How to Decorate, Ep. 430: Balancing Old & New with Claire Staszak

Host: Ballard Designs (Caroline, Taryn, Liz)
Guest: Claire Staszak, Interior Designer, Centered by Design
Air Date: September 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on Chicago-based designer Claire Staszak, whose work skillfully merges the charm and detail of historic architecture with modern touches to create spaces that feel both timeless and fresh. The conversation explores Claire’s design approach, her personal home renovation in a historic Mediterranean house, advice for balancing old and new in any space, the evolution of her signature “new traditional” style, and the creation of her wallpaper collection. The hosts also dig into practical aspects of renovating an old home, from maintaining architectural elements to adapting layouts for family life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Claire’s Design Philosophy & Evolution

• Finding Her Niche

  • Claire shares her journey of evolving from a flexible, client-driven designer to embracing her niche: old homes with character, mixing traditional architectural elements with newer, sleeker furnishings.
  • “In the beginning...I catered to whatever the client wanted, and it definitely took some time…to really get to the place where I felt really comfortable with, you know what? This is sort of what I think we do best, and we're really gonna lean into that.” — Claire [04:13]

• Style Description—‘New Traditional’

  • She describes her signature as “new traditional”—respecting traditional forms and architecture, but unafraid to incorporate contemporary flourishes or unexpected details.
  • “I love spaces to feel ethereal...always trying to balance masculine and feminine...always gonna harken back to traditional shapes and antiques, but we are definitely not afraid to mix or do something that isn’t perfectly buttoned up traditional.” — Claire [05:50-06:57]

Working with Old vs. New Homes

• Historic Properties

  • She emphasizes letting the architecture guide the design—restoring or enhancing existing features, building on the home’s inherent mood (e.g., moodier palettes for Tudors).

• New Construction

  • In contrast, new builds require a more proactive approach to inject character—adding molding, reimagining layouts, playing up furnishings, and sometimes compensating for generic "builder basic" shells.

Claire’s Own Home: Renovation Journey

• Choosing the House

  • Claire purchased a 1926 Mediterranean house on Chicago’s North Shore—drawn to its size, potential for family living, and surviving original features (notably the staircase and doors) among mostly stripped details.
  • “I was really...looking for just that character, that architectural detail that I love. This house is a Mediterranean, built in 1926...[but] it doesn't have its original tile roof, which is very sad. But other than that, definitely has been stripped of a lot of its original details throughout the years. I think what remained was...the staircase is original...I love an entry moment.” — Claire [12:19-13:11]

• Living In Before Renovating

  • She stresses the value of living in a home before doing a major remodel, letting everyday experience drive practical and functional decisions.
  • “There's definitely something to be said for living in it, figuring out what you really want. I encourage my clients to do that when they can. Really, I think it makes a big difference to how you, in the end, change the floor plan…” — Claire [17:54-18:53]

• Kitchen & Family Spaces

  • Claire originally considered a major kitchen expansion but ultimately opted for a classic galley kitchen and an adjacent breakfast room—emphasizing suitability over Pinterest trends or resale “musts.”
  • “I don't even really cook that much...I felt like it wasn't going to be kind of like, cozy or maybe it wasn't going to feel super fitting to the house...Now, I feel like I'm much happier.” — Claire [22:57-23:41]

• Children’s Spaces & Family Function

  • Bathroom layouts were reimagined for her boy and girl to have their own spaces, considering both practicality and future resale.
  • “It was going to be really tough to kind of carve two bathrooms out of the Jack and Jill, but I think we were able to make it happen...there's enough reasons that it makes sense.” — Claire [25:03-25:54]

• Natural Light, Windows, and Arches

  • Major updates include increasing natural light, restoring arched details, and creating dramatic new window and door elements to emphasize the Mediterranean character.

• Dealing with Old Systems

  • Claire talks candidly about the reality of spending on “invisible” upgrades—new HVAC, electrical, and plumbing when restoring an old home.
  • “I would say a majority of what we're spending money on is behind the walls.” — Claire [31:03]

Approach to Color and Furnishings

• Color Philosophy

  • Describes her palette as warm, muddy, nuanced, and historic but not stuffy; prefers less “preppy” colors than current trends.

