Root & Render

10/13/2026

THE COLLECTED HOME | THE SECRETS HISTORIC HOMES HOLD… The Mystery of the Little Door 🗝️

Have you ever walked through an old home and noticed a tiny door tucked into a wall?

Not quite large enough for a person. Not quite what you’d expect for a closet.

You might be surprised to learn that some of these little doors once helped keep the house warm.

Before modern central heating, certain historic homes used coal-burning fireplaces, stoves, and furnaces to provide warmth.

And all that coal had to get inside somehow!

In some houses, small exterior openings called coal chutes or coal doors allowed deliveries to be transferred directly into a cellar or coal storage area.

Imagine a time when keeping your family warm meant having coal delivered to your home, carrying fuel to the fire, and tending it throughout the day.

Of course, not every mysterious little door was a coal door. Some concealed plumbing, provided access to storage, or served other practical purposes.

HERE’S WHAT I FIND SO INTERESTING…

Today, we might look at an unusual little opening and wonder why anyone would have put it there.

But a century ago, it may have been an essential part of everyday life.

And that’s one of my favorite things about historic homes.

Their architecture doesn’t just tell us how people built.

It tells us how people lived.

A DESIGNER’S PERSPECTIVE

When restoring an older home, I believe details like these deserve a closer look before they’re covered up or removed.

An original coal door, for example, might be preserved as an architectural feature, even when the house no longer uses coal for heating.

Because sometimes the smallest details carry the most interesting stories.

Have you ever discovered a mysterious little door or unusual feature in an older home? Tell me about it!

With warmth,
Melissa

The Lantern & Oak
Stories of Home. Timeless Living.

10/12/2026

10/12/2026

THE MONDAY EDIT | The Forgotten Washstand

Before beautiful bathroom vanities, double sinks, and running water became everyday conveniences, there was the humble washstand.

In many 19th-century homes, a washstand was an essential piece of bedroom furniture. It typically held a porcelain pitcher and basin for washing, with some designs featuring a marble top, a small drawer, or a raised backsplash to protect the wall.

What I find especially beautiful about these pieces is that something once considered so ordinary has become a wonderful reminder of how families lived generations ago.

A LITTLE DESIGN HISTORY

Washstands were made in a variety of styles, from simple painted wooden tables to elaborate Victorian examples with carved details and marble surfaces.

And while indoor plumbing eventually made their original purpose less necessary, many of these lovely pieces survived.

HOW I WOULD USE ONE TODAY

Here’s where the fun begins.

I would absolutely incorporate an original antique washstand into a thoughtfully collected home.

Imagine one in a welcoming entryway, beneath a beautiful antique mirror, with a small brass lamp, a stack of favorite books, and a simple arrangement of seasonal branches.

Or perhaps beside a bed, where its original marble top and delicate proportions would make a charming alternative to a traditional nightstand.

Even in a modern bathroom, a washstand can serve as a decorative storage piece for folded linens and everyday essentials, without altering its original construction.

My preference? Preserve the original wood finish, hardware, and marble whenever possible.

Those little signs of age are part of the story.

And that’s what I love most about collected interiors. We don’t have to make old things look new to make them beautiful again.

Sometimes, we simply need to give them a new place in our homes.

Would you use an antique washstand in your home, or have you inherited one from your family?

With warmth,
Melissa

Melissa LaRosa Interiors
Refined Design for Everyday Living

10/12/2026

10/12/2026

There’s something lovely about slowing down for a little while, pouring a warm cup of coffee, and getting lost in a good story. ☕🍂

Article 006 is now live at The Lantern & Oak, and I would love for you to join me!

This week, we’re stepping back into the American kitchen before refrigeration, discovering the fascinating history of antique pie safes, root cellars, and the beautiful craftsmanship hidden in everyday household objects.

Because sometimes the most interesting stories about historic homes aren’t found in their grand staircases or beautiful architecture, but in the ordinary things that tell us how people once lived.

So grab your favorite mug, pull up a cozy blanket, and come spend a little time with me.

You can read the newest article through the link in my bio.

And I’d love to make this our little Monday tradition. Join me every Monday at 2:30 p.m. for a new story about historic homes, timeless interiors, and the traditions worth preserving.

With warmth,
Melissa

The Lantern & Oak
Stories of Home. Timeless Living.

10/05/2026

The Designer’s Notebook | Job site bound this morning. 🤍

There’s something about walking onto a project and seeing ideas that once lived on paper begin to take shape in real life that never gets old.

Today is a site-visit kind of day—checking progress, talking through details, making decisions, and keeping an eye on all those little things that ultimately make a home feel just right.

I love the beautiful finished spaces, of course. But this part? The planning, problem-solving, collaborating and watching a home transform piece by piece… this is the part of design I really love.

Feeling incredibly grateful that I get to call this work. 🤍

— Melissa
Principal Designer | Melissa LaRosa Interiors
Refined Design for Everyday Living.

10/05/2026

Now Booking Holiday Decorating & Tablescaping ✨

The holidays have a way of arriving all at once.

The gatherings. The traditions. The meals around the table. The people we love walking through the door.

And somewhere in between all of that, someone still has to make the house feel magical.

This season, let me take care of that part for you.

Melissa LaRosa Interiors is now booking holiday decorating and tablescaping services for clients who want their homes to feel beautiful, warm and thoughtfully pulled together—without spending the weeks leading up to the holidays doing it themselves.

From a beautifully layered Thanksgiving table to Christmas styling that feels collected and elegant, I’ll create a setting that feels special enough for the season and still feels like your home.

Because the best holiday spaces aren’t simply decorated.

They’re the backdrop for the memories your family will make there. 🤎

Holiday availability is limited. Now is the time to reserve your date.

Send me a DM to inquire about holiday decorating or tablescaping with Melissa LaRosa Interiors.

Refined Design for Everyday Living.

09/29/2026

Tonight’s dinner feels like fall found its way into our kitchen. 🍂

A warm bowl of sausage & tortellini soup and pear & Brie flatbread with toasted nuts and fresh arugula—the kind of dinner that makes you want to linger around the kitchen a little longer.

Nothing fancy. Just something warm simmering on the stove, something delicious coming out of the oven, and everyone gathering around because they can smell dinner from the other room.

These are the evenings I love most. The ones that remind me that making a home beautiful isn’t only about how it looks—it’s about how it feels to live there.

And tonight, it feels like fall. 🤎🍐🍂

The Lantern & Oak
Stories of Home. Timeless Living.