Recommended Free Tools
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
Free scan · Windows 10 & 11
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Free scan · under a minute
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Free scan · no reinstall
ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More
Designing with history in mind starts with understanding a building and its occupants—not applying a ready-made period style. In a 2024 Architectural Digest interview, Ariel Ashe and Reinaldo Leandro of Ashe Leandro describe how they approached an 1830 Greenwich Village row house whose earlier renovation had removed most of its period details. Their method combined archival curiosity, selective reconstruction, exposed original structure, contemporary furniture, an unusually color-led client brief, and practical responses to a busy family home. The result offers a useful case study in deciding what a building’s history should mean inside a present-day house.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What does it mean to design with a building’s history in mind?
For Ashe Leandro, it means researching the specific building rather than decorating according to a generic historical look. They ask who designed and lived in the property, how those people used it, what was happening in the surrounding area, and what happened afterward. Those questions establish a building’s lived history before any decision is made about moldings, colors, furniture, or finishes.
The approach also accepts that a building can contain several legitimate time layers. A hypothetical project might have important 1920s work alongside meaningful 1980s alterations. The goal is not to freeze one date or erase everything that came later; it is to identify which evidence still has value and make deliberate choices about what to retain, restore, recreate, or reinterpret.
Popular on Amazon
- Great Value Paint Brush Set: Soucolor 20 acrylic paint brushes come in 10 different sizes, making them ideal for fine detailing, model painting, rock painting, nail art, face painting, DIY crafts, and general art projects. The varied brush sizes give you better control for both delicate lines and broader color coverage, while the soft bristles deliver smooth, consistent results on acrylic, oil, watercolor, canvas, wood, ceramic, and more.
- Awesome Set of Paint brushes: Professional paint brushes can cover all of your needs. The multi-purposed brushes are ideal for Watercolor, Oil, Gouache, enamel, Acrylic Painting, Body, Nail, Face Painting, Miniature, Model, Wood, Glass, Cup, Ceramic, Fine work, Art class, Craft Art Painting, DIY Art Crafts etc.
- Soft and long-lasting: The bristles are soft and strong, with nickel metal ferrules and blue wooden handles. After cleaning, the bristles will become soft and fluffy again and will not fall off.
- Easy to clean: it’s very convenient to Wash well in soap and water. Retain shape after drying. the brushes hold up very well. Nice selection to beginners and professionals. Keep them clean and they last a long time.
- Perfect for All Painters & Occasions: Suitable for art beginners, hobbyists and professional artists. Great for art class, home creation, travel painting and DIY handmade projects. A practical art gift for students, teachers, family and craft lovers.
That distinction matters because historical sensitivity is not the same as making a room look old. A newly made detail can acknowledge an earlier character without pretending to be original, while a contemporary chair can belong in a historic room if it supports the way the occupants live now.
How did the designers handle the 1830 Greenwich Village row house?
The project was a 19th-century Greenwich Village row house built in 1830. Ashe Leandro worked with architect Eric Sheffield and Regele Builders. According to the interview, most of the house’s period details had already been removed before this renovation, so the designers could not simply uncover and polish a complete historic interior.
Instead, they looked for opportunities to bring historical cues back in a careful, usable way. On the parlor floor, they introduced casework reminiscent of Federal-style details. In the primary bedroom and the garden-level family room, they exposed original timber structure so that surviving material became part of the rooms’ visual identity.
These moves illustrate three different conditions a designer may encounter:
| Condition | Possible response in this case-study approach | What it communicates |
|---|---|---|
| Original material survives | Expose the timber where it can function as an architectural feature | The building’s actual fabric remains legible |
| Historic character was removed | Create new casework informed by Federal-style references | The room acknowledges an earlier vocabulary without claiming the work is original |
| Later or contemporary elements are appropriate | Combine modern furniture, art, and color with the architectural cues | The house continues to serve its current occupants |
The interview does not present these choices as a preservation code or a universally correct treatment. They are the designers’ reported responses to one house, its surviving evidence, and its clients.
How should you research a historic home before choosing what to restore?
Begin with a record of the property’s timeline, then inspect the building for physical clues. The designers’ questions provide a practical research brief: identify the original designer or builder when possible, learn about notable occupants, understand how the rooms were used, and trace subsequent alterations. Local archives, old photographs, deeds, maps, and conversations with previous owners can all help establish that context, but the interview itself does not prescribe a particular archival method.
Also popular on Amazon
- COMPLETE 5-PIECE BRUSH SET FOR EVERY PAINTING TASK — Includes 1 Inch Flat, 1.5 Inch Angle, 2 Inch Flat, 2 Inch Angle Stubby, and 2.5 Inch Angle brush giving you every size professional painters use daily. Get all 5 for less than the price of a single brush from hardware store brands — professional grade performance at a fraction of the cost. Perfect for walls, trim, cabinets, doors, furniture, and detailed cutting-in work on any project.
