Period Home Renovation Ideas
CategoriesPeriod Home Renovation

Period Home Renovation Ideas 

Period Home Renovation Ideas

Period homes are delicately beautiful. Renovating them needs just the right balance of maintaining the structural integrity of the house, elevating the historic features, and integrating modern touches for aesthetics and comfort. 

Your period home can be renovated so you can achieve just the right mix of functionality, style, and comfort. When done right, your property value can increase significantly. Sounds like a dream right?

With this in mind, following are some period home renovation ideas to add a touch of style and pops of colour to your home.

Industrial Touches

Keep the classic period designs and colour but elevate your home with practical industrial touches with a sense of style. This is a less expensive solution in adding a modern touch to your period home.

Here are some industrial touches you can apply when renovating your home:

  • Steel Framed Doors and Windows – black-framed doors and windows will look great in contrast to your white-painted walls or brick walls.
  • Some exposed metal plumbing pipes or heater are practical and stylishly modern.
  • Copper lighting and fixtures can give your place pops of colour and a modern twist. This is a simple and effective way to modernise your space without changing the classic design and layout.
  • Use modern appliances and fixtures. This is a practical and functional way to keep the classic design while keeping your home updated with modern technology. Period homes do not have to function as a period home.
  • Use practical industrial accessories that are both functional and stylish like stylish metal racks or copper hanging bookcases.

Showcase Classic features

By highlighting one or two features of a classic period home, it gives it an updated look. For example, keeping the beams exposed and highlighted by painting the ceilings white or any light neutral colours.

By updating the paint job, you highlight the beams. This can make the features pop and the house look new but keep the classic feel.

Period Home Renovation Ideas

Classic Design, Modern Colours

If you love the classic look all throughout the house, play with colours to make your house pop. Adding bold or strong colours on small, strategic places can make a big difference to the aesthetics. 

Classic With Modern Touches

Don’t be afraid to mix modern and classic. Pick a single spot where you can add a modern twist. For example:

  • Use metal sheets or corrugated metal for one side of your outside wall. 
  • Use modern doors and windows. 
  • Inject life into your classic home by using a charcoal-stained larch facade.
  • Keep it exciting by using automated, remote-controlled windows and sliding doors.

Make It Functional

Make the space more functional by making your spaces usable. For example:

  • Add more bookshelves to your walls.
  • Put chairs and ottomans on corner nooks so they can be used as reading nooks.
  • Convert your attics into a children’s study or playroom. 
  • Put a study table in a spacious corner.

Use Sleek, Modern Glass Designs

Adding a sleek glass partition or adding an all-glass extension to a very classic home can look great when planned right. Adding a super modern addition can work well with your period home as long as you keep it simple and streamlined. The contrast can be breathtaking.

Period Home Renovation Ideas

Free Up Some Space

Most period homes have curves, birches, wood lining, and many finishes. Free up more space by taking them out and using a more streamlined design. Take out the bulky cabinets and put in more practical storage.

Black & White Bathroom

Keep a modern surprise up your sleeve for your house guests. Imagine your friends coming into your beautiful classic period home and being pleasantly surprised when going into your powder room or bathroom.

A black and white bathroom or a sunny, beach-themed one can be a wonderful contrast to your classic design.

Use Modern Storage to Your Classic Design

Use modern shelving and storage spaces. Add soft accessories that are practical and serve as design elements. For example, you can use rattan or colourful fabric storage accessories or automated drawers.

Use Modern Tiles

A small modern touch like tiles for your splashbacks can change the look and the vibe of the whole space. When dealing with a period home, it is important not to ruin the design integrity of the house. Choose subtle but classy modern additions.

Renovating your home is not an easy job on so many levels. Achieving that dream design is hard work. However, it can be achieved. It is crucial that you seek professional help when renovating your home.

A renovation project can be a money pit if you trust the wrong contractor. And doing it yourself can potentially do more damage than good.

Period Extensions & Designs is a trusted industry leader in period home renovations. You do not want to trust your home to anyone else. We deliver award-winning, premium home renovations across Melbourne.

When it comes to innovation and setting the standards, we are here to help! We are ready to support you from the design stage to completion. We are here for you!

Give us a call today on 03 9882 5255 or message us through our contact form.

Renovating Period Home Melbourne
CategoriesPeriod Home Renovation

Things To Keep In Mind While Renovating A Period Home

Renovating Period Home Melbourne

Are you planning a period home renovation in Melbourne? Is this your first time to do any sort of home renovation?

