Tips on updating homes

To update a vintage house the same way David Ritch did:

Simplify surfaces

A restrained materials palette, including oak for flooring and cabinet finishes, unifies the interiors.

Use built-ins

Closets, bookshelves and tables are incorporated into the architecture. “You don’t have to buy furniture if you build it into the room,” Ritch says.

Capture unused spaces

The designer added 120 square feet by using the ceiling volume as a loft. The laundry room sits in what otherwise would be a linen closet. “It came down to inches, but we fit a stackable Bosch washer and dryer inside,” Ritch says.

Speak volumes in small gestures

You can convey a modern vibe with subtle details -- finishes and fixtures in the bathroom, window trim, lighting. “Essentially, the space is just a blank room, so all those tiny choices have a cumulative way of adding up,” he says.

-- Debra Prinzing