VINTAGE DESIGN ELEMENTS AND ANTIQUES
At Tailored Spaces LLC, the love of vintage design elements and antiques is woven into every project we take on. Principal designer Natalie Spiniolas has spent over 25 years developing an eye for pieces that carry real character, the kind that no catalog can replicate. Whether it is a salvaged wood beam, a one-of-a-kind hardware pull, or a reclaimed surface that tells a story, these finds give a home its soul. This page is for homeowners in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin who want spaces that feel personal, layered, and genuinely lived-in rather than assembled from a showroom floor.
Vintage Kitchen Design in Harvard, IL
Why Vintage Kitchen Design Inspiration Changes Everything
A kitchen built around vintage kitchen design inspiration does something that a purely modern kitchen rarely achieves: it feels like it belongs. When you mix warm wood species like Knotty Hickory or Knotty Alder with reclaimed materials, aged hardware in Honey Bronze or Brass, and surfaces like Venetian plaster or stacked stone, the result is a space that looks collected over time rather than ordered all at once. Tailored Spaces works with clients across McHenry, Lake, and DuPage Counties to identify these kinds of pieces early in the design process, so they can be integrated thoughtfully into the 3D presentation rather than tacked on at the end. The goal is always a kitchen that feels timeless, not trendy.
Antique Cabinetry and Character
Antique Cabinetry and Character
Cabinetry Styles That Stand the Test of Time
Antique cabinetry styles draw their appeal from the fact that older design conventions prioritized craft. Details like vertical saw kerfs, hand-applied finishes such as French Biscuit or Ebony-stained wood, and the natural variation found in Rift-cut White Oak or Walnut are all rooted in that same tradition. At Tailored Spaces, we treat these finishes and materials not as throwbacks but as enduring choices that age gracefully and protect your investment over the long term. Clients in Barrington, Lake Forest, and Lake Geneva who are building or remodeling at a significant scale consistently find that incorporating these elements adds lasting value, both aesthetically and financially, to their homes.
Vintage Home Decor and Sourcing
Bringing Vintage Home Decor Into a Custom Design
Sourcing vintage home decor can feel overwhelming when you are already managing hundreds of interconnected design decisions. That is exactly where the Tailored Spaces team steps in. Natalie's well-known passion for "junkin," her term for seeking out pieces with genuine visual texture and history, means she approaches sourcing with a trained eye and a clear sense of how each find will function within the larger design. Reclaimed materials, vintage fixtures, and one-of-a-kind decorative hardware are evaluated not just for looks but for how they interact with the cabinetry, surfaces, and spatial layout already in the plan. The result is a home that feels curated rather than assembled, with pieces that hold meaning for the people who live there.
Retro Design Elements and New Builds
Using Retro Design Elements in Modern New Construction
One of the most common misconceptions in high-end residential design is that new construction and retro design elements are at odds with each other. In practice, the opposite is true. When a new build in Walworth County or Boone County incorporates materials like herringbone marble, Venetian plaster walls, or cabinetry with a French Biscuit finish, it gains a depth and warmth that purely contemporary finishes rarely achieve on their own. Tailored Spaces uses detailed 3D presentations to show clients exactly how these older-inspired elements will look alongside modern appliances and layouts before any orders are placed. This process removes guesswork and ensures that the vintage character you want actually lands the way you imagined it.
Your Questions, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions About Vintage Design at Tailored Spaces
How does Tailored Spaces incorporate vintage finds into a custom cabinetry project?
Vintage pieces are introduced early in the design process, not added as an afterthought. During the initial consultation and 3D presentation phase, the team identifies where reclaimed materials, aged hardware, or antique-inspired finishes can be integrated into the cabinetry plan. This means a Honey Bronze pull or a French Biscuit finish is selected with the full spatial layout in mind, ensuring it works with the countertop material, wall finish, and lighting rather than competing with them. The goal is a space that feels collected and personal rather than assembled from a single source.What wood species work best when going for an antique or vintage cabinetry look?
Several of the wood species Tailored Spaces works with lend themselves naturally to a vintage aesthetic. Knotty Hickory and Knotty Alder both carry natural grain variation and character that reads as aged and handcrafted. Rift-cut White Oak, especially in finishes like Cashmere or French Biscuit, has a quiet, timeless quality that suits both farmhouse and transitional styles. Walnut offers a richer, darker tone that pairs well with antique brass hardware. The right choice depends on the overall design direction, the room's light conditions, and the other materials already in the plan.Can vintage design elements be used effectively in a brand-new construction project?
Yes, and they often produce the most satisfying results in new builds. When a home is built from the ground up, there is a real opportunity to plan for vintage and retro design elements from the start rather than retrofitting them later. Materials like herringbone marble, Venetian plaster, stacked stone, and reclaimed wood can be specified during the hard-surface selection phase and coordinated with the cabinetry design. Tailored Spaces works with builders and architects across Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin to ensure these choices are documented clearly and executed accurately on site.What kinds of vintage hardware and fixture finishes does Tailored Spaces recommend?
The studio works with decorative hardware in Brass, Honey Bronze, and Flat Black, all of which carry a sense of history and warmth that modern brushed finishes sometimes lack. Brass in particular has seen a strong resurgence in high-end residential design because it ages gracefully and pairs well with natural wood tones. Honey Bronze works well in warmer, more rustic schemes, while Flat Black suits spaces with a cleaner, more industrial edge. High-end plumbing and lighting fixtures are also selected as part of the overall design, so every finish in the room is considered together rather than chosen in isolation.How does Tailored Spaces help clients who feel overwhelmed by vintage sourcing decisions?
Sourcing vintage and antique pieces is one of the areas where working with an experienced design partner makes the biggest difference. Rather than sending clients out to sort through options on their own, the Tailored Spaces team draws on Natalie's deep familiarity with materials, finishes, and sources built over more than 25 years in the industry. Pieces are evaluated for how they will function within the confirmed design plan, not just how they look in isolation. This reduces the number of decisions a client has to make independently and helps ensure that every element chosen actually fits the space it is intended for.Does Tailored Spaces work on projects outside of Harvard, IL?
Yes. The studio serves a broad regional footprint that includes McHenry, Lake, Boone, Cook, and DuPage Counties in Northern Illinois, as well as Walworth County in Southern Wisconsin. Key communities served include Barrington, Lake Forest, and Lake Geneva. All client work is managed from the 3,000-square-foot showroom located in the historic Starline Factory in Harvard, IL, which serves as the base for consultations, 3D presentations, and material selections.What surfaces and architectural materials complement a vintage or antique design direction?
Several surface materials used by Tailored Spaces pair naturally with a vintage aesthetic. Herringbone marble patterns reference classic European craftsmanship. Venetian plaster adds depth and texture to walls in a way that painted drywall cannot replicate. Stacked stone works well in spaces like wine cellars, mudrooms, or fireplace surrounds where a more rustic, aged quality is appropriate. Reclaimed materials are also incorporated where the design calls for genuine history rather than a manufactured approximation of it. These choices are always coordinated with the cabinetry and hardware selections to ensure the finished space reads as cohesive.How does the 3D presentation process help clients visualize vintage design elements before committing?
The 3D presentation is one of the most valuable tools in the Tailored Spaces process, particularly for clients who are incorporating vintage or antique elements for the first time. Seeing a Knotty Alder cabinet with a French Biscuit finish alongside a herringbone marble backsplash and Brass hardware in a fully rendered space gives a much clearer picture than a material sample board alone. Clients can review the presentation, request adjustments, and give final sign-off on selections before any orders are placed, which significantly reduces the risk of finishing a project and wishing something had been done differently.
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