- ZERO BRISTLE LOSS — GUARANTEED BY PRECISION ADHESIVE BONDING — Every bristle is locked in place with precision-set adhesive that keeps them in the brush — not in your paint job. The coated steel ferrule provides structural support while the adhesive bond ensures clean performance on every stroke. Premium SRT synthetic filaments load more paint and release it evenly for a smooth streak-free finish on walls, ceilings, and trim. Works with latex, oil-based paint, primer, sealer, and wood stain.
- INCLUDES THE ANGLE STUBBY MOST SETS LEAVE OUT — Professional painters know the 2 Inch Angle Stubby is the go-to brush for tight cabinet interiors, window sashes, inside corners, and detailed trim where standard angle brushes are too long. Combined with the 1.5 and 2.5 inch angle sash brushes you have precision cutting-in covered at every scale — baseboards, crown molding, door casings, and ceiling lines.
- FLAT BRUSHES FOR BROAD SMOOTH COVERAGE ON ANY SURFACE — The 1 and 2 inch flat brushes deliver even coverage on walls, furniture, shelving, doors, fences, decks, and wood surfaces. Ideal for applying primers, stains, varnishes, polyurethane, and specialty coatings. Solid wood handles provide all-day comfort and control for both professional contractors and weekend DIY homeowners tackling interior or exterior painting projects.
- TRUSTED BY PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS AND CONTRACTORS NATIONWIDE — Pro Grade delivers professional-grade results at a price that makes sense for crews who go through brushes on every job. Ideal for property managers, remodeling contractors, apartment turnover crews, maintenance teams, and commercial painting operations. Backed by thousands of verified reviews from working painters. Washable and reusable for multiple projects.
- Map the eras. Write down the construction date and every known alteration. Separate evidence that is documented from assumptions based only on appearance.
- Inventory what remains. Photograph timber, trim, doors, hardware, floor patterns, stair parts, and other elements before demolition or refinishing. Note where each item sits and whether it appears original or later.
- Ask what each space did. A parlor, service area, bedroom, and garden-level room may have different historical functions. Understanding use prevents a decorative detail from being transplanted into the wrong context.
- Rank significance and usefulness. Some details may carry strong evidence or craftsmanship; others may be damaged, generic, or incompatible with current safety and accessibility needs.
- Choose a treatment for each item. Retain, repair, expose, recreate, conceal, or replace are distinct decisions. Record why you chose one so the project does not drift into accidental imitation.
Ashe Leandro explicitly leave room for judgment: not every renovation contains details worth preserving. That qualification is important. A building’s age alone does not prove that every later feature is meaningful, and a missing detail cannot be treated as original merely because a new version resembles it.
When should a missing period detail be recreated?
Recreation can make sense when the historical evidence is strong enough to inform the design and the new work solves a present-day need. In the Greenwich Village house, Federal-style-inspired casework helped restore a sense of architectural order after earlier work had removed much of the period character. It was a contemporary intervention informed by history, not a claim that the casework had survived from 1830.
Before commissioning a reconstruction, ask what evidence supports its proportions, profile, placement, and finish. A photograph or matching detail elsewhere in the building is more persuasive than a vague association with a period. If evidence is incomplete, a restrained interpretation may be more honest than an elaborate replica.
Also test the proposal against everyday use. Casework may need to conceal wiring, provide storage, or accommodate modern equipment. Doors, clearances, lighting, and maintenance requirements can influence the design as much as historical appearance. Making those constraints visible in the planning process helps the new work read as intentional rather than as a false antique.
Recommended Free Tools
Can contemporary furniture work in a historically informed interior?
Yes. The house pairs historical architectural references with contemporary and modernist furnishings, showing that continuity does not require a room full of antiques. The interview identifies a Charlotte Perriand table, Pierre Jeanneret library chairs, a Max Lamb bench, and 1930s Swedish lamps among the furnishings. Their differing dates and visual languages create a layered interior rather than a single-period set.
A useful way to make the mix coherent is to connect pieces through proportion, material, or color instead of matching their dates. A modern bench might echo the weight of exposed timber; a lamp can repeat a metal tone found in new hardware; an angular chair can balance rather than mimic Federal-style casework. The building supplies one layer of the composition, while furniture and art establish how the occupants live now.
Also popular on Amazon
- 【All sizes of art brushes】: The 10 sizes of multi-functional brushes have various shapes, making the mixing color easier, which is very suitable for artists, students, teenagers, children and painters at all levels. Wonderful Present ideas for friends and family who like painting!
- 【general brush set】: Professional paint brush can meet all your needs. Multifunctional brush is very suitable for watercolor, oil, gouache, acrylic painting, body, nail, face painting, miniature, model, ceramics, arts and crafts painting, etc.
