In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Anne McDonald is the interior designer to call for refreshing old homes. She spent nearly a decade working with her father on the building side of the industry, so she pays special attention to the architectural details that need to be maintained or restored—and she knows what colors and materials to introduce that will make the historical features sing.

Anne recently worked her magic on a 1920s Craftsman bungalow that was lackluster and cluttered, using its original dark-stained red oak trim and millwork as the inspiration for a moody palette of rich browns and ambers. Then she balanced the warmth with dusty blues and deep greens that highlight the leafy views through the windows.

Botanical motifs and earthy textures can be found throughout, nodding to the homeowner’s affinity for nature. “They have this beautiful cabin where they spend a lot of time in the woods in Wisconsin, so they really wanted to have this connection to something natural and grounded in their city home, too,” says Anne.

Let’s take a tour (and scroll down for a look at the place before).

Photography by Taylor Hall O’Brien.

After

Before

More satisfying before-and-afters:

• “This Is the House I’d Leave Amsterdam For”: A Family’s Airy, Springy 1893 Quarters in Haarlem
• Before & After: Architect Pat Bernatz’s Reimagined House on the Hill in East LA
• Before & After: A 1924 Spanish-Style Villa in Laurel Canyon Gets an Update, 99 Years On