handsome bones, charming quirks, an intriguing backstory — there are lots of reasons to like an older house. however whether you’ve got a wonderful ’50s bungalow or grand century home, your location still has to work for contemporary living. tired completes won’t make the grade, and dark, closed-in spaces don’t precisely set the stage for entertaining. Thankfully, there are great deals of methods to bring an aging home into the contemporary age without stripping its character. right here are 10 sure-fire style tweaks from a few of our preferred H&H areas to update an older home.
Create a blank slate. elaborate wood trim, panelling as well as mantels are typical in older houses — but they can feel stuffy. The solution? Not eliminating all that gorgeous detail, however toning things down with palate-cleansing white. situation in point: decorator Elizabeth Margles’ handsome 100-year-old home in Toronto, with its bright as well as clean envelope — the perfect backdrop for contemporary furnishings.
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: home & house April 2016
Designer: Elizabeth Margles as well as Joel Bray
Frame the view with black. one more wise concept from Elizabeth’s home: harness the power of graphic black. The inky mullions as well as frames of her kitchen’s french doors have a hip, almost industrial look, calling to mind the steel casement windows discovered in factories as well as lofts. as well as while a color option such as this is a bit higher on the commitment scale, the contrast truly highlights the traditional beauty of her millwork.
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: home & house April 2016
Designer: Elizabeth Margles as well as Joel Bray
Add sculptural lighting. prominent Toronto dermatologist Sandy Skotnicki’s neo-Georgian house has all the charm of a new-build, thanks to contemporary artwork, furnishings as well as lighting. The fun, sculpture-like chandeliers are especially important, ensuring the home’s grand hallways don’t skew as well formal or imposing.
Photographer: Stacey Brandford
Source: home & house March 2014
Designer: Christine Ralphs as well as Michelle Lloyd-Bermann
Have fun with faucets as well as hardware. designer Sarah Hartill’s wonderful household kitchen area fits the charming vibe of her 1950s-era house — however a couple mod flourishes keep it firmly rooted in the present. A clean-lined black faucet as well as warm brass door hardware make impactful, on-trend additions to the space (and will be relatively simple to switch out if the mood strikes).
Photographer: Michael Graydon
Source: home & house February 2014
Designer: Sarah Hartill
Embrace “imperfections.” There’s something decidedly contemporary about the method designer Danielle Nicholas Bryk opened up the walls of her circa-1912 kitchen, subjecting its original bricks as well as beams. An unquestionably edgy move, it lends her Edwardian home metropolitan cachet. (Just be sure to consult with an engineer before doing any type of digging in your own home.)
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: home & house October 2014
Designer: Danielle Nicholas Bryk
Make a fresher very first impression. “When my other half as well as I bought our midtown Toronto home, we weren’t believing ‘gut job,’” admits H&H senior editor Sally Armstrong. Still, their house’s staid entryway needed an updated, more inviting feel. patterned tile offers a hit of contemporary style underfoot, while a sunny-yellow wallpaper instantaneously uplifts the space. “Now guests are greeted by a happy color at the front door,” states Sally.Photographer: Virginia Macdonald
Source: home & house February 2013
Designer: Sally Armstrong
Revamp a dated staircase. one more transitional area that’s simple to revive is a stairway. In this formerly tired ’70s cottage, designers Michelle Lloyd-Bermann as well as Christine Ralphs embraced a clean as well as streamlined look. painting out the primary staircase white, then adding a “runner” in a stormy grey, is a clever method to bring used treads as much as par.
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: home & house may 2013
Designer: Christine Ralphs as well as Michelle Lloyd-Bermann
Illuminate the heart of the home. Homeowners Colin Faulkner as well as Jane Francisco wished to bring their circa-1911 kitchen area as much as date, so brightening up the compact area was top priority. Post-reno, their island is the suitable area for laid-back dining, with a trio of glossy pendants suspended overhead. custom cove illumination adds one more layer of warmth, making the kitchen area feel both cozy as well as luxe.
Photographer: Colin Faulkner
Source: home & house March 2015
Designer: Jane Francisco as well as Colin Faulkner
Let the sun radiate in. one more sure-fire method to reinvigorate the dark, postage-stamp kitchens so commonly discovered in older houses is to invest in large doors as well as windows. In this 100-year-old row house, designer Trish Johnston installed large, metal-framed patio doors, which let light flood into the 8-foot-wide kitchen. “The back doors were a splurge, however they truly set tone,” states homeowner Rick Matthews. “In the summer, we’ll open them, as well as it’s like one more space — the flow is seamless.”
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: home & house February 2014
Designer: Trish Johnston
Finally, provide your façade a facelift. Don’t underestimate the power of curb appeal. designer Sarah Hartill proved that a couple of subtle modifications to paint, siding as well as landscaping can truly modification the look of a home — without throwing off the neighbourhood vernacular (slide the arrows above to see the transformation). things to consider? Ditch crumbling stone cladding in favor of clean-lined paneling, switch out an old screen door for a more contemporary design, as well as opt for neat, squared-off planters as well as flowerbeds.
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: home & house may 2014
Designer: Design, Sarah Hartill; contracting, Mason siblings Construction