The papers are signed and they’ve handed over the keys, you scored yourself a winner, finally! Congratulations! Now you can bring everything you envisioned for your new property to life. The beauty of purchasing an old home is that it is littered with remnants of another time, it has character (if you will) however this can also be to it’s detriment. Trying to achieve the untimely balance between charmingly antique and modern, now that’s a battle in itself!

You saw incredible potential in your purchase but now that it’s yours for the taking, you’re overwhelmed at where to start. This isn’t unusual, with budget woes hanging over your head it is incredibly important to identify what about your home feels dated and prioritise. You might have fallen in love with the vintage cornices but the tiny archways littered throughout the home are distracting and boxy. It may not be possible to start knocking out walls immediately (put it on your long term to-do list!) but this will give you clarity on how to move towards those goals.

In the mean time, there are some small changes you can make to your home to immediately modernise and lift the space.

Update Your Fixtures

Perhaps you don’t find every element in a room entirely offensive, in fact some, you may love, but on the other hand you may be crippled by your budget. You would love to redo the entire kitchen, but this takes time and money, it might be on your get-to-it-eventually list but there are small steps you can take to make it work for you now. An easy and fuss free way to update a space like a kitchen or bathroom is with your fixtures. This can cover anything from door handles, to light switches. Adding minimal door handles to your kitchen cupboards or new tap ware to your bathroom allows you to remove dated elements and add a refreshed composure to a space with little outlay (no demolition required!) and a small investment.

A Fresh Coat of Paint

This one seems like a no brainer, but removing that 70s eggshell from your rooms can do wonders. Even the most minor tonal changes completely freshen up a space, once combined with the right elements. Special mention to door frames, removing the mahogany tones of stained wood finishes with fresh, white paint will immediately lift a room, even if you don’t have the time or resources to give the entire house a fresh coat - just this step alone will transform the look and feel to one that feels more timeless.

Change Your Lighting

Start with removing the elements that scream of another era, and you will be left with a space that is less your grandparents home and more a blank canvas. Replacing art deco lighting with sleek down lights or industrial pendant lights allows you to start setting the scene of your space and ultimately, how you want it to look and feel.
 

Rosalie Molloy

Creative Director
www.notsavinglives.com

Posted: 11 April 2018