Apply new finishes to traditional design elements for a fresh take.

No matter how much you love modernism, history is going to find a way to seep through when you renovate a 100-year-old house. So when designer Jenna Josephson of JJ Interiors was tasked with helping a young family create a fresh start in their shingle-style Vancouver home, she embraced the building’s heritage—but always with a modern spin. Case in point: the classic wrought iron fireplace. It may be surrounded by elegant moulding and Craftsman-like cabinetry, but a fresh coat of mint-green paint and some cool black-and-white tiles skew the look in a contemporary direction.

(Photo: Ryan Broda.)