- 【high quality process】: It is designed with anti falling bristles, anti-rust nickel ferrule and solid wood handle. You can use the brush to focus on the painting and always be creative.
- 【easy to maintain】: After using the brush, it is very convenient to clean the brush with warm soapy water and reshape the tip of the brush. Air dry the brush and place it on top of the top for long use.
- 【100% satisfaction guarantee - buy now】1 packs of set brushes, you can also get friendly customer service, any questions feel free to contact us, within 24 hours to help you! There is no risk in buying our paint brush kit.
Scale deserves particular attention. Historic rooms often have strong vertical lines, deep thresholds, or narrow circulation routes. Measure those conditions before buying large contemporary pieces. A visually striking object that blocks a door or overwhelms a modest parlor undermines both the architecture and the furniture.
How did color support the project?
Color was developed iteratively with a client who loves color, and the designers linked the palette to the eras represented by much of the furniture. They describe the result as unusually color-led for their practice. That makes the project an example of a client-specific process, not a prescription that every historic house should use saturated or period-associated colors.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesTo adapt the idea, start with the objects and surfaces that must remain. Make a small set of samples beside original timber, masonry, flooring, and upholstery, and observe them in the rooms’ natural and artificial light. Then consider whether a color is doing historical work, practical work, or simply expressing the client’s taste. Naming its role helps prevent a fashionable shade from being presented as an objective restoration choice.
Color can also distinguish old from new. A historically informed wall tone may sit behind clearly contemporary furniture, while a bolder modern color can signal that a new intervention belongs to the present. The important point is the relationship among the palette, the architecture, and the client—not a supposedly correct period chart.
What can soft finishes do in a busy family house?
When asked about sound in a home with five children, Ashe Leandro point to fabric walls, drapes, and rugs as ways to dampen sound. They also emphasize substantial construction: “thick walls and thresholds, doors, doors, doors…..” In practical terms, soft surfaces can reduce the amount of sound reflected around a room, while heavy walls, well-fitted doors, and thresholds separate spaces.
This is qualitative design advice, not a measured acoustic specification. The interview reports no decibel figures, product comparisons, or performance testing. If noise control is a serious requirement, an acoustician or contractor should assess the building, identify paths for airborne and impact sound, and specify assemblies appropriate to the structure.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Also popular on Amazon
- 【KIDS PAINT BRUSHES SET】Anezus paint brushes for kids come with 10 pcs paint brushes of 5pcs round paintbrushes and 5 flat paint brushes with colorful handles, good for the young artist to explore their creativity in painting and crafting
- 【HIGH QUALITY PAINT BRUSHES FOR KIDS】These toddler paint brushes made of soft hog bristle, bright colored handles and rust proof ferrules. The bristles are firmly fixed in the kids paint brushes and no shedding. Each children paint brush measure 6 1/4 inches (16cm) in length and ferrules 1/2"(1.3cm) diameter, large enough for the little hand to grip and control
- 【WIDE APPLICATIONS】With combination of round and flat craft paint brushes for kids, work great with washable paint, tempera paint and acrylic paint. Great for arts and craft, rock, leather, gesso and ceramic, or body, nail and face art painting.
- 【EASY TO CLEAN 】After using paint brushes for acrylic, oil or watercolor painting, it’s very convenient to clean them with warm soapy water and reshape the paint brush tips. Keep these craft paint brushes clean and they last a long time.
- 【GREAT GIFT IDEA】Perfect for students, teens, kids, children and painters of all levels. Wonderful gift idea for girls, boys and kids who love painting! These all-purpose paint brushes for kids are ideal for kids' school projects, birthday parties, painting parties, art parties, back to school supplies, classroom decoration and more.
Within a decorating plan, begin by identifying where noise travels. Layer rugs over hard floors, use lined or full drapery at large windows, and consider upholstered or fabric-covered wall areas where they suit the room. Keep clear of exits, radiators, and required ventilation, and confirm that any wall treatment meets applicable fire and maintenance requirements. The designers’ point is not that one curtain or rug solves acoustics; it is that soft finishes and robust construction can support a busy household while remaining part of the interior design.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where did Ashe Leandro find vintage furniture and objects?
The designers say they rely heavily on auctions and describe the competitive process of pursuing a piece as part of what makes it feel special. They also mention fairs broadly, including TEFAF and British Antique Dealers Association fairs. No particular auction house, dealer, or current inventory is endorsed in the interview.
For a homeowner, the sourcing lesson is to research the object as carefully as the building. Request dimensions, condition notes, restoration history, material information, and shipping requirements before bidding. Set a total budget that includes buyer’s premiums, taxes, transport, conservation, and installation. Ask whether the seller can document provenance, but do not assume that an attractive story proves authenticity.
