Historic houses are beautiful, with their high ceilings, intricate moldings and gracious Old World touches. They’re not always practical, however, especially when it comes to kitchens and baths, where modern layouts, plumbing, fixtures and materials are not just stylish but essential to daily life.

But that doesn’t mean that fans of stately old homes need to forego the classic. Given knowledgeable contractors and experienced interior designers, these charming old spaces can be given a facelift that adds the best of the new while preserving the past.

With its exposed brick wall, sculptural rug, sleek drapes and tonal palette of soothing grays and taupes, this dining room in a Central West End loft strikes a warm, modern vibe. But when Joni Spear of Joni Spear Interior Design first saw her client’s space, it was a bit plain Jane. “It was pleasant, but it looked almost like a model home—it lacked pizzazz,” she explains.

It’s hard to imagine that the 415-square-foot Old World kitchen was once a dining room, but a few years ago it was where the family gathered to eat their meals, not cook them. After living with their dining room addition for several years, the homeowners decided a room swap was in order to better utilize their space. With the idea to flip the dining room and kitchen, they would create an open, connected space.