When you buy an old house there are bound to be countless classic details that are hidden or lost to modern renovation. If part of the appeal of the purchase was in the potential period features, then you may be searching for ways to revive them. Or you might have a newer build property that you want to decorate in an old-fashioned style. Whichever court you are in, this post looks at four ways you can highlight the classic details from either your home or past inspiration and bring olden-day classic designs into the modern era.
Research Your Home’s History
The place to start is in the history of it all. If you look into the archives of the house’s history you will find original plans, and maybe even old images of what the house looked like when it was first built. These are not always available, but with a bit of digging something should come up. These can help you see what was where and how it was first presented to spark some ideas as to how to return the property to what it once was.
Free the Fireplaces
The majority of (if not all) period properties of a certain age have a fireplace, or multiple. These soon became redundant and were covered up by plaster walls and similar. You have an option to knock back the wall and restore the fireplace as it should be. These are often striking and beautiful and provide a real centrepiece for any room in the house, but they can also be modernized and updated too.
Flooring
Flooring is hard to restore to its origins but easy to replicate in style. The original floorboards or tiles, for example, have a good chance of being unredeemable in quality, especially the older they become. However, there are options to imitate the style with current flooring options. Take a look at originalfeatures.co.uk for inspiration on Victorian-style floor tiling, which can be used in older and newer properties to give a period-style vibe.
Ceilings
Last but not least we come to ceilings. Original ceiling features include crown decoration, intricate detailing, and feature coves. These are often left as they were, sometimes painted over or toned down. But ceilings just like walls, can crack, break, and decay, and require upkeep or even modification. This could lead to all the intricacy being replaced by plain plaster or similar. However, if you have the inclination to revamp the traditional ceiling features, it will definitely breathe back the old life into your house.
There is a certain appeal to a yesteryear décor and it isn’t hard to incorporate traditionality into a modern home regardless of age or size. Certain things, such as replicating original flooring, can transform your design vision into reality and there are plenty of other options to explore as well. Sometimes there are original and classic elements that you can work with and sometimes you just have to get creative. Either way, the process can be a lot of fun with beautiful results.
