How to Modernize Your Outdated Home
How to Modernize Your Outdated Home
Contributed by Douglas Briggs
Granite Foundation Repair, Dallas TX
Are you looking for ways to pull your home out of the last half-century into the modern era? Do you want to do it in a fun way that will cost you next to nothing?
There are several good qualities that are often associated with old homes. They exude charm and convey a sense of peace in an ever-changing world. But if the home is worn out, its old home allure is replaced by an appearance of being stale and out of use.
However, it is possible to retain the stateliness of your old home without giving up those things that make it stand out. Small changes to its style and design can impart a feeling of freshness without altering any of those aspects, which create its old home character. Most of these updates are easily done with very little money.
This article will guide you on how to make small changes to your old home that will modernize
it without impairing its atmosphere.
Before you begin
To get the most out of your interior redesigning effort, you must take a wholesale approach to the problem. Carrying out piecemeal changes that single out aspects of the home that catch your attention will result in a disjointed look, warns www.granitefoundationrepair.com . If one part of the home looks up-to-date, while others remain obsolete, it will deduct from the overall appeal. To get the best result, you should look at the house as a cohesive unit.
Do a deep clean
This should be the natural first step. Your best redesigning efforts will be ineffective if the home is not as clean as it could be. Moreover, it is only after you have cleaned and tidied the space that you can get a clear view of what needs to be replaced, refurbished, or retained. When cleaning, pay particular attention to carpets, rugs, and wood floors.
Ditch the outdated wallpaper
It is hard to hide the age of the old wallpaper. The design is a dead giveaway; it will tell every visitor what century it was designed in. Besides, years of use and natural wear and tear would have taken their toll on the wallpaper and it will probably look worn and dirty. Walls are the backdrop to other design elements, so this step is important.
Refinish hardwood floors and repair walls
Next stop: take a look at your floors. Many old homes have hardwood floors, which are by far the most attractive type of flooring. But hardwood floors tend to lose their sheen with time. Refinishing the floor will restore its original look. While doing this, you should also fix your walls and look at the imperfections, like nail holes, dents, and scratches should be filled.
Paint and highlight
A new coat of paint will breathe new life into the home and make newly-finished floors pop-out. But do not repaint the home in colors associated with older homes; choose something modern. It's best to consult your interior design experts when selecting the final colors. Also, highlight parts of the home - like the front door - by painting them in bold colors.
Draw attention to inside features by using accent colors. Do not forget to repaint your cabinets to make them match the new color theme of the home.
Replace old hardware, outlets, and light switches
Replacing old faucets, cabinet pulls, and door handles will have an immediate impact. These are features of the home that catch people's attention especially the front door hardware. In addition to changing the hardware, you should replace power outlets and light switches. Ditch old, discolored, and mono-functional ones for new designs.
*This recommendation hits home for the owners of Etch Design Group, Stephanie Lindsey and Jessica Nelson. They are on a mission to rid the world of outdated outlet and switch covers!
Add efficient and beautiful lighting
Good lighting will highlight the home's features and create an illusion of space. Lighting should be implemented across three levels; ambient, lighting, and task lighting. Lighting fixtures should be modern, strategically-placed, and eye-catching. And in areas like bedrooms or bathrooms, adding mood lighting will create an even more powerful effect. Using energy-saving lights will create better illumination at lower costs.
Treat windows and replace old furniture
Curtains have a character of their own and if they are old, they will keep pulling everything in the home backward. Old curtains should be replaced with newer options, like, attractive energy-saving curtains, metal blinds that mimic wood, or fabric blinds. Along with curtains, old furniture should be swapped out. Old furniture may simply be updated by refinishing the wood and changing the fabric. And if you're having trouble making decisions or finding the right pieces, hire an interior design professional.
Replace backsplash and tile countertops
A tile countertop retains that 80's or 90's look in your kitchen. Replacing it with more trendy material is highly recommended. This can be an expensive update, so it is best to choose a replacement that is not quickly dated, even though it might be costlier. The backsplash is another feature that should be replaced. A dated backsplash is an eyesore, particularly, if it is chipped
and faded.
Finally, create space
Modern homes have a free-flowing design that is easy to navigate. To replicate this effect, you don’t need to break walls and create an open floor plan. You just need to remove clutter and rearrange your spaces.
Follow these above steps and you will be shocked how much your home will be transformed.