Period properties…who’d want one, hey? Well, a huge amount of us, actually. A 2018 survey found that 82% of buyers would rather invest in a period property than a new build, with respondents citing original windows, real wooden floors, feature fireplaces and original tiles as reasons why a heritage house was still preferable to a modern property.
That’s not to say that period homes don’t have their downsides. Gardens tend to be shrouded in shade due to the relative height of period properties, and these homes do tend to be draughtier. Dry rot, damp and mould are more prevalent and harder to contain, and DIY is, without fail, more complex to carry out.
Why not, then, mix the best of both worlds, and make an effort to bring your heritage home up-to-date and into the 21st century. Here’s just a few ideas on how to do that; our 7 IDEAL ways to modernise your period property.
Embrace Being Exposed
We’re talking about the brickwork here, rather than embracing some kind of medieval naturism. We’re sure we don’t need to tell you that exposed brickwork carries a certain, trendy weight in the modern world of interior design. Heck, companies have even designed modern wallpaper to get that trendy industrial look. Why not channel this aesthetic for your home?
If your period property has proper, original brick walls, you’re halfway there. You can do this job yourself, should you possess enough bravery, using a bricklayer’s chisel and masonry hammer to chip away at the plaster. A wire brush or scourer dipped in hydrochloric acid will remove more stubborn areas of plaster.
Look Up…
Speaking of walls, you don’t need to stop at exposed brick if you’re hoping to give your home a modern rework. Think outside the period featured box here and cast your eyes upwards to the ceiling.
A defining characteristic of period properties up and down the country is most certainly their high ceilings, which are great but also a bit of pain to renovate and update. Consider rendering the usually white coloured ceiling in a modern geometric design or deep, dark colour which contrasts the wall’s shade.
We’re thinking forest green or Persian indigo looks sophisticated yet unassuming. Get creative with what hangs from your ceiling, too – what, you thought hanging was only for walls? – and install a funky revolving fan or statement modern chandelier. Alternatively installing ceiling spotlights can create a modern aesthetic. Let no glass ceiling contain you!
…& Down
Many Victorian ceilings have beautiful plaster cornices and mouldings, often featuring elaborate ceiling roses. This is one period feature that should be preserved, restored and celebrated. That said, with the wrong flooring, it can make a room look antiquated, and that’s not why you’re here, right? Juxtaposing the ceiling with modern, engineered floorboards can add that sleek contemporary aesthetic you’re after – think geometric parquet flooring in a light coloured wood.
Upgrade Your Windows & Doors
Most period properties are fitted with sash windows, which require consistent maintenance and upkeep to ensure they’re as energy efficient as possible and not susceptible to the rot they so often suffer from.
Because of this, some caution needs to be exercised when considering updates to these period features, and it’s wise to contact your Local Planning Authority. They can provide information about the restrictions that apply to your property and the process of obtaining Listed Building Consent (LBC).
If you’ve been given the all clear, then to bring some modernity to your period property, consider upgrading the windows. Installing double glazing will improve your bills and eliminate some of that inevitable draughtiness and bluster which older homes ensure. Should your property boast gorgeous bay windows, consider an upgrade to tilt’n’turn or casement windows, enabling you to keep the bay feature aesthetically, but enhancing its functionality.
Consider adding some slimline aluminium bifold or sliding doors which open up onto your garden or patio area. The contemporary design of sliding doors not only offers a modern juxtaposition, but they are also ideal for opening up your period property and letting lots of light in.
Read: How to improve the energy efficiency of your home
Extend It
Sometimes a period property has so much character that making drastic additions to its design and structure simply feels like sacrilege. Doing so is also likely to prove incredibly costly, as each heritage home is unique and difficult to edit with ease.
The solution? Adding a modern extension to your period home brings contrast, convenience and additional space, all without the hassle of expensive renovations to the main property itself. Do endeavour to strive for some continuity in appearance, so the effect of your extension isn’t too jarring, but don’t feel constrained by completely matching the visual appeal of your period property to the new addition.
Kitchen Upkeep
If there’s one place which can cope with a complete, contemporary reworking in a period property, it’s the kitchen. Indeed, pairing a contemporary, bespoke kitchen with an older property can really highlight the period charm of the rest of the house – and vastly improve the functionality of the home’s heart, too. Two birds, one stone…you get the picture. Now, to paint it…
You can revive your period kitchen in several ways. Firstly by investing in slick, ultramodern, commercial appliances – out with the aga, in the with induction – you’ll be renewing the room’s natural focal point, and making a statement of intent in the process. Next, focus on darker countertops, perhaps in dark grey marble, for a fashionable finish. So many period properties tend to rely on wood or light coloured surfaces; rebel with a darker shade and hide all those bolognese stains in the process! Minimalism rather than clutter is another key feature of the contemporary kitchen, so get smart with storage and hide the toaster, blender et al from view when you’re not using them.
For more inspiration on bringing your kitchen into the 21st century, check out our tips on 6 contemporary features to include in your kitchen installation. We hope our dinner invitation is in the post?
Fancy Facade
Consider giving your period property a facelift, in the form of covering up the exterior with a new facade, to give a modern first impression to guests on arrival whilst keeping the quirky, interesting older features inside. Often, older properties have a rather uninspiring facade, perhaps the perenially popular and even more reliably ugly pebbledash finish, mismatched bricks or a totally incongruous attempt at external feature walling gone wrong.
Cover this with a sleek, modern twist, such as vertical, blonde wood panelling, charcoal rendered larch or a glass fronted extension. Of course, when it’s visible to the public, you’ll need to seek planning permission, and you’d be well advised to seek the expertise of an architect should your building be listed.
