Ideas for Renovating Old Homes

Thinking about renovating an old house? We have already mentioned that any renovation requires a great effort, whether it is patience to wait for the work to finish and also in relation to the financial one, since it usually compromises a good portion of the budget. Therefore, it is important to have a well-developed plan and gather as many ideas for remodeling old houses as possible.

When deciding to renovate an old house , extra care must be taken so that everything goes as planned and that the dream of having the dream house does not turn into a big headache. But, in a property like this, there are countless possibilities for transformation so that the result is as desired. Check out ideas for renovating old homes.

Cost benefit

When buying a property , it is not always possible to acquire a new one in perfect condition due to the higher cost. Often an older home improvement becomes a more financially viable option. In addition, another advantage is that old buildings tend to be more spacious. However, it is often necessary to reform due to the poor state of conservation, but changes can leave the property the way the owner wants and still gain in comfort with a larger area.

In addition to space, an old house can escape any pattern. “ Buying an older property is always a more aggregating challenge, after all, it tends to be full of personality to match the owner’s preferences,” says architect Gabriela Nogueira , from the GN Arquitetura office.

Utilization

As an old property usually has more space than a new one, the house can be completely transformed to be used in the best way by the owner, according to their real needs. And the possibilities are endless. It is possible to enlarge or reduce a space , divide an area to make better use of it. And even create environments that would not be possible to have in a house with a smaller area. “The first step is to understand the owner’s demand to reframe each environment in the best way. What were once large rooms can be transformed into offices or even a new games room, for example”.

Planning

However, every reform requires extra attention to generate as little inconvenience as possible and also to make sure everything works out in the end in relation to what was planned. In fact, having a plan is essential to ensure a good result, in addition to not exceeding the amount established for the renovation budget. This is also fundamental so that the person does not come up with ideas during the renovation and add changes because this will end up increasing the cost and time to finish for completion, causing inconvenience”, points out architect Felipe Silveira , from the Mucam office Architecture. Also because it is likely that the mishaps already appear naturally because it is an old property, since the structure may be more compromised. 

Care

When it comes to an old house, the care must be doubled because it is an older structure and, therefore, less conserved. Therefore, it is essential to monitor professionals when carrying out the renovation, especially if the idea is to change the property’s structure a lot. And pay attention to the hydraulic and electrical parts so as not to have a greater problem in the future, as an intervention could compromise the entire structure of the property.

Often changing the wiring and pipes becomes a solution to avoid leaks later on. “It is essential to be aware of the main elements of the structure so as not to compromise the property, so it is important to hire a specialist in works. In addition, it is also good to hire a professional who can put the owner’s idea out of his mind and put it on paper and the architect will be the best professional to help in this mission.

Style

Despite the desires for change, a lot will be defined according to the budget available for the reform. But, even so, you can choose which line you want to follow in terms of the style of the old house, taking into account the owner’s taste as well.

“When the budget is tight, taking advantage of existing style is a good solution. Painting windows and doors a new color already adds value to that environment, for example. Now, for a more robust budget, it is more feasible to carry out a good renovation to meet all the items that the owner wants”, suggests architect Gabriela Nogueira. Still, it is possible to transition between the classic and the modern.

“One trend is to mix all the elements in a way that always balances them out. You can take advantage of cleaner joinery, without handles, with sober colors, such as white and gray, and in this same composition have a frame with a well-crafted frame on the curves, adding value to the composition”, he adds. 

It is even possible to use elements that are already in the old house in favor of the new decoration. “In an environment, you can create a little bit of everything. “If the main idea is to create, giving new functions to old elements can be the key to connecting the new and the existing. Transforming a door entirely crafted in rococo and reusing it as a table top is a good example of re-signification”, he exemplifies.

Facade

The facade should also be part of your plan of ideas for renovating old houses and deserves special attention, as it is the one who welcomes those who arrive at the property. “I am in favor of the democracy of styles, as using more than one in the same environment makes the property unique. So a façade that is more basic can have more classic elements to guarantee the difference. A facade of a more classic property can remove all of its most worked elements to have something more clean”, explains Gabriela Nogueira. 

Fallen

Many old properties are listed and these require special attention when renovating because they have restrictions as they are historical or artistic heritage. So, the listed property can only undergo any change if it is approved by the body that listed the house. So it’s important to know what the restrictions are. “The resident must seek the law to learn about the restrictions imposed on the listed property.