Old and new

Built only 20 years ago, this home has a heritage look that's down to the use of antiques and aged finishes but also its designers – Sara Swabb and Tanya Smith-Shiflett

- WORDS KAREN WILSON | PHOTOGRAPHY STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG

WHY DID YOUR CLIENTS BUY THIS HOUSE? Our clients moved to Virginia from Washington, DC in 2022. They wanted a home with an elevator to all levels and large enough rooms and walkways to accommodate a wheelchair.

HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? Unique Kitchens and Baths was the homeowners’ first choice for the kitchen and main bathroom and their founder Tanya Smith-Shiflett thought my company, Storie Collective, would be a great addition to the team in terms of interior design and project management.

WHAT WAS THE THINKING BEHIND THE DESIGN? Our clients didn’t love the Craftsman style of the home and it needed significant updates. To ensure this newer home carried a sense of history, we intentionally incorporated antique selections and finishes that evoke an aged, patinated quality, from limewashed walls to timeworn wood stains and heritage-inspired hues. The mix of textural contrasts, vintage influences and refined metalwork ties everything together, balancing old and new in a way that feels both curated and enduring.