After fantasising about how wonderful it’s going to be living in a perfectly restored period home, there is a lot to consider. Check out these great tips for renovating a period home without losing its character while adding modern luxuries to suit your lifestyle.
1. Understand the characteristics of your period home.
Whether your home is Edwardian, Victorian, Tudor or Californian Bungalow, it’s important to really understand what makes a home specific to that period. Look at designs, photos and videos of as many homes as you can from that particular era, so you know exactly what needs to be kept and restored.
2. Replace the front door.
At some point the front door of your property may have been replaced for a more modern version. Many period homes had solid wood doors, and some had glazing or stained glass as part of the feature. Find a new door that will be as close to what the original looked like and paint in a colour suitable to the period.
3. Repair and restore the brickwork.
Restoring the old bricks will be a big help to keeping the character of your home, so it’s good to keep them unless they are damaged beyond repair. Bricks can be cleaned and you can patch up any large holes or broken parts with lime mortar. Cover this with stone or brick dust to blend in.
4. Embrace the fireplaces.
Fireplaces were often the centrepiece of a room, as they were the only source of heating. Restoring fireplaces and their mantelpieces certainly helps to keep the character of a period home, even though an open fire may not be suitable. Use a gas fire instead of an open one, or simply use as a lovely ornamental fireplace and use the mantel to put beautiful frames filled with loved ones.
5. Keep the original flooring.
We find that more often than not, the original flooring of a period home is still in good enough condition to use since it’s likely made from solid timber. Instead of replacing it, you can sand and stain the floorboards for an updated look. If you are keen on adding insulation or underfloor heating, it’s best to check with a professional for advice.
6. Make use of the loft or basement.
Needing more space is a common problem for many families, but rather than jumping at adding on an extension to your home, think how you can use the basement or the loft to get the room you need. These areas can be used for living areas or bedrooms, and you may be able to add more light to the basement with a sunken garden.
Let the experts help you with your period home renovation
Our professional design and build team at Period Extensions & Designs would be delighted to work with you on your renovation project to ensure that the right amount of character is kept while creating a comfortable home.
Take a look at some of the projects we’ve worked on, and give us a call on 03 9882 5255 if you’d like to have a chat.