Period home renovations are not easy, especially for first-timers. If you are new to home renovations, we have come up with a list of things you should keep in mind while renovating your home.

The following list should get you well on your way to transforming your current home into your dream home.

1. Consult a Professional

People think that engaging the services of builders, architects, designers, and other professionals will make a renovation project even more expensive.

This is a common misconception and couldn’t be further from the truth.

Consulting a professional and utilising their expert services will give you a solid design and help avoid mistakes and delays along the way.

Most importantly, you will end up with a beautifully renovated home that is strong and sturdy and will last for many years to come.

2. Choose a Design and Stick to It

A common mistake that can decimate a renovation budget is constant changes being made to the design.

It can be very tempting to make changes along the way with new ideas springing to mind as the renovation starts to take shape.

Just one small peek on Pinterest can make you want to alter the design. Once you have chosen a design and layout it is so important to be disciplined and stick to it.

Avoid looking at other design concepts when you already have one.

3. Choose a Theme

Choose a theme that will be either complement the rest of the house or contrast it. Having a cohesive design all throughout the house is important.

Adding a contrast can be a creative way of updating a home. There is nothing wrong with adding a modern touch to a period home as long as it is done tastefully.

Things To Keep In Mind While Renovating Period Home

4. Choose a Color-Scheme

Paint colour and wallpaper are usually overlooked. Remember that your paint colours play a vital role in the overall look and feel of your home.

Choose neutral, light colours for a refreshing feel and to add a touch of class.

5. Salvage, Re-Use, Recycle

During demolition, try to salvage as many materials as you can. Pick out fittings, fixtures, decor and other various accessories.

Pick out those items that will go with your design concept, theme, and colour scheme.

6. Choose New Furniture, Fixtures, Accessories, and Decors

Choose new furnishings and fixtures according to your design, theme and colour scheme. Research the best prices so that you can set a reasonable budget.

When you have the preliminary budget sorted out, purchase furniture and fixtures in advance especially tiles, lighting fixtures and those items that break easily.

This is important as it can help to avoid delays in case there is a need for replacements or repairs.

7. Finalise The Budget

Set a budget according to your design and choose furniture and fixtures accordingly as mentioned above. Keep a realistic budget with a bit of wiggle room for additional expenses.

It is vitally important that you stick to the budget and avoid any changes to the design and furniture along the way.

Things To Keep In Mind While Renovating Period Home

8. Finishing

A good quality finish is just as important as the quality of materials and design. Cabinetry and carpentry, as well as paint and wallpaper installation, should be spot on.

Aesthetics play an important part in the overall feel of the place.

9. Decorating

Add some personal touches when decorating. Your new space should look and feel like you. Don’t be afraid to mix the old with the new.

You do not have to use all new furnishings to give your place an updated look. A mixture of the old furnishings and new ones can give your new home character.

OTHER IMPORTANT RENOVATION TIPS:

  • Keep a storage room – keep centralised storage for all salvaged materials, tools, and other items to keep the clutter out of the way.
  • Keep the kids away – if you and your family are living on-site, keep the renovation site closed off from your kids. This is an important safety precaution.
  • Keep up to date with building codes.
  • Change air filters when the renovation is done.

Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the whole process! Renovations are hard work so try to enjoy each part of the process and don’t stress too much.

Renovating your home is an exciting concept but the actual work involved is a completely different story. It can be stressful and requires a lot of patience. Stick to your design and budget.

Avoid changing designs so you can get the work done on time and make sure you choose the right professionals to help you with the project.

If you are looking for experienced and trustworthy professionals to help you out with each and every step of your period home renovation, look no further than Period Extensions & Designs.

Whether you need help with the design or the actual renovation itself, please call us today at Period Extensions & Designs on (03) 9882 5255 or contact us through our contact form.

 

Are Period Home Renovations expensive
CategoriesPeriod Home Renovation

Are Period Home Renovations Expensive?

Are Period Home Renovations expensive

From curved windows and pressed metal ceilings, the attention to detail and distinct features of an architectural era is what attracts people to period homes.

Who doesn’t want their very own little piece of history?

Potential Melbourne homeowners are always on the lookout for a beautiful period house to call home but it is not always that easy.

Acquiring period homes can be a costly exercise as there are usually a heap of hidden costs that can rack up over time, particularly if you try and go it alone.

Period houses usually require some type of renovation work to make sure that they are structurally sound and safe to live in.

