We don’t need to tell you that there are plenty of people who dream of having an older, rustic home all to themselves. But we probably also don’t need to tell you that these older homes can come with a whole series of problems that ruins the dream just a little bit. But it doesn’t have to. You can use the best of the old and the new in making your old-fashioned home suitable for your more modern standards.
The horror that is the energy bill
This is a problem in a lot of older homes. Whether due to design defect or wear-and-tear, there are some serious problems with insulation. Meaning it’s colder in the winter, warmer in the summer and more expensive all year round. If you want to keep the rustic feel while getting a bit more energy efficient, you can that. For instance, spend time on the exterior, caulking where it’s necessary and checking the roof for any cracked or missing tiles. You might love your old wooden style windows, but they’re not doing a lot of good. Instead, consider options like black UPVC windows. These kinds are not only a lot more effective at insulating, but they can be used to look almost exactly like black wooden windows.
Bringing the garden up to snuff
An old garden is a serious hassle to tackle. You’re likely going to need to put some effort into tidying it up. However, this doesn’t just mean giving the grass a cut and the bushes a trim. You should consider adding wooden decking or a stone patio. Not only will it give you less of an area you have to maintain. But you can easily get woods and stones that fit the older aesthetic of the home overall. If you want to keep the grass but want a garden that’s less effort, consider moving all your plants to raised beds. That way, you keep all the greenery but it’s at least more orderly and less likely to grow all over the place.
Deal with the imperfections
The lovely rustic style of an older home might come with a lot of imperfections on the inside, too. For example, if your walls or trims have any little bits of damage, then painting them all in one complimentary shade can do a good job of helping you hide them. If you’re dealing with an unusual room layout that doesn’t fit conventional taste, then split it. You don’t have to build a wall to create a divide between two rooms of a different style and purpose. All you have to do is organize them into different zones. It’s easiest to see this done in oddly shaped kitchens. You can designate one kitchen for cooking and turn the other zone into a dining room.
No-one wants to take away the charm that comes with owning an older fashioned home. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to treat it like an antique. For the sake of yourself and your energy bills, take some steps in modernizing your lovely old home.
XOXO
Debbie
