b'Modernizing the Presentby Honoring the PastInsights from local professionals on doing right by our homesBY CARLA LABIANCAThe furnishings in this living room lean modern but they work seamlessly with the original wainscoting and trim found throughout the home. Modern elements tone down period details making them feel less formal and more appealing to the way we live today. Photo credit: E home has aSarah Gee seeInteriors,Epic ProportionswithSarah believes that modern furnishings and ele-verystory. And around South Orange and Maplewood, thosements work seamlessly with period details, toning storiesareasvariedasthefamiliesthem down and making them less formal and more who inhabit them. Drive down anyWhen it comes to transforming a house into a bal- appealing to modern lifestyles.road in our towns and you willanced and cohesive home, Sarah Gee, of Sarah Gee home styles as diverse as the SOMAstressescuratingyoursurroundings community. From Robert Shoppellspieces that reflect your familys personality and con-Shingle Style Victorians to the 1920s Sears Kits tonect your past and present. Rather than decorating MiltonKleinsMid-centuryModernmasterpieces,for decoratings sake, choices should be intentional. each is a distinctive work of art. Our appreciation forWith their carefully thought out proportions and them is one of our many commonalities. signature features, such as molding and inlaid hard As their stewards, we repair, renovate and decoratewoodfloors,SOMAshomeslendthemselvesper-them. We live and love in them. Renovating our homesfectly to curation. Juxtaposing original elements with isnt about restoring them to their original grandeur,modern choices adds character and depth.but maximizing their historical attributes within ourAccording to Sarah, This can be done in simple budgets and desire for modern conveniences. ways: matching any new moldings with the existing, Matters Magazine asked a handful of SOMAs tal- keeping consistent ceiling heights, and layering dif-ented architects, interior designers and stylists to pro- ferent styles of furnishings so that the decor doesntThe eclectic mix of mid-century furniture, modern art, vide their insights earned through challenges posed byfeel one-note. When the bones of a home feel right,vintage accessories, and antique Persian rug in this Maplewood home complements rather than competes their clients or their own experiences. Functionality andour modern lives can seamlessly blend with the morewith the original wood mantle, ribbon inlay floor and designing for togetherness are the common threads. traditional elements of these older homes. crown molding. Photo credit: Sarah Gee12/ matters magazine / hearth & home 2020'