Our home was built in the 1920s, and I find it a fun challenge to make every upgrade look as original as possible. One advantage to having an older home is that, while decorating fads may come and go, you can never really go wrong by using the home’s original design features as a template for upgrades and remodels.

So, here today, we have a guest writer with a few helpful hints for redecorating a heritage home.

The following is a contributed post.  For more information about my contributed posts, please see this page.

Redecorating Your Heritage Home The Right Way

If you are lucky enough to have a heritage home, then you probably have a property that is filled with beauty and character. People are attracted to heritage properties because they tell a story and they have so much personality. Because of this, it is imperative that you consider every redesign process carefully. The last thing you want is to end up ruining the overall look and feel of your heritage property because you have cut corners when it comes to any sort of design and/or repair services. With that being said, in this blog post, we are going to provide you with some helpful advice when it comes to redecorating your heritage property.

Replacing the Windows and Doors Of Your Heritage Property

There may come a time when you will need to replace the windows and doors in your heritage property. When you do this, it is imperative that the materials you choose are in keeping with your home’s character.

As companies like New Rochelle Window will tell you, windows have advanced dramatically over the years, and the models available today are incredibly energy-efficient. You will want to capitalize on this to boost the performance of your property, ensuring it stays nice and warm throughout the winter months. However, you need to do this without losing the overall appearance and character of your period home, and this is why it makes sense to work with an experienced and reputable company that has worked on heritage properties before.  

You also need to apply this concept when replacing the doors in your heritage home. Heritage properties tend to have very rustic, authentic, and traditional doors fitted in them. However, as time goes on, wear and tear take over, and they can become creaky, shabby, and simply ineffective.

While the old school vibe is in keeping with the heritage feel, you cannot keep your doors forever. No matter how much effort you go to in terms of maintaining your doors and looking after them, you may some day reach the point where a replacement is going to be needed. You can help to bring back that authentic and rustic feel to your home by choosing wooden doors with care.

It is vital to make sure you choose a contractor with care and that you carefully discuss your wants and needs with them. Again, it makes a lot of sense to work with a company that has provided replacement doors for period properties before, as they will have an understanding of what is required.

You also need to make sure the company you choose has expertise in the sort of repair that you require. For instance, should you have period wallpaper that is currently in place around your door frames, you will want to make sure that the company you choose will be extremely careful when maneuvering around this part of your home. After all, the last thing you want is for the wallpaper to be ruined because of carelessness and lack of experience. 

In addition to this, it makes sense to use the original fittings whenever you can, or to at least look for something that is incredibly similar. From brass knobs to period door handles, it is finishing touches like this that really make all of the difference. 

Replacing Countertops In Your Heritage Property

Aside from getting new windows and doors for your period home, there are other ways that you may wish to redecorate your property. For example, you may wish to replace the countertop that you currently have in your kitchen. 

The kitchen tends to be one of the key rooms and features when it comes to any sort of period home. A lot of the kitchens in heritage properties tend to have traditional pine and oak elements. Others have stone countertops.

However, the trouble is that these worktops would become damaged over time. They would get scratched and, naturally, wear and tear would take place. Plus, the countertop materials were not treated with the same sort of products that we use today for protection.

If you are going to replace the countertops that you currently have in your kitchen, it is imperative to look for something that is as close to a match as possible. Luckily, wooden and stone worktops are still very popular today, so it should be relatively easy to find a material that is suitable to the period of your home.  

Plus, there is always the option of having the kitchen countertops custom-made so that they fit in with the style of your kitchen.

Always Make Sure to Choose Similar Materials To Ensure Consistent Design

In fact, this piece of advice is something you can use irrespective of what part of your period property you are decorating: Always look for the closest possible match in terms of material.

Materials have a massive impact on interior design. Their color and texture play a huge role when it comes to developing a room’s personality. Some materials look incredibly modern whereas others have that rustic and old-school vibe. With that in mind, it makes a lot of sense to look for materials that match the original features in your home so that you can be sure you do not lose the authentic feel and vibe of your property.

So there you have it: Some important tips and pieces of advice when it comes to redecorating your heritage property. If you are lucky enough to own a heritage property, it was probably the unique character of the building that attracted you to it to begin with. Considering that, it is imperative to do everything in your power to make sure that the beauty and authenticity of the building are not lost whenever you embark on a redecoration process. By following the tips and advice that have been provided above, you can help to make certain that this is the case.

 

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