Six degrees of restoration

In fact, Britain – with its long list of beautifully restored, open-to-view National Trust properties – is a strong source of inspiration for Carley. It was there that he first discovered Farrow & Ball, the official paint supplier to the National Trust. Its range of historically accurate colours is particularly well suited, he feels, to homes such as the Smiths'. "The family wanted to start entertaining more," he says, noting the home is frequently filled with the couple's grown children and close friends. "They knew the work needed to be done. They just needed someone else to utter it."

In redecorating the house, the Smiths strove for an eclectic look, one that would accommodate their existing furniture. "We wanted to keep the flavour without being so rigid that we'd be locked into furniture of that era," explains Andrew.

In the end, Carley redesigned the dated kitchen and bathroom, replaced all of the home's windows, added a dormer in the bathroom to create light and space, and generally 'fixed' the house by smoothing out some of its earlier, less sensitive, renovations. Such work must be undertaken in the spirit of the house, insists Carley, who can't understand people who purchase old homes only to strip them of all original character. "Why don't they just buy a condo?" he wonders.

It's a fine balance, but one which Carley has clearly mastered. "The design process is like an upside-down pyramid," he says. "With each decision you make, you descend to a narrower range of choices. By the time you're picking out cabinet knobs, you should only have one or two options."

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JOHN ROBERT CARLEY'S 6 RULES OF RENOVATION
The restoration and redecoration of a century home presents its own set of challenges. architect John Robert Carley offers his suggestions for historic renovation.

1 Research your home's history. An understanding of the original house design and the subsequent changes that have been made can only lead to a more sensitive renovation.

2 Save any artifacts you uncover – wallpaper, hardware, etc. Such gems are your clues to your home's personality. At the very least they can offer inspiration. At best, you may be able to incorporate them in your redesign.

3 Analyze the appeal of your house and try to understand its compositional elements.

4 Hire an architect who is familiar with, and enjoys, residential work and restoration. It's an obvious, but often overlooked, point.

5 Accept, where possible, your home's inherent quirks – its sloping floors, its wonky walls, etc.

6 For authenticity, use colours and finishes sympathetic to the era and region of origin in which the home was built.