New trend: Old World home design

Old World design can be found in many homes in the New World these days, according to design experts.

Homeowners and their builders are reworking neglected old properties and constructing brand new villas that celebrate many of the architectural details and finishing touches brought to North America from England, France, Italy and Spain during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Kitchens and baths are often the spaces most dramatically influenced by design elements from days of old. Today cabinetry and faucet fixtures in kitchens and baths are taking on new looks that actually steal concepts from old standbys. Homeowners want to create kitchens and baths that feel as though they were built centuries ago. A perfect way to achieve that Old World look is with finishes that have been created to look old, but perform with all of the dynamics of modern day.

Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry is one manufacturer offering finishes that bring the old together with the new. For example, the brush mark crackle finish uses an 11-step process to create the effect of a 17th or 18th century antique, but without the hassles and dangers of original antique finishes.

"This new finish is really interesting," said George Achey, president of Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry, a company that has kept up with the tradition of craftsmanship by offering custom cabinetry that's classic while still using the latest technology.

"It uses the newest glaze, paint and finishing technologies to create a look that could easily be 100 years old. The good thing is that, even though the finish is "crackled" there are no signs of chipping and the finishes aren't lead-based like some original antiques, so homeowners don't have to worry about harmful toxic paint," Achey said.