Book excerpt: Award-winningdesigner Paloma Contreras’s guide to pairing traditional style with modern design to create classic interiors with a touch of glamour and an infusion of color. Foreword by India Hicks In The New Classic Home, beloved designer Paloma Contreras focuses her sought-after expertise on one of the most desired yet difficult tasks in decorating: how to design a space that successfully mixes traditional and modern elements. How does one bridge the gap between such different concepts? By walking readers through her four main techniques—color, texture & pattern, scale & proportion, and tension—Contreras demonstrates how to successfully pair seemingly disparate pieces from different eras and styles to create harmonious, timeless, and balanced interiors. With spectacular color photography and personalized design tips, The New Classic Home divulges how to blend vintage pieces into even the most contemporary settings, highlight favorite elements of any architectural style, freshen classic silhouettes, and create layered, interesting spaces that always include an element of modern surprise with a touch of elegant antiquity. Includes Color Images