It’s very common for the owner of an older, more historic home to want to modernise. And while some modernisation efforts result in whitewashed walls and absolutely no character at all, the fact remains that older homes are sometimes not as functional as we need them to be.
So when the time comes for you to upgrade and bring your home into the 21st century, there’s quite a few projects you’re going to want to get out of the way. Make sure you come up with a priority order for them, as some will be more important than others!
And when you’re making your home update list, make sure you include the ideas we’ve listed below. They’ll help to make your home more convenient for you, just without sacrificing any of the charm you originally fell in love with.
Rethink the Layout
Older homes tend to have quite a mix and match scale to them, with the house often separated into large communal rooms and tiny individual rooms, with no in between!
The living room, for example, is likely to span at least half of the entire downstairs area. In comparison, the bathroom (if it’s upstairs) is likely to be a very small and cute 2×4 box room.
If you have a downstairs WC, it’s probably shoved in that tiny nook underneath the rather large staircase.
As such, there’s a good bit of layout reworking to be done.
The living room, for example, could be easily split into a separate living room and dining room, and the bathroom could be extended out by a few more square feet into the hallway.
You’re not removing any features here (or you’re removing only a few of them). You’re simply rethinking the layout to get more use out of the space on offer.
Install an Electric Fireplace
It’s an easy way to both secure the feeling of warmth and cosiness that comes with plenty of older homes.
But it’s also a way to make sure you’re not letting smoke and carbon monoxide plume into your home, as there’s a good chance the chimney breast isn’t as structurally sound as it used to be.
Plus, where’s the fun in always having to build a fire when you want to heat a room? The novelty wears off after a while!
And if an electric fireplace would solve all these problems in one, be sure to check out the range at Barton Fireplaces, where you can find both in-wall and on-wall fireplace units.
Go for Lighter Shades That Aren’t White
And finally, white is the killer of character in an older home. Avoid it wherever possible.
But if you want to lighten up a room and make it less dim throughout the day, what other colour are you actually supposed to use? A lighter shade of the colour that’s already there!
Updating an older home is a risky project, but you can do it without sacrificing the history you bought it for.