Renovating a historic house can be an exciting project. When it comes to charm and character, older homes are tough to beat as they often have unique finishes and details that you won’t find in newer properties. However, with age comes its own set of challenges.
Even if you’ve fallen in love with your historic home as it is, you would still probably like to integrate your personal style into the interior design. Plus, updating an older home to present-day standards while preserving and honouring the property’s legacy can definitely be a balancing act. However, working with an experienced professional can make the process a lot easier.
By the end of this article, you’ll understand the key factors to consider before starting a historic house renovation, gain tips for modernizing a historic home, and get a better idea of what you need to budget for. And if you’re looking for renovation ideas for historic houses, we’ve also included a before-and-after from a recent project.
Jump to..
- Historic House Renovation: What To Consider Before You Start
- How to Modernise a Historic House
- Budgeting for Your Historic House Renovation
- The Alhambra House
- Mixing Old and New: Historic House Renovation Doesn’t Have to Be Daunting
Historic House Renovation: What To Consider Before You Start
Due to their historic nature, renovating an older home in Toronto can be pretty complex.
Before making significant changes, you must do your homework (and work with an experienced interior design build firm) to know exactly what you’re getting into.
Here are the key factors you must consider when renovating your historic home.
Heritage Preservation
Historic homes have significant architectural and cultural value as they reflect the history and evolution of a particular region or neighbourhood. Preserving their heritage charm offers more than just aesthetic appeal. They’re a link to the past.
Heritage preservation is also important from a sustainability perspective. Instead of tearing down and rebuilding your home, you can reduce waste and minimize your environmental impact by using the existing structure and materials as much as possible.
To ensure your renovation preserves as much of your property’s unique character and history as possible and meets your functional and aesthetic needs, you should choose an interior design firm like Lauren Hesse Design, which specializes in historic house renovations.
Renovation Regulations and Guidelines
Historic properties in Toronto are often subject to strict regulations mandated by the municipal government and the Ontario Heritage Act, and failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines or legal action.
But don’t let all the red tape stop you from making your renovation dreams a reality. We at Lauren Hesse Design know all the ins and outs of Toronto and Ontario’s building and renovation guidelines to ensure your renovation project moves forward smoothly and complies with all applicable guidelines.
Outdated or Failing Infrastructure
Electrical, heating, and plumbing systems are the backbone of any home. However, as houses age, they can fall into disrepair, or their mechanical systems can become outdated, leading to potential safety hazards, inefficiencies, and costly repairs.
Before starting renovation work, hire a professional home inspector to assess these core systems and determine whether they’re up to code or need to be updated or replaced to meet current safety and efficiency standards. This critical step can help you avoid costly surprises.
How to Modernise a Historic House
Taking a historic house and updating it for contemporary living isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. It requires a thoughtful approach and a skilled hand, taking into account the home’s unique architectural elements and your own lifestyle needs.
We suggest a balanced approach that honours the house’s original character but is functional for your needs. You don’t have to keep all the old elements, but preserving a few key features can bring a unique charm to your home.
Align Your Renovation to Your Lifestyle
Each historic house has its idiosyncrasies and quirks. Before diving into any historic house renovation project, take stock of what you and your home need. For instance, do you want to improve the flow of your living space? Or update essential systems like plumbing and electrical?
Also, consider what you need from an aesthetic point of view. What kind of colour palette do you want? What do you want to see and touch every day? For example, do you want to incorporate a lot of soft textures for a cozy feel or prefer more natural colours and neutral materials for a more modern look? Renovating a home is very personal.
Update the Systems and Infrastructure
From sagging floors and crooked doors to aging plumbing and electrical systems, older homes often need many system and structural upgrades to meet today’s safety and energy efficiency standards. You might not spot these issues during a regular viewing, but a home inspection will help you identify potential structural or system problems or defects.
A renovation is also a good time to invest in smart home technology. You can swap out traditional light switches, locks, thermostats, and appliances for smart versions that you can control with your voice or smartphone. These relatively simple upgrades can update a historic home without sacrificing its character.
Choose Meaningful Finishes
Consider what changes will most impact your daily life. For instance, a successful kitchen renovation isn’t just about choosing the latest appliances. It’s about creating a functional space that caters to your cooking and dining habits.
Also, remember that certain decisions, like paint, can be changed fairly easily after a few years, but fixtures and tiles are more challenging and more costly to upgrade. For example, if you have (messy) kids running around who like to play with paints or dyes, installing easily stainable white marble countertops may not make the most sense.
Budgeting for Your Historic House Renovation
To understand the costs of renovating a historic house, you have to look at the project holistically. Materials and labour costs are just one part of it. You must also factor in permits and historical preservation requirements (if applicable). Also, no renovation project goes exactly as planned, especially when dealing with older homes, so you should have a contingency fund for unexpected expenses.
Lastly, with any historic house renovation, especially in Toronto, you need to consider the long-term value of your home. Will the upgrades you’re considering increase your home value, or are they more for personal enjoyment? Striking a balance between your budget and potential return on investment can help you make smart renovation choices.
Renovating a historic Toronto house is a multifaceted decision with emotional and financial considerations. By carefully considering your specific needs, historic preservation regulations, and long-term value, you can make an informed decision that best suits your lifestyle and goals.
The Alhambra House: How I Added Contemporary Interior Design to A Historic Home Remodel
The Alhambra House was a fun project for us to design. This 1910 home, with few previous renovations, required a complete overhaul and lots of space planning to bring the home up to today’s interior design build standards. As far as home remodelling before-and-afters go, this one was pretty extensive.
Here’s how we did it:
Added More Natural Light
On the main floor, we opened things up to help brighten up the space. Most homeowners in Toronto want natural light, but that can be harder to find in an older home with smaller windows.
Upgraded HVAC systems
The HVAC also needed to be entirely updated. We chose radiant heating because it provides an even, efficient, non-drying warmth that can help make a home feel more cozy, especially in colder spaces like a basement. We also updated all the building systems to today’s design and regulatory standards.
Preserved the Home’s Character
We chose to keep some of the plasterwork in the Alhambra House, such as the coved ceilings and medallion in the living room, as a nod to the heritage and history of the home. We also kept the house’s original doors and preserved the mantle. However, we swapped out the fireplace for a gas stove for a contemporary touch that’s also more efficient and easier to maintain.
Painted Railings
Before the renovation, the house had a lot of stained wood trim, which looked quite heavy. We painted the railings to give the home a lighter, airier look and refinished the staircase to match the flooring in the rest of the house.
Open Concept Floorplan:
We opened the dining room and kitchen area to help bring more natural light into the space. Open-concept floorplans are great if you like to entertain or have a young family as you can easily connect and chat with people in different areas of the home or keep an eye on young kids.
Improved Functionality and Flow
The previous dining room had a more traditional layout and was a pretty enclosed space. Moving the dining table to be more flush with the wall, adding a banquette, and extending the kitchen further into the dining room opened up the space by adding four feet of circulation. It also gave the family a comfortable place to start the day and share meals.
Mixing Old and New: Historic House Renovation Doesn’t Have to Be Daunting
From staying on top of building regulations to upgrading systems and infrastructure, there are a lot of factors to consider and a ton of work that goes into renovating a historic home in Toronto.
However, working with an experienced interior design build firm like Lauren Hesse Design can help you achieve your interior design goals without any regulatory headaches or surprise repairs. We’ll help you turn your historic house into a beautiful and functional home that meets your needs and preserves all of the charm and character you fell in love with.