This can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be if you plan and prepare. Before engaging a contractor for your period home renovation, here are a few pre-purchase considerations:

  • Pre-purchase consultation and inspection by a professional – If you are planning to buy a period home to renovate and sell, it is important to know what you are getting into. Aside from the potential selling price of the property, you need to know what improvements, repairs, replacements, and renovations need to be done to the property so you can determine the overall cost of acquiring the house.
  • Don’t rush into it – Take your time to think things through. A renovation is costly and can take up a lot of your time so you need to make sure you are ready not just financially, but also emotionally and mentally.
  • The extent of renovation – Will this renovation take many months to complete? As mentioned above, make sure you are ready to dive in financially, emotionally and mentally. A full renovation can be a daunting and prolonged task.
  • Check if the house is listed as a Heritage Property – If the house is listed as a Heritage Property, it will probably be protected by certain regulations. There may be certain changes you might want to make that might not be allowed.
  • Identify which parts of the renovation require permits – Before embarking on the renovation project or even buying the house, check what permits are needed for the changes you have in mind. This will save you time and money when you start.

Following are some other things to consider and why you should strongly consider engaging a professional builder to help with your renovation or extension.

Asbestos Removal

Asbestos use was banned in the ’90s when its dangers were discovered. Asbestos poses severe health risks and should only be handled by certified professionals.

Period homes were built well before the ban came into effect. Therefore, you must have the property checked for asbestos before buying it because asbestos removal is very expensive.

Asbestos in period houses is usually found in interior and exterior cladding, roofs, vinyl floor tiles, insulation, kitchen splashbacks, bathroom tiles, imitation brick cladding, roof gutters, capping, and eaves.

The cost for asbestos removal and disposal ranges from a few hundred up to thousands of dollars depending on the removal needs. It is best to proceed with caution when purchasing a property and have it checked for asbestos first.

Council Regulations

If the house is listed as a heritage property, this could mean the house is protected by law. This means that renovations and repairs need to follow strict council regulations.

For example, if the original roofing is made of terra cotta tiles or slate roofing, you may need to use the same materials. Frontage appearance, colour, and materials might be strictly regulated as well.

If you engage a professional builder to handle your extension or renovation, they will take care of this process for you as they will also know exactly what information is required by the local council.

This will save you time and give you peace of mind that things are being handled correctly.

Are Period Home Renovations Expensive

Foundation Repair Costs

Although most period homes are structurally sound, you will still need to have the foundation checked for safety purposes.

Some of these repairs may include rotten timber, cracks in the walls, roof replacement, repairs to load-bearing walls, door and window repairs or replacement among others.

These items all add up and can end up costing you thousands of dollars. That is why you need to utilise the services of a professional builder as they will know the best course of action to take depending on what repairs or replacements are required.

Termite and Pest Removal

Period homes if not maintained properly will usually have termite problems. If uninhabited, the could also end up wildlife and other pests infesting the property as well.

Some wildlife and other pests like bats, possums and rats are health hazards and can cause severe damage to property.

Termite treatment and pest removal is expensive and are an example of some of the hidden costs that you don’t expect but will most likely encounter.

A professional builder will be able to advise on the best way to tackle the issue based on their extensive experience.

Updates or Replacement of Plumbing, Electrical and Heating Systems

It is expected that almost all period homes will have outdated electrical and heating systems, and there may also be plumbing issues.

Replacing of switchboards, power points and lighting will most likely be needed. This type of work can be a major blow to your budget, especially if you attempt to do this on your own.

A professional will understand the entire plumbing and wiring layout of the property and will be much more equipped to handle any replacements or additions required.

This will not only save time but could also save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars and will also ensure the job is done correctly and safely.

Are Period Home Renovations Expensive

Flooring

Period homes generally have beautiful hardwood floors hidden underneath the tiling or carpets. All you need to do is remove the tiles or carpet and polish the natural wood to give an antique look to the floors.

However, this can still be a costly exercise if you don’t use a professional to get the best advice and to give you some options to choose from based on their experience.

Final Thoughts

Renovating a home, whether period home or not, will cost you. However, you can minimise the expenses if you engage a professional and trusted builder.

They will ensure that the project is planned carefully and that your budget is realistic and adhered to throughout the project. That is where Period Extensions and Designs is at your service.

Please call us today at Period Extensions and Designs on 03 9882 5255 or message us through our contact form for a pre-purchase consultation or for any of your period home renovation and extensions needs.

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