Bold Interiors Balancing Modern & Traditional

Judkins Park Jewelbox Victorian

This renewed home boasts traditional charm and modern comforts, with a sun-drenched kitchen as its showcase space.

After their vintage Victorian home was damaged in a fire, these homeowners had no option but to rebuild. It was difficult to see their home of nearly twenty years with so much damage, but, choosing optimism, they decided on a path forward. They would not only restore the home but elevate it, with customizations that would create the space of their dreams.

As avid hosts, it was important that the home’s new design considered their love of coming together with friends and family. They imagined bright, open common spaces that could naturally adapt to any occasion, from poetry readings to backyard weddings, so practical flexibility would be key. It was also important to seize the opportunity to restore some of the home’s original Victorian style and honor its roots in a way that would be both stylish and functional.

The project originally began as a kitchen remodel. The homeowners imagined a classic Victorian aesthetic — but they also weren’t afraid of diverging from tradition in favor of the bold, fun, and unexpected. Now, the kitchen is grounded by polished fir floors that emit a rosy glow beneath an abundance of natural light. After exploring several design iterations, the couple decided on deep green accents to achieve their goal of a classic, yet colorful and curated look. Paired with the fir floors and wooden trim, the green cabinets and new kitchen island evoke a natural, serene feeling.

An exterior view of a Victorian style, two level house, focusing on the front entry. The front of the house has a bay window and a rainbow flag. There are many plants, flowers, and trees in the garden around the house. Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Victorian Charmer

Delicate exterior details add ornamentation and charm, preserving the home’s distinctly Victorian style. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Victorian Charmer

Delicate exterior details add ornamentation and charm, preserving the home’s distinctly Victorian style. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

An exterior view of a Victorian style, two level house, focusing on the large, covered porch and the large double French door leading into the kitchen from the porch. There are many plants, flowers, and trees in the garden around the house. Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Indoor/Outdoor Flow

A wrap-around covered porch lets the social hour pour from in to out when this kitchen’s floor-to-ceiling glass doors are open. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Indoor/Outdoor Flow

A wrap-around covered porch lets the social hour pour from in to out when this kitchen’s floor-to-ceiling glass doors are open. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

An exterior view of a Victorian style, two level house, focusing on the large, covered porch and the large sliding glass door leading into the house. There are many plants, flowers, and trees in the garden around the house. Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Jewelbox Victorian

Tucked away behind the house, the garden overflows with flowers and features creature comforts like a hot tub and outdoor shower. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Jewelbox Victorian

Tucked away behind the house, the garden overflows with flowers and features creature comforts like a hot tub and outdoor shower. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Multipurpose Island

Storage, prep, and casual dining — this custom kitchen island can handle it all. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Multipurpose Island

Storage, prep, and casual dining — this custom kitchen island can handle it all. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Two kinds of glass doors — hinged French and sliding — make up most of the kitchen’s rear walls, soaking the space in natural light. When open, these doors create a truly ‘al fresco’ feel while also connecting the kitchen to the patio beyond.

This optimal indoor-outdoor connection allows parties and gatherings to flow easily from the home's interior out into the garden. When closed, the abundance of glass gives the kitchen a jewel box look and feel, making the space appear larger, brighter, and fresh.

The expansive glazing ends at a custom, inset wall of shelves designed to display antique cookware and ceramics from travels abroad.

In the pantry, the green cabinets are paired with an avian-print wallpaper for a contemporary take on a popular Victorian-era motif. The nearby powder room uses brighter, more vibrant greens that maintain an aesthetic link to the kitchen while giving the space its own unique identity. Chartreuse beadboard wainscotting is paired with a statement wallpaper, making this room a daring, memorable moment in the home.

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Almost-Indoor Garden

A floor-to-ceiling operable glass wall in the kitchen brings the outdoors in and creates a fresh view for the dining room. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Almost-Indoor Garden

A floor-to-ceiling operable glass wall in the kitchen brings the outdoors in and creates a fresh view for the dining room. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Open Air Entertaining

This light-filled kitchen invites guests to wander in and out of its large glass doors, making a compact space feel expansive and open. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Open Air Entertaining

This light-filled kitchen invites guests to wander in and out of its large glass doors, making a compact space feel expansive and open. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Rich & Warm

Warm wood tones and subtly luminous paint make this kitchen corner feel cozy, while deep green cabinets add richness and drama. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Rich & Warm

Warm wood tones and subtly luminous paint make this kitchen corner feel cozy, while deep green cabinets add richness and drama. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
A Playful Pantry

A pantry doesn’t have to settle for practical; whimsical wallpaper makes visiting this storage space feel special. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

A Playful Pantry

A pantry doesn’t have to settle for practical; whimsical wallpaper makes visiting this storage space feel special. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
The Impact of Color

Traditional touches like beadboard and wallpaper feel daring and fun in this powder room’s bold color palette. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

The Impact of Color

Traditional touches like beadboard and wallpaper feel daring and fun in this powder room’s bold color palette. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Delighted with the progress of the kitchen remodel, the homeowners were inspired to turn their attention to the upstairs of their home — a personal, intimate area that would be dedicated to them, rather than guests. For a twist, they envisioned a modern, crisp, and clutter-free space that could serve as a serene retreat and provide balance with the opulence of the downstairs.

