Interior Products Review: Period-Style ProductsTimeless Style: Period-inspired new products offer modern features.

Source: BUILDING PRODUCTS Magazine

Publication date: 2005-07-01

Time-worn brick, intricate moldings, decorative art glass, and knotty pine flooring reminiscent of simpler times can help homeowners escape the pressures of the 21st century. Whether they install just a few well-placed stained glass lighting fixtures that speak of Frank Lloyd Wright or elaborate molding and millwork to create a gingerbread-house effect, builders and remodelers are realizing that profits abound in the designs of days gone by.

Each generation perceives itself as much more advanced than the one that preceded it in terms of technology, social customs, and of course, style. So just what's driving homeowners to look to the past for design inspiration?

Robert Cohen, owner and president of Meyda Tiffany, a lighting fixture manufacturer that offers standard and custom products inspired by many eras, explains that Americans are reclaiming the past because they're still recovering from the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, and they want to cocoon within safe havens. “People are trying to create warm, comfortable places where their families and friends can gather,” Cohen says.

But homeowners still want the modern features and low maintenance that new innovations offer, so they're turning to up-to-date period reproductions. “We want these pieces to blend well with and enhance other furnishings in the home. These styles bring a fresh look to traditional designs,” Dianna Holmes, design manager for Canac cabinetry, says.

Old World finishes such as Venetian bronzes and weathering patinas are showing up on all kinds of interior products: doors, door hardware, fireplaces and their accessories, flooring, lighting, molding and millwork accents, ceiling tiles, and decorative pieces like wrought iron fireplace grilles.

Remodeler Dave Carlson of River Edge Restorations in Hillsborough, N.J., says that he typically uses new reproductions to bring period homes back to their glory days. Accordingly, he tries to complement existing elements with new details such as matching new wood beams with old ones.

Vincent Del Donna, president of Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.-based R&M Design Group, installs new period-style products in the numerous Victorians he works on. “It can be cost prohibitive to use genuine antiques or other materials,” Del Donna says, adding: “Alternative materials like urethanes and composites last a long time and are a good choice.”

Products that emulate old looks offer other modern benefits. For example, Jeld-Wen's Rockport molded interior door has the same classic beaded sticking design as 1920s five-panel wood styles that were popular in Colonial, traditional, and bungalow architecture, but it's available with a ProCore construction that blocks out more noise than an old wood door, the company says.

Manufacturers and pros agree that fireplaces are another product category where new technology rules. But gas and electric models, which are more energy efficient and easier to operate than old-fashioned hearths, are available with brick fronts and liners to achieve classic appearances.

Twenty-first-century products and materials can evoke the same aura as their classic counterparts; nevertheless, sometimes reproductions, particularly in the case of flooring and molding, won't do if the homeowner demands a traditional product to complement an old-fashioned aesthetic.

Carlson has used reclaimed lumber flooring on occasion, although he says it's harder to install (it's not uniform) and is more expensive than new wood flooring made to look old. What's more, Carlson and Del Donna apply handmade maple, cherry, and oak molding and carvings if a homeowner insists, even though they're time consuming to create and costly.

But, says Del Donna: “If my clients already are spending a substantial amount on an addition, than an extra 2 percent to 3 percent on some decorative touches doesn't break the budget.”

In the future, pros and manufacturers predict that period looks will flourish in high-end homes as well as more modest dwellings because homeowners continue to long for the security and elegance of the past.

Enkeboll Designs. Inspired by 18th-century European designs, the Beverly Ellsley Villa collection of 24 products includes moldings, corbels, onlays, crowns, bases, and more. Country French and Italian designs depict intricate sunflowers, fruits, pumpkins, and garlands. The collection is available in a variety of wood species. Other wood and resin products include mantels, posts, and additional accents. 800-745-5507. www.enkeboll.com.

Robinson Brick. Old Brick Originals combine the appeal of old brick with the installation ease of tiles, the maker says. Thinbrick tiles and corners can be installed in a number of interior wall and flat vertical surface applications (fireplaces, bar faces, and more). Nine colors are available, ranging from classic red hues to more aged and faded patinas. 800-477-9002. www.robinsonbrick.com.

