Most people today are all about living the modern life. Have we forgotten that old is gold?
Imagine living in a house that looks like those castles and forts of the nineteenth and eighteenth centuries. How cool is that?
Read on to find out.
Making a new house look old is ridiculously easy. Add character to your home. In this case, an old character.
By character, we mean adding things that affect the overall feeling the house gives you. Things that will physically, emotionally, and subconsciously affect you. This is especially important to consider when buying a home in a newer part of town, which can feel a bit sterile.
Speaking of newer parts of town, Vaughan, Ontario is among the best cities in GTA, Canada. Visit Paradise Developments and see for yourself. See some of the best neighborhoods in Vaughan today. Once you’ve got yourself a brand new home, add some charm with the following ideas!
How Can You Add Character to Your Home?
How can you make a new house look old?
When you think of renovating your home, the first thing that comes to mind is replacing all the old stuff with the new ones, right? But this time around, you want to make your house look old.
How do you do this? Allow us to explain.
The Lighting
Today’s lights are very modern. Especially the chandeliers, they come in different and unique designs. However, to make a new house look old you’ll have to implement the old DIY industrial style.
For instance, the lights on your dining table. Instead of using everyday lighting, get a chandelier with candles. This will make your house look more traditional. If we recall back in the eighteenth century, electricity wasn’t even a thing, most houses back then used candles and lamps.
When it comes to the main living room, use the flush-mount ceiling lights that are fixed to the ceiling. This type is most ideal for rooms with low ceilings.
You can alternatively use semi-flush mount ceiling lights. Contrary to the flush mount, this one isn’t fixed to the ceiling. It hangs some centimeters from the ceiling. High ceilings are best for these types of light.
Change the Switch Plates
Many people will ignore the switch plates since they’re small. They assume they won’t get noticed. However, our minds subconsciously take note of the finest of details. Just replacing the switch plates with more decorative ones will have a huge impact on the overall look of the house. This is because colorful and attractive plates communicate more style and character.
Do some Trimming
You can also consider doing some trim-work on different parts of the house to match the overall house layout. When it comes to old designs. Symmetry and patterns are key.
- Crown molding: This will help you with your interior walls at the points where the walls meet the ceiling. It’s mostly used as a decorative finishing element for capping cabinets and columns. Just as its name suggests (crown), crown molding is most ideal for the top side of the house. Although many people (the so-called new folks) consider it outdated, it will give your house that ancient look. The only difficult part of the installation process is cutting the corners.
- Wainscoting: When it comes to wall treatment, you require something unique like solid wood. You can choose between pine or even hardwood veneer that was prominent a long time ago (in the 1950s). It still can bifurcate a room in such a way that the color and the texture of the wall get a final feel of bead-board texture. Back in the fifties, it was occasionally painted white and used to line the lower part of the wall. The main aim was to protect the wall against minor flooding and also cover any scratches (It’ll give your home a more human feeling).
- Coffered ceiling: Ancient homes used this type of ceiling. It comes in various designs and shapes. You can choose to use the one where the ceiling is divided into smaller squares or rectangles, and the panel appears to have sunk upwards like a frame of raised beams. You can also go for a ceiling that has exposed beams. Make sure you uniformly paint it. Alternatively, you can use traditionally constructed drywall panels that have either been painted or covered with texture.
- Door casing: Another thing to put into consideration- These door casings were mostly used in colonial America, referred to as Clean Colonial. They will give your house that traditional look. It’s uniquely broad, has flat features, and is mitered at the corners. You can also choose a craftsman design that is of natural wood and has low embellishment.
Replace Your Ordinary Doors with Paneled Doors
Make your new house look old by using paneled doors, also known as Traditional Joinery. These types have been around for millennia. They’re mainly made from rails, stiles, and infill panels. You can also make good traditional doors with timber veneers.
Replace the Contemporary Hardware
When we say contemporary hardware, we mean all the furniture in the house be it in the kitchen, bathroom, etc.
If you want your house to look old, then consider using detailed hardware in the house because ancient (old) life was full of decorations.
Use a DIY Industrial Style
Imagine living in a house with coffee tables and sits made from pallets? This will give your house that old look.
You can do this by using reclaimed materials. There are a lot of “trash-worthy” things in your home. However, if we all think green, we make good use of them. A good example is using empty plastic bottles as pots for beautiful flowers in front of your house. Concentrate on the front because this is the entrance to your house.
You can also use make use of old drawers to make photo frames on your walls. This will make your new house look old.
Here are some cool ideas you borrow.
Conclusion
How to make a new house look old? Just add character. Old-style furniture is great. In addition to that, you can also sprinkle a little bit of your style, and your house will be perfect!