Steep rooflines upstairs presented our team with some tricky design challenges. In the primary bedroom, a vaulted ceiling meant our designers needed to identify clever design solutions to optimize use of the space. To maximize storage space without occupying more floor area than necessary, we designed custom closet casework to fit within the limitations of the roofline. The result is a clean, discreet abundance of closed storage that’s equally functional and sleek.

In contrast to the powder room downstairs, the primary bath features cool, calm, neutral tones with durable, easy-to-clean materials. Shades of blue are paired with white and grey for a crisp, fresh feel. A rich blue vanity anchors the room, while a custom, tall, grey cabinet maximizes storage. Minimalist black hardware throughout the bathroom ties everything together, creating an aesthetic link to the ornate black hardware throughout the rest of the home.

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Old & New

A dark handrail with traditional, turned balusters contrasts with a modern, geometric pendant light at the upstairs landing where the home’s two moods converge. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Old & New

A dark handrail with traditional, turned balusters contrasts with a modern, geometric pendant light at the upstairs landing where the home’s two moods converge. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Small Surprises

In a small space, scale matters more: unlike bolder pieces, a minimal, modern wall light and narrow nightstand don’t crowd the bed, and wallpaper in a colorful print adds interest without bulk. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Small Surprises

In a small space, scale matters more: unlike bolder pieces, a minimal, modern wall light and narrow nightstand don’t crowd the bed, and wallpaper in a colorful print adds interest without bulk. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Home Office Comforts

Natural light and curated personal items make this home office space feel more like home than work. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Home Office Comforts

Natural light and curated personal items make this home office space feel more like home than work. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Down the hall, the last space the homeowners hoped to improve was a small home office that needed to double as a guest room. A nook beneath the sloping roofline created the ideal spot to nestle a compact twin bed. An accent of playful of wallpaper provides a unifying anchor for bright pops of color in the small space for a creative, visually-interesting flare.

This quiet, sunny room helps maintain cohesion between the upper and lower levels of the home — the deep green cabinet is reminiscent of the kitchen casework, while rusty orange accents in the decor recall the rich shade of the wood flooring below.

What began as a tragedy developed into an exciting opportunity for creativity and customization. Now, these homeowners can enjoy a home that feels more personal and unique than ever before.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this historic Victorian retains the stylistic soul of the original home while transforming into something new that reflects the passions and individuality of those who’ve made it their own.

An interior view of a modern bathroom showing a long horizontal vanity with a stone countertop, with tile laid in a grid on the floor and the wall. There is also a tall storage cabinet with four doors and wall mounted glass shelving. Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Floor to Ceiling Functionality

Bathroom storage is solved in this primary suite — using vertical space in addition to a vanity lets the homeowners display their favorites and conceal the rest. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Floor to Ceiling Functionality

Bathroom storage is solved in this primary suite — using vertical space in addition to a vanity lets the homeowners display their favorites and conceal the rest. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

An interior view of a modern bathroom with a walk-in shower that is fully tiled and enclosed with a frameless glass door, with a wooden bath stool in the corner. Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Clean Shades of Blue

Calming blues and, color-blocking, and clean geometry help make this bathroom feel serene and buttoned-up. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Clean Shades of Blue

Calming blues and, color-blocking, and clean geometry help make this bathroom feel serene and buttoned-up. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Serene & Simple

Using every inch of a tricky space for storage leaves more room in this bedroom to relax. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Serene & Simple

Using every inch of a tricky space for storage leaves more room in this bedroom to relax. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Judkins Park Victorian – Board & Vellum
Everything in its Place

These minimalist, custom closets hide clever tricks for keeping the bedroom organized, tidy, and calm. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Everything in its Place

These minimalist, custom closets hide clever tricks for keeping the bedroom organized, tidy, and calm. Judkins Park Victorian | Photo by Cindy Apple

Notes & Credits
Architecture & Interior Design by Board & Vellum.
This project was built by TBH Sterling.
Photography by Cindy Apple Photography.

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Our design services encompass architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, with teams specializing in projects across the spectrum, from single-family homes to multifamily and mixed-use buildings, and from boutique commercial spaces to civic spaces, like parks. We love designing the integrated fabric of structures, spaces, and places that create vibrant neighborhoods.

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