So, you think you are up to the challenge of renovating an old home in your Los Angeles neighborhood. Buying and renovating Mid Century Modern homes is a popular trend for the Los Angeles DIY crowd. Millennials seem to love the style and the freedom of design inspired by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
What distinguishes a Mid Century Modern home is the rooms, often divined into many levels separated by a step or two. Large, flat paned geometric windows throughout, and unique way nature becomes part of the interior design. The vintage style of these homes, including small nooks and spaces, freedom to decorate authentically, or combine eras, appeal to this homebuyer generation.
You found your dream home and are now researching renovation ideas for old homes in Los Angeles. Before we get to all the incredible design options for renovating your old home, we must talk about the unsexy but critical behind-the-scenes stuff- renovating your home’s infrastructure. Your old home’s electrical, plumbing, HVAC are at least sixty years old. Then there are the roof, water, and sewer lines to think about.
When it comes to renovation ideas for old homes, a new homebuyer can be shocked by the price tag for getting your home up to code and tech-friendly for this new modern world. Hopefully, you did your research beforehand, and your realtor alerted you to the potential costs ahead. It is best to take on these upgrades before you begin any cosmetic restorations or new design projects. It will be less costly in the long run.
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE INTERNET, IT IS MUCH EASIER TO RESEARCH YOUR HOME. IF YOU WANT TO RESTORE IT TO ITS ORIGINAL GLORY, START BY RESEARCHING RENOVATION IDEAS FOR OLD HOMES IN LOS ANGELES.
- Get inspired by browsing newspaper and magazine advertisements from the 1950’s and 1960” s.
- Review the materials and colors for the kitchen. Notice how everything is matte countertops and matte fixtures.
- Research bathroom designs of the 1950s. Notice how popular repeating geometric tiles for the bathroom were and the classic pastel colors of pink, teal, or yellow tiles.
- Speak to local contractors and artisans who specialize in the renovation of period homes.
- Research the types of wood paneling and flooring most popular back in the 1950s.
- Tour some of the old renovated homes in your area.
If your home hasn’t been through any previous renovations, then you are blessed with all the original materials to create your dream home. Let your old home contractor know you want to preserve as much of the original materials as possible. In your design meeting, bring your collection of photos, design ideas, and even custom requests for showcasing unique iconic furnishings you might have collected in your travels. Make sure you are on the same page with your design aesthetic. Are you looking for total authenticity or a more modern interpretation of the style? Once you are on the same page, you can begin locking in the design plan.
FOUR TOP RENOVATION IDEAS FOR OLD HOMES IN LOS ANGELES
- Wood Panel Walls- is your home blessed with room after room of wood panel walls?
If the wood is a bit too much of a good thing, refresh your rooms by adding extra lighting or additional windows. Add bold artwork with pops of brightly colored accessories to the rooms, and you will find your balance of wood, color, and light. - Become your own interior designer- Hunt for furnishings and treasures from the 50’s and 60”s at a garage or estate sales. Become obsessed with Etsy, eBay, and Craigslist. Talk to local artisans, and you may find the perfect person to reproduce a hard-to-find piece that can become the centerpiece of your room design.
- Upgrade the Windows- An expensive, but necessary house renovation project for your old home is to upgrade the windows from single-pane to double-pane glass. New windows will save you a bundle on your air conditioning and heating bills. IF you are on a tight budget, you might have to skip the unique custom-shaped windows and add a double-pane to the windows around them. Either way, you will be happy you made this investment as you snuggle up in a cozy house for winter and stay cool in the summer.
- Landscape Design- house renovation Ideas for Old homes in Los Angeles rely heavily on the exterior garden spaces to complement and expand the interior living quarters. Look for ways to expand access to your backyard to bring nature indoors. Think about adding sliding glass doors to your bedrooms or even the bathroom. The idea is to have a small interior footprint that expands by connecting with nature. Find a landscape designer that is passionate about renovating old homes and understand the style. Choose someone who loves working with unique shapes and integrate different materials like flagstone, slate, and wood. Your contractor may have some good recommendations for you.
Once you find the right contractor and design team, you can decide whether to live in your home through the renovation or complete the project before moving in. That decision will totally depend on your circumstances and your tolerance for living with some chaos and noise. Good luck and enjoy the house renovation and redesign journey.
Consider Structura Remodeling, the top Los Angeles house renovation Company, for old house renovations. With more than sixteen years of experience serving the Los Angeles Community. The Design Team at Structura offers a free in-home budgeting and design consultation. Their clients love their attention to detail, excellent artistry, and professionalism. They deliver on time, on budget—great pricing, “0%” interest, and “0” down.
Call Structura today for a free in-home design estimate or a virtual video design estimate.
Structura Remodeling and Design- tops in Los Angeles. No job too big or too small. Let us design and build the home improvement and backyard patio ideas you have chosen to increase your home value.
Call Today 1800-922-4613 for a free in-home estimate.
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