An Old House is an Antique Too, Go Ahead and Rejuvenate it!
Old house doors,old house fireplace,the old house antiques
Everything related to the past has a story to relate, and this includes
old houses too! Yes, these brick and mortar constructions are antiques
too. Consider how much you benefit from them—you get to study the architecture
prevalent in specific time periods, the technology utilized in construction,
exteriors and interiors, the varied social customs in practice, etc. It
is as if you have gone back in time, despite the structures no longer
presenting the pristine appearance of the time when they were first built.
Now, with a little care and thought, most “antique” houses can be restored
to their original condition. Not only will you have the satisfaction of
getting back something from yesteryears, but in the case that you decide
to sell your residence, you are bound to make a lot of money. Genuine
buyers do not mind how much they pay for solidly-built architecture. And
before you jump to the conclusion that only grand mansions and villas
or museums need rejuvenating, so do cottages. As a matter of fact, they
cost lesser to restore than larger buildings.
Restoration of prominent structures can become an expensive process if
you get hold of an architect or a builder to take care of the entire thing.
Instead, you could list out all the things that require refurbishing or
repairing and get appropriate tradespeople to take care of the jobs. You
would only need to supervise. This ensures some savings too. Also, you
are fixing up an old house; so it would be more advisable to go in for
low-cost second-hand replacements. You do get durable and suitable doors,
windows and bathroom fittings at cheaper prices. Brand new ones will spoil
the décor and the feel of the past! So if the right materials are utilized
in the way they should be, there should be no hassles at all!
Do not introduce drastic changes into an antique structure! Yes, your
neighbor’s house may present a very attractive appearance, but being a
copy cat will ruin the façade of your residence; do not do it! If possible,
get hold of some old family photographs (if not from your own, at least
from those who dwelt there before). And do not be too taken aback to discover
that certain changes have already been introduced earlier!
When you are doing the restoring, you might have to make some minor changes.
If the appropriate materials are used in an appropriate manner in alignment
to the streetscape, these can be allowed. Your antique residence is something
of a “house museum” that provides you with shelter, as well as lets the
general public go back in history. This mode of learning is so much more
interesting than mere reading from books!
If you take a look around, there are certain antique houses that have
been subjected to very minor alterations; this is referred to as "enlightened
maintenance". Rarely will you find structures that seem to have been
untouched by time—so well have they been restored to their original appearance,
right down to the fabrics, furniture and interior decoration! Sadly, the
character of most old houses has been destroyed simply because people
have remained ignorant about the value of the past. Do not follow this
crowd, be different! If you live in a relic of your ancestors, do not
destroy its original fiber!
