Where to begin with an old home that is in desperate need for love and attention? Well, taking care would be the first thing to do as you need to consider many things when renovating or redecorating. Firstly, you have to acknowledge that home that been long-established and therefore you can’t change it’s age. Going modern too quickly, will look out of place eventually as unless you plan on renovating every single thing, you’re going to need to be sparing. Secondly, be aware that certain parts of the home may be fragile. They could be overused and potentially a hazard. For example, if you plan on updating the stairs, check that the structure itself i.e. the wall is able to handle any new material such as single sheets of wood for floating staircase designs. The same goes for the wall, when or if you plan on repainting or perhaps redesigning the wall itself, check that the brickwork is still strong enough. Whenever you’re changing something in an older home, be practical first.
A oost of life
One of the dead giveaways from an old home is the flooring. You’ll feel dents that go into the floor a bit more, the wood will sound like it is hollow as the sound of footsteps reverberate off the walls, the wood will be scratched and faded and of course there will be creaking and cracking sounds. Renovating the floor is one of the biggest jobs in any kind of home, regardless of when it was built. However the floor has more of a connection with an older home as it was put in when it was first built which could be 100 years or so. However, to pay homage to the original wooden floor, modern hardwood flooring is the best option. It’s recommended that you choose a dense wood such as oak, ash or maple. The boards should be small if you want contemporary style that will update the home. The boards don’t have to be finished in a dark varnish despite being hardwood, as the modern standard is to give pastel colours such as a dull purple a try.
Connecting the outdoors
Contemporary living is all about having access to every part of the home without opening doors or in fact having the need for doors anyway. Thus, the open plan must consume the entire home, where you have the ability to walk into the kitchen by taking just a few steps from the living room. By that very same token these contemporary architects have shown how an older home can be redesigned to connect the garden with the living room. This is done via the use of contemporary sliding doors, with a small rain roof just outside to protect you from the weather. The patio doors have shutter blinds built into their design making it easy to decide how much natural light you want coming through each separate sheet.
When you update an older home, keep in mind it’s age and seniority when it comes to injecting modern designs. Start with the floor first so you keep in line with adhering to wood but also upgrading the materials.
Have you renovated an old house? What are your tips?
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