{"id":21855,"date":"2021-02-28T09:39:26","date_gmt":"2021-02-28T17:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=21855"},"modified":"2026-03-31T10:47:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T17:47:17","slug":"update-tuscan-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/update-tuscan-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Brown Walls and Old World Touches Are Out: Here\u2019s How to Update Your Tuscan Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

The old-world charm that was popular in the early 2000s is out, and fresh, contemporary coastal is in. Homebuyers are opting for a simple, airy design over warm tones, rustic iron, and wine-inspired vignettes. What does this mean for homeowners who bought or remodeled in the height of the Tuscan home craze, though? This is a dilemma that Milwaukee agent Pat Tasker<\/a>, who built her home in 2004 with Tuscan design in mind, knows well.<\/p>\n

She says that beginning in 2018, she noticed she was showing more modern homes with a light and airy style. \u201cI started coming home and thinking, \u2018Oh, wow, you have a lot of that yellow and gold\u2026\u2019 Then, as the year went on, I was like, \u2018Oh, your house \u2014 even though it was built in 2004 and is not that old \u2014it’s really outdated,\u2019\u201d she recalls.<\/p>\n

As one of Milwaukee\u2019s top agents who has sold 12% more homes than the average broker, Tasker had an edge on revamping her home. Luckily, you don\u2019t have to be an expert agent or designer to breathe new life into your Tuscan style villa. We sat down with real estate and design experts to bring their restyling advice to you. Here are their top six tips for taking your style out of the early 2000s and into the 2020s.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
<\/a> Source: (Stone House)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Paint the walls a warm white<\/h2>\n

One of Tasker\u2019s first steps in updating her home was to bring in the expert advice of a stager. She enlisted Anna Franklin, owner and designer with top-rated design firm<\/a> Stone House, who went straight for the walls. Franklin says, \u201cWhen you think of Tuscany, you might have warm brick, warm wood, warm walls … In an ideal world, if I came in and staged a Tuscan [home], let\u2019s just say I may suggest wall color immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about toning down the warmth of traditional Tuscan design, Franklin adds.\u00a0 \u201cA lot of the time when you get into the Tuscany looking homes, because there is so much of the heavy looking wood going on, we don\u2019t want to introduce a new color or a new wood. We pick out a warm white color that would pair well with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

By neutralizing the gold and bronze tones, you instantly refresh the space. Franklin favors Sherwin-Williams\u2019 Crushed Ice<\/a> and other warm beiges and grays to balance out the other warm features in the home \u2014 like exposed brick or wood beams \u2014 that are harder to replace.<\/p>\n

If your walls are Venetian plaster<\/a>, consider hiring a professional to repaint them. The textured finish can be tricky to cover, especially if you\u2019re making a drastic color change. You can even damage the wall if you accidentally sand off the finish<\/a> that keeps it waterproof.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> Source: (Stone House)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Swap out Tuscan motifs for neutral upgrades<\/h2>\n

\u201cRemove the decor items that fit that Tuscan look,\u201d Tasker says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you remember, there were all those plaques you could put on the wall: pictures of vineyards, bunches of grapes and \u2018Live Laugh, Love\u2019 … Get rid of that kind of stuff.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These motifs date your home back to the early 2000s.<\/p>\n

Kitchen backsplashes<\/h3>\n

A tile backsplash featuring wine and grapes<\/a> was a must for many. Today, however, these murals don\u2019t fit the contemporary aesthetic that many homebuyers want. In HomeLight\u2019s most recent Top Agent Insights Report, agents ranked a pretty backsplash as one of buyers\u2019 most-wanted kitchen features<\/a>. So if you\u2019re looking to sell your home, swap out your vineyard view for one of these on-trend looks:<\/p>\n