Renovating historic homes is a delicate task that requires careful consideration, attention to detail, respect for existing materials, and comprehensive design expertise.
If you are like many owners of historic homes, you likely want to preserve your home’s character while adapting it to suit your needs in the 21st century. These goals don’t need to be mutually exclusive; with the right interior designer and remodeling crew on your side, you can achieve both with confidence.
Before renovating your historic home, keep in mind the following special considerations for the remodeling process. For historic home remodeling you can trust, contact Euro Design Build today.
Understanding the Home’s History
You may have a basic understanding of the period your home is from or the architectural style it fits in. But taking time to truly understand its provenance can ensure you preserve as much of that charm and antiquity as possible.
Once you better understand the history, you can keep it in mind throughout the remodeling process. For example, you can incorporate bathroom or kitchen design ideas that fit within the home’s rich historical tapestry. If there are original elements you can’t preserve, you can honor them through your new kitchen designs and style choices.
Adhering to Local Regulations
Most cities have regulations pertaining to renovating historic properties. Violating these rules could land you with extensive fines and even legal trouble. As a result, it’s important to work with a renovation company that is attuned to your local regulations and will keep them top of mind from start to finish.
You’ll likely need to obtain permits and seek approval from local historic preservation bodies before performing significant work on your historic home. A skilled renovation company will handle this process, ensuring your compliance.
Working With Skilled Craftspeople
Not every home renovation company has the skills and experience necessary to preserve your home’s history and character during renovation. Take the time to look for master craftspeople, including artisans, carpenters, designers, welders, and architects, who have specialized experience renovating historic homes and can give your home the attention and expertise it deserves.
Respecting the Home’s Historical Elements
As much as you can, respect and maintain the home’s original elements that are still in usable condition. They may not be “in style” in this decade, but they give the home unique character and whimsy that you can’t replace with modern elements.
The right design and renovation team will respect the home’s history through every stage of the renovation process. They’ll focus on necessary updates and improvements while leaving behind as much of the home’s historic integrity as possible.
Replicating Antique Materials
All materials deteriorate over time, and there’s a good chance some of your home’s architectural elements or building materials will need to be completely replaced during the renovation process. However, the best way to preserve your home’s historic charm is by replacing damaged materials with new replicas of those same features.
A dedicated remodeling team will take the time necessary to find replicas of all the materials they’re replacing in your home. If they can’t find exact look-alikes, they will look for close matches that are cohesive with the rest of the design.
Repurposing Damaged Elements
Historic materials you cannot salvage on the home may still serve a purpose within your interior or exterior design. Your remodeling team can repurpose them into decor, furniture, or other elements, keeping them within the home in an alternative way.
For example, your contractors can take deteriorating brick from the home’s facade and use it to edge your landscaping or build an outdoor firepit. They can repurpose old cabinets from kitchen remodeling into shelving units, desks, or other furniture pieces.
Using these historic materials can help you maintain period-relevant interior design styles within your home, even if you can’t keep those materials in their existing roles.
Modernizing With Care
Preserving your home for centuries to come may involve making some updates, like replacing outdated windows with energy-efficient ones, redoing outdated wiring, installing a new roof, or adding central air conditioning. The right renovation company will take great care while completing these updates to preserve all surrounding materials and fixtures and match the original style of the home.
If you want to make any design changes, your remodeling team will come up with kitchen and bathroom design ideas to suit your needs and elevate the existing design while maintaining the charm and historic appeal of the original configuration.
Preserve Your Historic Home With Euro Design Build
At Euro Design Build, we’re passionate about preserving the charm and distinctiveness of historic homes while meeting clients’ wants and needs for their renovations. If you’re looking for an “interior designer near me” dedicated to renovating historic homes with the utmost care and attention to detail, call us today at 972-470-0303 and schedule your introductory consultation.