  • “We tend to use colors that are sort of…if they're saturated, they're usually kind of muddy. I don't like, know a better word...they're not super intense, and they're not super bright.” — Claire [42:22-43:12]

  • Follows historical paint collections and paints for muted, fall-like tones, often pulling palette inspiration from art or her wallpaper collection.

  • “One of my favorite paint decks is the Benjamin Moore Williamsburg collection deck...we love a limited deck.” — Claire [46:15-46:40]

• Designing for Kids & Durability

  • Advocates for using beautiful elements (like mohair and wallpaper) even with young children, trusting in performance fabrics and finish choices to provide resilience.
  • “I am a big proponent of having nice things, even though you have kids...I really don't approach design too differently with kids than not kids.” — Claire [47:13-49:27]

• Laundry/Mudroom Retreat

  • A huge laundry/mudroom is being envisioned as a functional, beautiful, and uplifting entry for the family—including flower arranging, storage, and a spa bathroom.

The Wallpaper Collection

• Development & Inspiration

  • Collaboration with a French company led to designing a direct-to-consumer wallpaper line with Mediterranean and trellis influences. Many mural papers can be customized for a room’s dimensions.
  • “What I really loved is that this brand was sort of reviving the mural. But what was different about the European market is that people really were only wallpapering one wall...so these murals were really developed to be just like, one scene instead of immersive and kind of like...in the U.S. it's much more like people...wallpaper a whole room.” — Claire [51:36-53:28]

• Access & Customization

  • “What I think is incredible is they can customize. So some of the papers are just rolls that you buy, but some can be completely customized to your architecture. And so that’s really different for any, like, direct to consumer wallpaper.” — Claire [55:43-56:38]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Embracing Her Niche:
  • “I have found I first sort of started to niche into kitchen design, specifically...then that morphed into the projects I want to be doing are in historic properties...who love mixing old and new.” — Claire [03:31-04:13]
• Advice for Renovating:
  • “You put the dream on paper first...see what all the big ideas are, and then you kind of pare back versus starting...small and afraid...” — Claire [18:53-19:32]
• Navigating Resale vs. Living for Yourself:
  • “I do a lot of talking people off the...don’t do this for resale. Do it for yourself.” — Claire [24:27-24:33]
• Taryn on the Power of a Functional Entry:
  • “Everyone pays attention to the entry for their guests...but many of us neglect the entry that we use. But it’s a space you’re walking into multiple times a day...” — Caroline [40:36-41:19]
• Kids and Nice Things:
  • “Honestly...I never worried about my kids, like coloring on stuff...I don't know if you, if it is a value and it's like taken care of and like, I don't know, just then that sort of translates...” — Claire [47:13-47:53]

Segment Timestamps

• Claire’s Background, Design Approach: [02:24–07:18]
• Working with Old & New Homes: [07:18–11:09]
• Personal Home—Why She Chose It: [12:04–15:09]
• Living In Before Renovation, Patience: [15:39–19:41]
• Kitchen Renovation Decisions: [21:46–24:24]
• Navigating Kids’ Spaces & Family Flow: [24:35–29:50]
• Systems Upgrades (HVAC, etc): [29:50–31:16]
• Aesthetic Vision & Color Choices: [31:16–34:28, 42:22–47:13]
• Designing for Kids: [47:13–50:43]
• Wallpaper Collection Discussion: [50:48–57:44]

Where to Find Claire

• Instagram: @centeredbydesign
• Website & Services: centeredbydesign.com
• Consultations & Career Advice: Through TALD Co.
• Wallpaper Collection: Available direct-to-consumer (linked on her website)

Closing Thoughts

Claire’s insights highlight the power of letting a home’s architecture and your real-life experience dictate design decisions, rather than trends or generic resale advice. Her embrace of historical character, warmth, and nuance—combined with a willingness to make spaces truly livable—offers inspiration for anyone seeking to balance the old and the new. Special attention to color, art, and materials underscores her practical yet poetic approach, making her a true voice for “new traditional” design.