By RAECHEL SONTAG
When designing a home, exploring your family roots is one way to make an even more personal space inside your home that reflects who you are and where you come from.
There are so many aspects involved including color scheme, light fixtures, decorations and so much more. Many homeowners feel it’s important to make your home a place that celebrates you and your interests and, sometimes, your cultural background.
Beba Shamash is a professor at Ramapo College who earned a masters in Fine Arts for Design and has experience in designing a home. Shamash recalls her process of taking a classic Victorian and modernizing it.
The house was built in 1910, houses at this time were constructed to mirror those in the United Kingdom during the ‘Gothic Revival’. “Home designers were using dark colored wood to keep cool air and heat inside the home since there was no air conditioning or heating systems at that time,” Shamash explains.
While keeping its original trim and crown moldings, she and her husband brightened up the walls and features of the home by painting them white and implemented glass features to reflect the light within the home.
The house also contains a 9-foot beam ceiling which creates an open space and a set of double doors leading into the parlor, which were removed in order to expand the ‘open concept’ often seen in modern interior design.
Shamash and her husband had to resurface counter tops and fixtures throughout the house due to the age and condition of the building itself. However, she respects the period that her home comes from an is able to embrace the classic colonial style while also modernizing it and making it her own.
This can be reflected in other cultures throughout the world. Ramapo student Briana Cole offered some insight on her African roots and how her family incorporates that into their home. African paintings adorn the walls.
The paintings that depict African women carrying baskets of fruit who are wearing colorful head dresses and elaborate patterns on their skirts.
“Color and pattern are key features in African design along with wicker and dark wood tones that reflect classic African art. Another aspect she focused on was wood fixtures and carvings,” said Cole.
Classic pieces of art can add to any home “especially when it reflects your cultural background.”
“Seeing my ancestors history around the house really makes it comfortable and reminds me to be proud of where I came from because it really is a beautiful thing.” said Cole.
Vibrant colored walls and eccentric vases placed around the house exude , warmth, while also exciting visitors and giving them a peek into African history.
For Naomi Kraneistson, a Ramapo student, it’s her religious ties to the Middle East that are a huge component in the interior design of her home. She explained the placement of “Hamsas” or the Star of David, around her home as a sign of respect and protection. She feels that the symbols are a reminder of her religion and are comforting to return home to after a long day.
China has an influence in a Jewish household celebrations. In the religion, certain China is used for certain holidays and is certainly a beauty to look at. Dishes and hanging decorations are a wonderful way to incorporate a cultural resin without necessarily making it the centerpiece of the household.
“There are various utensils, plates and China that are used for specific holidays which have been used for generations in my family and they represent the hardships that my family went through as well as the perseverance to preserve items that hold high value for such celebrations. It’s also a happy reminder as well.”
The picture to the left is an example of a plate used during the Jewish holiday ‘Passover’ which commemorates their escape from slavery under the hand of the Egyptians.
Kraneistson recalls her trip to Israel and the relation between the styles she encountered and the style of her own home. Moments reflecting Israeli symbols such as the “chai,” meaning life in Hebrew, decorate the walls and fixtures around her home. Simple placement of personal belongings can create a comfort in your home and make it uniquely yours!
Regardless of your personal background(,) exploring it can inspire you to brighten up your home with a little piece of your heart. Take the time to reflect on yourself and your background to take your home to a new level.
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