06/20/2025
Came across this article written by the very wise, very talented in the April issue of while at the pool with my kids, and it states, far more eloquently than I could, the very same sentiments I expressed in Wednesday’s episode of .
A few of the things I loved which Roberts said:
1) “In a historic home, it’s not hard to mess things up. I like it to plastic surgery: a little extra care can often bring a better result then fashioning a whole new face,”
2) “A common pitfall in old house renovations is overdoing things. Be sensitive to needs, not trends: Don’t put in a pizza oven if you aren’t going to use one.”
3) “ I beg clients to think about what makes sense for them and their families. Because you can save a lot of money by not throwing it at things we don’t really need.”
4) “It’s hard to write about rules in design, because there is always an exception to every point. But if I had to think of a few for renovating old houses, it would be these: First, respect the architecture… Second, yes, you can have nice things… And third, you don’t have to stick to the rigidity of a period.”
5) “Be thoughtful, and then you can be confident— if that proves daunting, hire a professional whom you trust implicitly.”
Season Four Episode Eight of the podcast, “What if you live in a crappy old house?” is out now, wherever you get your podcast.
