Feature: Stay true to your home’s style
Whether your home was built in Victorian times or in the middle to latter half of the 20th century, it was born with certain architectural details specific to the times. Over the years or even centuries, homeowners like to leave their mark by adding new features, but too many take away the old to make room for the new.
People don’t think of 50s, 60s or 70s houses as period properties, but one day they will be. For this reason, property experts recommend that any architectural or interior fixtures you add stay true to the original design of your home, even if it was built in the 70s. Anything less is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
It might be tempting to knock all the walls through on a Victorian property to get rid of the pokey rooms, but you will be completely changing your home’s character and historical significance. It might be even more tempting to get rid of any architectural features from the 60s or 70s.
Staying true to a home’s original architecture isn’t about waiting for features to come back in fashion, but rather to give some continuity and gravity to your home. Experts firmly believe that doing so can positively affect your resale value. Likewise, they believe that installing a contemporary kitchen in a period home or a Victorian-style bathroom in a 70s home will negatively affects its resale value.
Already, homes from the 50s and even 60s are appreciated for their architectural detail, seen in both demand and value. What was once ripped out for scrap is now valued: that ought to be a lesson for any new occupants of a 60s or 70s house in need of total renovation.
If you are embarking on an interior or exterior renovation project in your home, architects would urge you to view your home as a product of its time. You should sensitively treat any distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftwork, even if they aren’t your particular cup of tea.
When it comes to renovating any property, repair is always better than replacement of architectural features such as original plaster coving or original interior doors. When replacement is necessary, try to match features with reclaimed alternatives or at very least match the design and period with any new fixtures.
If a previous homeowner has already done the damage, you can try to introduce elements of the original design by doing some research on how your home might have looked when it was built. This proves vital in situations where your need to buy new, such as kitchens and bathroom. Understanding your home’s original design will help you add to its aesthetic appeal without removing its original personality.
