When Augusta Holland inherited Ashbourne, a historic estate in Louisville, Kentucky, she knew she had to maintain the nostalgia of the property—it’s been in her family since her great-grandparents bought it in the 1920s—while updating it for the needs of her own modern family. “I wanted to keep the connection to my father and grandparents while making the place not only our own but also one for future generations,” says Holland. So she enlisted her friend, the interior decorator Todd Klein, and architect Joel Barkley to modernize the house without erasing its classic charm. The result is a home that pays homage to the original farmhouse while establishing plenty of visual interest for the contemporary age. Here, five ways to upgrade an old home with inspired design.