Tour a Modern-Meets-Vintage 100-Year-Old Home Designed by Veronica Valencia

The sentimental designer transforms a family's century-old new buy into a heritage-filled home. Let's take a tour.

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September 05, 2023

By: Lauren Oster

Show: Revealed

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Photo By: Kat Valencia

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

Photo By: Dustin Reynolds

The Story Behind the Story

Homeowners Leore and Adrian Berger knew Veronica Valencia would turn their century-old home into something wonderful. The Revealed host had designed their previous home, and her style complemented theirs beautifully. With this project, however, Veronica had her work cut out for her. The house hadn’t been touched in 20 years. Ahead: See how Veronica and her team struck a balance between honoring the home’s past and adapting it to set the stage for a new generation of Berger family traditions.

The Kitchen

The now-classic cook space teems with elegant touches. A generous, walnut-stained island looks and feels like a piece of furniture. The edges of its handsome marble top feature an ogee step detail echoing the curve of the hood that centers it. Veronica updated the old black-and-white checkered flooring with an elevated, tone-on-tone iteration of the look featuring larger slabs of natural limestone. The vintage-look pair of stools perched at the island stand at the intersection of history and luxury. "The heart of this design is the Bergers' Jewish heritage and family traditions. From Friday Shabbat dinner to teaching their children how to make challah bread, I wanted every element to speak directly to who they are as a family," Veronica says.

SEE MORE: 10 Ways to Make Your Home Part of the Family With Authentic Decorating, According to Veronica Valencia

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

Finishes and Fixtures

The warm brass tone of this vintage-inspired gooseneck bridge faucet counterbalances the right angles and straight edges Veronica chose for the farmhouse sink, Calacatta marble countertops and wraparound floating shelf. The less-is-more shelf is quite the feat of modern-day engineering: Now part of the home's bones, it’s anchored with substantial brackets installed behind the backsplash.

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

Warm Touches

"With herbs on the windowsill, eggs in the colander, challah bread in the corner and stacks of everyday essentials on the shelves, every corner feels like it's been here forever," says Veronica. The slim appliance tucked into this cabinetry plays a key supporting role in the Bergers’ gatherings. “Whenever a homeowner wants to splurge on their appliances, I love including an additional warming drawer,” Veronica says. Perfect for a cook who frequently entertains, a warming drawer saves trips to the microwave, and it's more efficient than an oven when it comes to keeping prepared food at the perfect temperature.

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

The Day-to-Night Serving Station

This multipurpose built-in emerged from a pivotal early chat with the Bergers. Their routine involves morning coffee rituals, tending to their children’s needs and savoring a delightful happy hour at the end of the day. Veronica commissioned her design-savvy builder Dave Bohler to spearhead the development and execution of an installation to meet their needs. Brass accents from Devol and a brass library light add classic sparkle. “During our initial walkthrough they cheekily coined [the term] ‘Bottle to Bar,’ capturing the intended purpose perfectly,” Veronica recalls.

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

Stylish Storage

Along the wall of the breakfast room just beyond the "Bottle to Bar" station, a bespoke, antique-inspired hutch designed by Veronica’s partner Tommy Rouse serves as a one-of-a-kind storage space for adults (up top) and kids’ stuff (below). Tommy added a scalloped toe kick to give the piece vintage-apothecary character. Now it feels like it could've been in the house forever. “I always lean toward making a space feel more lived-in [than editorial],” she says. “I start in one corner and work my way around the room, moment to moment. I like to layer on all of my options and then pull back from there. That helps me find the sweet spot.” Veronica's tip: When on the hunt for the perfect home accessories, she turns to Etsy, Crate & Barrel, Food52, Terrain, Target and World Market.

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

The Breakfast Nook

Owning a century-old house is a rare privilege but honoring its history needs to dovetail with celebrating 21st-century life within it. “It was important to me to infuse the home with its own unique contemporary flair,” Veronica says. In the breakfast nook, she added a series of contrasts. “The introduction of the chairs was sparked by the light fixture,” she explains. “The combination of the traditional pleated white shade with the aged brass pulley and black cord infused the space with a charming blend of elegance and novelty.”

