It’s not often that you come across a property that retains its original and heritage feature. More often than not, these properties are left abandoned to rot or razed to the ground to be replaced with something more modern.
On the off chance that you manage to land yourself with a property with a lot of history and unique charm, you should preserve it by highlighting its original style while adding a few modern twists.
A property with a lot of heritage features will usually mean a lot of work, whether it’s replacing an old roof with tpo roofing or redoing the plasterwork. But when it’s done with consideration and planning, you can end up with a property that manages to balance its history while remaining relevant in the modern era.
Show off the heritage
It’s almost impossible to mimic the unique charm of an older property, especially when it has accumulated a lot of history and memories. High ceilings, crown molding, and stained glass windows are only some of the features common in older buildings. These are something that you should try to showcase when you’re doing a renovation. The goal is to make these features as the focal point of the property and balancing the rest of the space against these. For a room with a high ceiling, you should try to keep it clutter-free and decorated with small items and furnishings.
Bare it all
If you want to make the most out of an older property, you want to focus on trying to preserve its originality instead of replacing some of its dated features. To do this, you would want to get rid of old carpets to reveal its original flooring beneath. Another popular route that renovators and designers tend to prefer is going the industrial route and exposing the original brickwork in some of the rooms of the property. A brick accent on one wall can be used as a reference to the history of the place.
Complementary colors
The color palette that you select for your property needs to highlight its unique style and charm instead of hiding it or masking it away. Shades of green and blue are always a great option that goes well with some of the older properties. Smokey grey is also quite a popular option that goes well with Victorian-style properties. You can inject a little mood and drama to a house by choosing darker shades and especially if you’re dealing with large windows and lofty ceilings.
Highlight with paint
A fresh coat of paint is crucial if you want to bring an old house in the modern world. It can also be used to hide age-related features on the property. An effective technique you can consider doing is contrasting colors around the trim work and cornicing of the property. Choose a vibrant shade to paint over the cornicing to highlight this period feature. If you want to paint the trim work with contrasting colors, choose one that is of a neutral tone to avoid an eyesore effect. You should keep this technique consistent on the entire property for an elevated and sophisticated color scheme from one room to the next.
Reference the period
A great way to modernize an old property is by highlighting its unique character through the use of decors and home furnishings that reference its original style. Auctions houses, estate sales, and antique stores are a great place to find a few period pieces coming from the same era. Keep in mind, going overboard with antiques can make a room stuffy. Instead, a few statements and period pieces here and there is a clever way to hint at the property’s history.
Mixing old with the new
A modern take on old properties can be achieved by combining old features with new ones. This is a technique that so many designers and architects love to play around with. The juxtapose of antiques with sleek, minimal home furnishing creates a striking, often appealing, look to space. A property that features intricate architecture can be combined with decors like neutral-tone rugs or light fixtures with clean and simple lines. The best design for older homes or properties is those that strike the perfect balance between old and new.
AUTHOR BIO:
Leanne Brooks is an informative content writer who loves to write about home improvement, remodeling, restoration, roofing, and more. She is currently working with WeathertightRoofing, one of the leading roofing companies, which offers exceptional residential roofing services in and around Idaho.