Auctions reward patience and preparation. Save reference images, decide which characteristics are essential, and establish a maximum bid before the sale begins. Antique fairs can be useful for comparing several objects in person, while auctions may offer a wider range of periods and prices. Either route should serve the room’s scale and the household’s needs rather than turn the interior into a collection of unrelated trophies.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →How can you apply this method without making a house feel like a museum?
Use history as evidence and structure, not as a costume. Keep the elements that explain the building, add new work where the evidence and function justify it, and let furniture, art, and color express the current occupants. The Greenwich Village project’s exposed timber, period-informed casework, modernist furnishings, and family-oriented finishes demonstrate how those layers can coexist.
A practical decision sequence is:
- Document. Photograph and describe existing conditions before changing them.
- Contextualize. Place each feature within the building’s construction and alteration timeline.
- Prioritize. Identify details with strong evidence, craftsmanship, or spatial importance.
- Design around life today. Resolve storage, circulation, lighting, acoustics, safety, and maintenance.
- Label the intervention honestly. Distinguish original, repaired, newly made, and purely contemporary work in project records.
- Review the whole composition. Check that colors, furniture, and new details support one another instead of competing for attention.
This process also allows restraint. Leaving a wall plain, retaining a later alteration, or declining to recreate a missing molding can be a historically responsible decision when the evidence is weak or the intervention would compromise the home’s use.
Also popular on Amazon
- 【162-Piece Bulk Set | Dual Brush System】Maximize versatility with 81 flat brushes (0.59 inch edge for bold strokes) and 81 round brushes (0.39 inch tips for details) – 3X more tools than standard kits! Pre-sorted in labeled compartments for instant access during painting sessions. Ideal for art classrooms, mural projects, and multi-artist households.
- 【Pro-Grade Durability | Zero Shedding Guarantee】 "Engineered with triple-crimped nylon bristles (43% higher resilience vs. standard) and aerospace aluminum ferrules tested for 10,000+ flex cycles. Lab-verified 0.01% shedding rate even with heavy impasto techniques – outperforms flimsy bristles in budget brushes."
- 【Multi-Scenario Readiness | Event & Daily Use】 Optimized for: Thanksgiving/Christmas face designs classroom projects ceramic decorating fabric printing and model painting; Lightweight plastic handles each reduce hand fatigue during prolonged sessions
- 【Effortless Maintenance | Long-Term Durability】 Clean with warm soapy water in 10 seconds; Reshape tips and air-dry vertically to preserve bristle integrity，After use, air-dry brushes thoroughly and store upright in the provided case to preserve bristle shape. The premium nylon filaments naturally regain their original form after each stroke. For cleaning, simply rinse in warm soapy water and gently reshape bristles with fingertips."
- 【Multiple Application】These acrylic paint brushes can be applied for most occasions,such as:watercolor,oil, gouache paint,face paint, acrylic paint, suitable for Thanks Giving Day, Christimas, Halloween face and body painting, canvas painting, fabric, rock, miniature, model, ceramics, arts and crafts painting, etc.
What are the main lessons from the Ashe Leandro case study?
The central lesson is that historical design is an act of interpretation grounded in research. Ashe Leandro did not attempt to restore every missing feature of the 1830 row house. They studied its context, returned selected architectural signals, exposed surviving timber, and allowed contemporary objects and a client-led palette to establish a present-day identity.
The project also shows why practical requirements belong in the historical conversation. A family of seven needs durable circulation, comfortable furnishings, storage, and strategies for managing noise. Those needs do not make the design less respectful of the past; they determine how the past can remain useful.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Finally, the interview’s advice has clear limits. It is an account of one design team’s decisions in one New York house, published in an edited Architectural Digest feature—not an independent survey, preservation standard, or technical test. Treat its questions and examples as a thoughtful starting point, then verify structural, code, conservation, and acoustic decisions with the appropriate professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I research the history of my house if the records are incomplete?
Start by separating confirmed facts from visual guesses, then combine public records with physical evidence such as old hardware, framing, paint layers, and changes in floor plan. Previous owners, local historical societies, and neighboring properties may provide useful context, but label uncertain conclusions as hypotheses rather than treating them as original history.
Is it better to restore one period or keep several layers visible?
There is no single correct answer. If later work has strong design quality or documents an important phase of the building, retaining it may tell a fuller story than returning every room to an assumed original date.
How do I buy vintage pieces safely at auction?
Read the condition report, confirm measurements, calculate every fee before bidding, and ask how the item will be packed and shipped. For valuable or fragile objects, obtain an independent appraisal or conservation opinion before committing funds.
Will curtains and rugs solve a noisy-room problem?
They can reduce reflected sound, but they will not correct every source of noise or replace acoustic construction. Persistent problems may involve impact transmission, gaps around doors, or shared walls and require a building-specific assessment.
Quick Recap