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

The Kids' Corner

The pretty little table and chairs in the breakfast area are scaled appropriately for kids but don’t feel childish. Instead, they complement the adult-sized furnishings. To search for similar gems, Veronica has one word: Vintage. "Take the time to explore local flea markets or browse online platforms like Etsy, Chairish, 1stDibs or Facebook Marketplace," she says. "You’ll stumble upon antique treasures that infuse your space with character and timeless charm.”

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

Custom Furnishings

If proportion presents a problem, don’t be shy about adapting what you find — as Veronica did with this set of stools for the Berger children. “The stool heights may not always align [with your chosen table], but have no worries! We were able to modify the legs to ensure a perfect fit. Your journey to chic children’s furnishings is so much easier than you think and, honestly, at the end of the day, brings so much more history and stories to your space.”

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

The Family Room

Veronica combined touchable textiles and classic silhouettes to turn the old formal dining room into a family haven, playroom, serene reading nook and a welcoming guest lounge in Leore’s favorite part of the house. “My vision was centered on [rich, vibrant] area rugs," Veronica says. She reached for pieces boasting a "gracefully worn in-look" from the Amber Lewis x Loloi collaboration at Rugs Direct and Lulu and Georgia. After settling on the ideal paint color for the room, Pigeon No. 25 by Farrow & Ball, "I wanted to infuse the space with the cozy elegance of autumnal hues,” she says. Initially, she was drawn to the idea of warm velvet browns but switched up her palette after encountering vintage-inspired chairs from Crate & Barrel. Their quaint charm complements the cost-effective burled wood side table from Target.

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

Casual Seating

Reimagined in dimensional gray, the bookcase now frames activities of all kinds and during the day, sunlight illuminates its original millwork and fluting. Mesmerized by the room’s abundant windows and historical trim detailing, Veronica's vision was clear: "Capture its character in an elegant yet relaxed manner,” she says. “The introduction of inviting pieces alongside the library wall not only harmonized the space but also honored its timeless character."

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

Livable Design

Furniture and activity items that welcome and delight visitors of all ages are a recurring theme throughout the Bergers’ home. “Perfection may be a distant dream, and yes, things might get a little dirty; however, embracing this reality goes a long way,” she says. “It’s never about sacrificing beauty for practicality; rather, it’s about designing a space where your family can flourish.”

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

Everyday Heirlooms

Sentimental objects should and can elevate casual settings. This elegant silver-bound book sets the tone for the whole family room while demonstrating pieces we might be tempted to tuck away for special occasions deserve pride of place in the most lived-in spaces. It’s the Bergers’ Siddur Avodat, which contains a collection of Hebrew prayers. “I wanted to display it in the family room near the play area, so it’s one of the first things the family sees when returning home,” Veronica says. “Their Jewish faith holds immense significance, and the passing down of their traditions to their children is a cherished commitment they hold dear.”

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

The Built-In Sofa

“I was so happy with how the built-in sofa elevated the family room's aesthetic,” Veronica says. “The contrast between its light linen tones and the room’s rich ambiance brought a dynamic energy to the space." When it comes to the light furniture and kiddos debate: "I completely understand the concern about having light seating with young ones, however I've always believed elegance in your living space and the presence of little ones can beautifully coexist in a harmonious manner.” Veronica chose resilient fabrics for the built-in and ottoman.

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

The Dining Room

The dining room's design began when Veronica and her team found a French vintage-inspired cerused oak dining table from CB2. “The dining room showcased a captivating interplay between pairs of traditional, timeless pieces coexisting alongside modern, elegant companions," Veronica says. She pulled it off with a modern sideboard, the vintage gallery wall, modern ceramic dishes and vintage candlesticks. "What I am most proud of when I look at the Berger’s home is how we anchored each room with a natural stained material, for example the kitchen island and the kids’ hutch in the breakfast room," she says.

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

Past, Present and Future

Veronica carried her signature blend of historical and modern accents to the tablescape as well. “Those modern ceramic dishes were handcrafted in Portugal and bring a touch of modernity to the setting,” she says. As for the candlesticks, they're the heart of the dining room's ambiance. "They were originally owned by Leore's grandparents and were used in Leore and Adrian’s wedding. Seeing the homeowners' wedding candlesticks positioned beside their grandparents' candlesticks [in the final reveal] was an incredibly moving sight.”

That sight is what Veronica’s work is all about. “Witnessing the candlesticks spanning generations epitomized exactly what the team and I love to do — intertwine design with family history.”

From: Veronica Valencia Hughes

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