furniture and drapery were very heavy, and there were fussy details. It was the total opposite of our style,” she says.
A sleek cowhide chair accented with a vintage side table and sculptural lamp stands out in the stately Victorian room with its high ceilings and heavy molding. Hardiman salvaged the side table from the garbage and lightened it with sandpaper and a coat of medium stain.
The abstract painting over the fireplace is from the 1920s. It once belonged to Hardiman’s mother and brings back fond childhood memories. “When I was growing up, my mom took in boarders for extra money. When one of our favorite boarders was tight with money, he gave my mom the painting instead of rent,” she says. “The colors are pastel and ’80s, which is different from anything else I have.”
Pierre cowhide chair: Room & Board; Cleo table lamp: Crate & Barrel
The abstract painting over the fireplace is from the 1920s. It once belonged to Hardiman’s mother and brings back fond childhood memories. “When I was growing up, my mom took in boarders for extra money. When one of our favorite boarders was tight with money, he gave my mom the painting instead of rent,” she says. “The colors are pastel and ’80s, which is different from anything else I have.”
Pierre cowhide chair: Room & Board; Cleo table lamp: Crate & Barrel
The neutral-toned sitting area is punctuated with dashes of color and plants, making the grand room more intimate and homier. “I prefer a warmer feel, a mix of vintage pieces with a bohemian vibe — lots of plants, wicker, lamps and art,” Hardiman says.
Lamp: Crate & Barrel; metal table: West Elm
Lamp: Crate & Barrel; metal table: West Elm
Hardiman scored this midcentury hutch-turned-bookcase from a flea market near Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. The gray-and-gold sconce lamp, found on eBay, complements the bright modern floral-patterned side chair.
Ornate yellow-and-silver wallpaper juxtaposed with modern bathroom fixtures adds drama to the first floor’s pint-size powder room. “I love the light [fixture] because it flicks bits of light around the wallpaper and on the ceiling,” Hardiman says.
Wallpaper: Cranesbill Castle, Anthropologie; small teak modern bathroom vanity with tall mirror: Fresca
Wallpaper: Cranesbill Castle, Anthropologie; small teak modern bathroom vanity with tall mirror: Fresca
The open entryway is sprinkled with examples of vintage modern pieces, such as the sconce, which was an eBay find, and the wire umbrella stand, bought at an antique store in New York’s Catskill Mountains. The large, dark-colored rug hides the tracks of dirt and mud. “It takes a lot of abuse from kids running back and forth on it, dumping their bags and coats, [and] muddy shoes, so [having it ] dark and thick is key,” Hardiman says.
Off the entryway you can catch a glimpse of an industrial-style bookshelf; Hardiman ordered a kit and built it herself. “All of it comes in one shipment and you build it; it’s really simple to do,” she says.
Rug: Ikea; shelf: Uline
Off the entryway you can catch a glimpse of an industrial-style bookshelf; Hardiman ordered a kit and built it herself. “All of it comes in one shipment and you build it; it’s really simple to do,” she says.
Rug: Ikea; shelf: Uline
To the right of the entryway is a grand staircase. The natural wood tone accentuates the banister’s original architectural details and allows the green console to stand out. “It’s my favorite thing,” Hardiman says of the console. “I love old stuff painted a funky color.”
The modern lamp was free, left over from a photo shoot Hardiman worked on during her days at InStyle magazine.
Console: One Kings Lane
The modern lamp was free, left over from a photo shoot Hardiman worked on during her days at InStyle magazine.
Console: One Kings Lane
All rooms on the first floor lead to the formal dining room. Consistent with Hardiman’s modern approach, the room is filled with calming colors and furniture with simple, clean lines. Hardiman scored the round-backed gray dining chairs for $10 each via a local Facebook swap-meet site. Elements of glamour include the bright blue velvet curtains and Art Deco chandelier.
The original built-in china cabinet was painted white to match the paint on the lower half of the walls.
The original built-in china cabinet was painted white to match the paint on the lower half of the walls.
Hardiman updated the vintage dining chairs with the higher back using a colorful fabric. In the background, a vintage bar cart that she scored for $25 at a junk store blends easily with the vintage-modern decor.
Wood dining chairs and Chiang Mai Mocha seat fabric: sparkmodern, Etsy
Wood dining chairs and Chiang Mai Mocha seat fabric: sparkmodern, Etsy
A seating nook filled with plants gives the dining room a cozy vibe. The rattan chair is a garage sale find.
Plants and planters: Ikea
Plants and planters: Ikea
A midcentury console from eBay sits across from the dining table. An antique lamp and a large painting complete the vignette. Hardiman bought the lamp at an antique shop in the Catskills and the painting during a family vacation. Of the painting, she says, “I love the scope of it … the colors.”
In the hall off the dining room, a corner nook filled with family photos signals the importance of family in the home.
The kitchen was the first room the family renovated when they moved in. “The mini dishwasher — which I was loading and reloading roughly 18 times a day — broke, and we took that as a sign the time had come to redo the kitchen,” Hardiman says. “The cabinetry was Colonial-style, and everything was dark brown and ’80s … and in a different place. We tried to maximize space.”