Architectural Products by Outwater. Inspired by Art Deco and Victorian designs, these decorative stamped ceiling panels and cornices are made from lightweight tin-free steel. The panels, which come ready to finish, are available in 2-foot-by-2-foot lay-in and 2-foot-by-4-foot nail-up configurations. The firm also offers additional period products including decorative ceiling beams, wrought iron decorative accents, and vintage door hardware profiles. 800-835-4400. www.outwater.com.

Robern. The two-door glass Apothecary cabinet comes with a choice of ribbed or clear glass doors. It can be used for decorative storage in the bar, bath, or kitchen. Inspired by the summer communities and seaside cottages of early-20th-century New England, the cabinet is part of the white Fairhaven collection. It measures 42¼ inches by 34 inches. 800-877-2376. www.robern.com.

Rejuvenation. Compact fluorescent high-output electronic ballasts now are matched with 18 of the maker's classic Deco fixtures to bring the styles up to today's energy-efficiency standards. Fixtures come in a choice of 12 finishes including brushed or polished nickel as well as 23 shade shapes in opal glass. 877-745-1900. www.rejuvenation.com.

Lennox Hearth Products. The Old Cottage and Classic Herringbone brick fireplace liners are two traditional styles from the firm. Old Cottage features a distressed, weathered appearance reminiscent of the English countryside; Classic Herringbone is a timeless pattern that has been used for fireplaces and chimneys throughout the ages, claims the firm. The liners can be used with select models of the maker's direct-vent gas fireplaces. 800-953-6669. www.lennoxhearthproducts.com.

Meyda Lighting. The Lotus Bud and Hieroglyphs interior wall sconce (model 50076) complements a wide range of decorative periods, asserts the firm. It measures 15 inches wide and 7¾ inches tall. According to the firm, all of the company's decorative lighting fixtures feature natural variations in the glass and finish that make each product unique. 800-222-4009. www.meyda.com.

Canac. Part of the Signature line, Floret cabinetry features an embossed flower design with a Victorian sensibility, says the maker. Available in maple or painted MDF construction, the cabinetry can be used as individual accessory pieces or throughout the home in kitchen, laundry area, bathroom, bedroom built-in, library, bar, and entertainment unit applications. 800-226-2248. www.canackitchens.com.

TruStile. Authentic Designs interior doors come in nine popular styles (including Arts and Crafts, shown) that are crafted to complement the architecture of today's homes. The doors are available in 12 stain-grade hardwoods, as well as MDF, and can be speced with glass panels. 888-286-3931. www.trustile.com.

Baldwin Hardware. Archetypes era-defining door hardware is designed to capture the spirit of Louis XIV's France (Chateau style), Renaissance Tuscany (Villa style), and 20th-century California (Craftsman style), explains the maker. Interior passage and privacy locking hardware as well as knobs, levers, and deadbolts coordinate with exterior products in all three styles. 800-566-1986. www.baldwinhardware.com.

Yesteryear Floorworks/Aged Woods. Produced from reclaimed and remilled antique American oak and Southern yellow pine, Bunkhouse planks feature a deep patina and rough sawcut texture. The maker preserves the wood's original surface, showcasing nail holes, weathered cracks, and other signs of age. All planks are sold in widths ranging from 3 inches to 6 inches, 5 inches to 8 inches, and 7 inches to 10 inches. 800-233-9307. www.agedwoods.com.

Travis Industries. Lopi brand gas fireplaces and stoves can be installed throughout the home in bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, home offices, and other areas. They come in classic and vintage-look profiles with a selection of interior liners, grilles, fire-screens, remote controls, and other accessories. A hidden aromatherapy component also is available for select models. 800-654-1177. www.travisproducts.com.

Jeld-Wen. Reminiscent of the 1920s and 1930s, the Rockport molded interior door is at home in Colonial, traditional, and bungalow-style residences. The smooth, pre-primed five-panel doors come in 6-foot-8-inch and 7-foot heights, a number of widths between 2 and 3 feet, and in 1 3/8-inch and 1¾-inch thicknesses. 877-535-3462. www.jeld-wen.com.