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New Orleans is a historic city with unique cultural roots. Due to its uniqueness, you will likely be very excited to find one of the historic New Orleans houses for sale. Historic New Orleans homes have a unique blend of French architecture that harkens back to the city’s original settlers. With such a unique history and design, you might be timid when it comes to updating a historic New Orleans home. So how can you update a historic New Orleans home so that it maintains its original charm but still functions as a modern home? Let’s take a look.
Repaint
One of the first things you should do when updating a historic home is to update the current paint job. Over time paint deteriorates and chips, creating a very messy and dated look. You would be amazed at how big of a difference just simply repainting an old home can make. When repainting, you can completely switch up the colors, allowing you to mold the home to your personal tastes. Even if you don’t want to change the home too much, just simply repainting the home the same color can vastly improve its look. To top it all off, paint is relatively cheap when it comes to renovation projects, and it requires almost no skill at all. If you want to update any historic home, then repainting should be one of the first options you consider.
Repurpose Old Furniture
When you purchase a historic home, you’ll likely want to keep portions of the home the way they are to preserve that sense of history. Balancing the want of maintaining historical importance and making a home feel modern can be very tricky. Thankfully, repurposing old furniture can be the perfect solution. Finding new and clever ways to use the original furniture can keep some of the home’s historic charm while also giving you more modern comfort. In fact, simply refinishing and repairing old furniture can have a very similar effect. If you want your home to feel a little modern, don’t just simply throw away the dated furniture, but instead find creative ways to incorporate the pieces in your new design plans.
Upgrade Appliances
A great way to make a historical home feel much more modern is by upgrading the appliances. Although the furniture and other designs may make a home feel historical, antique appliances don’t have the same effect. You don’t want to be using ancient appliances for cooking and cleaning, as it will only make your life miserable. Upgrading the appliances in the home will not only make you more productive when doing everyday tasks, but they’ll also help give your home a sleek and modern feel. This will be juxtaposed against the more historical aspects of your home, creating a unique dynamic. In addition, modern appliances will be much more energy-efficient, reducing your carbon footprint and saving you lots of money on your energy bill. When you look at all of the benefits, upgrading your appliances seems to be a no-brainer.
Ensure Safety and Stability
One of the biggest concerns with owning a historical home is ensuring that the home is safe and secure. It’s no secret that homes deteriorate over time, which can often lead to some historic homes becoming structurally unsound. As a result, it is extremely important to ensure that the historic home that you purchased is safe to live in. Yes, making design upgrades and renovations is great, but the real upgrades should go into improving your home’s structure. Bringing your home up to code should be your first priority when it comes to upgrades. Additionally, you might want to look into your home’s security. Historic homes don’t have many of the same modern measures that modern homes have, meaning they’re much more susceptible to break-ins. As a result, you may want to consider upgrading the locks of your home’s entrances or installing a security system.
All the best,