The built-in banquette provides additional storage with two built-in drawers on either side. It’s a space-saver as well, and fits three family members comfortably. “The room is oddly shaped and there was no seating area at all when we moved in, so we reconfigured the area because we didn’t want to have all our meals in a formal space,” Hardiman says.
Table: CB2
Table: CB2
Photos of family and inspirational artists and writers personalize the front of the fridge.
The balcony porch functions as a bonus outdoor seating area. “We love having friends over and sitting up there during summer evenings … watching people walk up and down our street,” Hardiman says.
Views of the colorful trees in the front and side yards, a collection of plants and a bright Moroccan rug invigorate the outdoor lounge area. “I like mixing in bold colors,” Hardiman says.
Garden stools: Overstock
Garden stools: Overstock
The master bedroom is minimalist and gender-neutral, with both vintage and new pieces.
Bed: Design Within Reach; bench: eBay
Bed: Design Within Reach; bench: eBay
Facing the bed is a simply styled modern dresser — a counterpoint to the busy, colorful abstract painting Hardiman purchased in Dublin. The rug is a gift Hardiman’s mother brought back from Turkey.
Dresser: Design Within Reach
Dresser: Design Within Reach
The bathroom suite, the newest renovation in the home, was constructed by architect Laura Carlucci of LBC A+D. “We converted one bedroom into an en suite master bath, and turned the attic into a bedroom and tiny guest area,” Hardiman says.
The couple moved the washer and dryer upstairs from the cellar for convenience. “Having it up here makes laundry ridiculously easier,” Hardiman says.
The couple moved the washer and dryer upstairs from the cellar for convenience. “Having it up here makes laundry ridiculously easier,” Hardiman says.
The new bathroom feels luxurious. “I wanted it to be sleek and modern. The architect laid it out, but the design choices are mine,” Hardiman says. The porcelain tile gives the warmth of real wood with the convenience of tile. “Some people cannot believe it’s not wood, and I love the color,” Hardiman says.
A piece of framed fabric is used as colorful wall art.
Bathtub: Wyndham collection, FaucetDirect.com; framed fabric: Dara 04758, Manuel Canovas; chandelier: Anthropologie
A piece of framed fabric is used as colorful wall art.
Bathtub: Wyndham collection, FaucetDirect.com; framed fabric: Dara 04758, Manuel Canovas; chandelier: Anthropologie
The vanity is wall-hung, helping to give the bathroom a light, airy feel. In the background, a row of closets cut to look custom-made provide lots of extra storage.
Vanity with sink: Wyndham collection, FaucetDirect.com; Floating round wood mirror: West Elm; closets: Ikea; cabinet pulls: Vintage Hardware and Lighting
Vanity with sink: Wyndham collection, FaucetDirect.com; Floating round wood mirror: West Elm; closets: Ikea; cabinet pulls: Vintage Hardware and Lighting
One of the boys’ bedrooms is tucked away off the third floor hallway past ornate molding and archways. “Zac likes being at the back of the house, because his is the only room there,” Hardiman says.
Natural wood furniture breaks up the bright colors. The bed was part of a bunk bed the twins used when they were younger.
Hardiman and two of her boys lounge around in the living room after a long day.
The home’s new aesthetics are perfect for the family, and the house itself has withstood the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of what Hardiman describes as three “super-active” boys. “Luckily the house has great bones, [because] it has tolerated all manner of abuse,” she says. “On any given day, you might see a gaggle of children from the neighborhood running around the yard, playing basketball or throwing random objects from the upper balcony. The vibe is chaotic and loud and never dull.”
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My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
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The home’s new aesthetics are perfect for the family, and the house itself has withstood the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of what Hardiman describes as three “super-active” boys. “Luckily the house has great bones, [because] it has tolerated all manner of abuse,” she says. “On any given day, you might see a gaggle of children from the neighborhood running around the yard, playing basketball or throwing random objects from the upper balcony. The vibe is chaotic and loud and never dull.”
See more photos of this project
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Rebecca and Alex Hardiman, 12-year-old twins Declan and Zac, 9-year-old Simon, 2 cats, a lizard, a frog and fish
Location: South Orange, New Jersey
Size: 2,679 square feet (248.8 square meters), four bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Year built: 1878
Three children, a few pets and a kitchen and bathroom renovation later, the home is just about where Hardiman wants it to be. “As I get older, I know really quickly what I like,” she says. “We like the idea of mixing old and new, combining some of the beautiful or original features.” Of those original features, Hardiman particularly loves the stained glass windows and ornate molding, which she enjoys accenting with a “more modern, warm aesthetic” that is also found in the rest of the home.
A bright and airy living room to the right of the entryway showcases Hardiman’s modern take on a Victorian-style home. “I love midcentury but I don’t like a really austere, antiseptic look, which is just as well given that I have three children. It would never be sustainable,” she says. “I loved the living room the most because it feels warm and cozy, especially in the winter when the gas fire is on, and it’s still elegant and interesting.”