5 Things You Should Never Alter When Renovating Your Home
When it comes time to tackle some home renovations, for whatever reason, you may be tempted to rip everything down to the bones and start from scratch. And, of course, if you're planning on selling your property in the near future improvements will be necessary to bring your house to an up-to-date status, making it both attractive to a variety of homebuyers and worth top dollar in the housing market. Reborn Home Solutions further notes that long-term residents benefit from renovations because they can transform their home into more comfortable living spaces while increasing the overall value of their neighborhood.
Regardless of the reasons for your improvements, there are a few things to consider keeping before knocking down all of those interior walls. There could be value attached to some of your property's classical elements due to the style, character, and unique touch they provide. If they're in good condition, it may be in your best interest to leave these things unaltered. Let's take a closer look at some of these classical components and examine why it may be beneficial to keep them inside your home.
Original hardwood floors
Although you may be tempted to grace your whole house with brand new flooring, N Hance shares the benefits that come with original hardwood floors. Not only do they add a touch of character and history to your home, their existence is rare because many modern manufacturing companies are unable to recreate the look.
From The Forest further mentions that hardwood floors can often increase the resale price of your home because these original floors are known for exceeding the test of time. Minor deficiencies, like dents and squeaks, are usually easy to fix, and broken or missing boards can often be replaced without any issues. Restoration and refinishing processes are available to update the look of your flooring, and they happen to be a much cheaper route to take compared to completely switching to a different material.
Understandably, however, not all original hardwood floors are worth keeping. Per Creekstone Design & Remodel, if you encounter water damage or any type of structural deterioration, like movement or large gaps between the individual wooden boards, it would be best to seek replacement options as soon as possible. If you notice that your floor has already been refinished more than three times, it may also be time to get rid of it due to the sanding process that wears down and slowly decreases the quality of your wood.
Butler's pantry
According to By Design, big, open kitchens are becoming increasingly popular in today's society. Unfortunately, if you want to apply this trending style to your home, you will have to sacrifice your current kitchen layout. This might mean demolishing a small room, like a butler's pantry, to create one common space. However tempting this may be, Blythe Building Company highly advises against this trade-off due to the numerous benefits and opportunities that go along with having a butler's pantry within your home.
Although this area may seem small within your kitchen and dining room, you can easily take advantage of the extra storage and counter space for many of your family and entertainment needs. Blythe Building Company also mentions that because a butler's pantry is usually tucked away from the more popular parts of your house, you can confidently use it to hide things before guests arrive.
Beyond its basic uses, a butler's pantry is also an area that provides great potential for installing a sink and adding a couple of wine racks or coolers to create a wet bar that is bound to attract attention when hosting your next gathering. Taking advantage of this area's potential can attract future homebuyers and even raise the resale price of your home if you're considering selling.
Stained glass
Stained glass windows are not the most popular design element found inside modern homes. Modernize Home Services categorizes them within a tradition that dates back thousands of years, most commonly found in Medieval churches and mosques. Despite their outdated use and religious reputation, however, they can still act as a beautiful and unique element to your property.
When it comes to interior design, Smith's Stained Glass claims that stained glass windows can improve nearly any look you wish to portray due to the color and light they add to the area. These windows can also enhance the amount of privacy your home receives through the dense designs and colors that block the clear view into your private living spaces, thus preventing you from needing to draw the curtains on a nice day. Additionally, stained glass is known for improving the energy efficiency inside your home and the decorative patterns can even raise its overall value.
Ceiling medallion
According to Worthington Millwork, a ceiling medallion is a decorative piece found encircling the base of a light fixture in the ceiling. They are more common in older homes and often display floral patterns. Although these elegant ornaments seem to be outdated in modern contemporary homes, St. Louis Homes claims that designers love the classic character these pieces provide, making it worth a second look before deciding to completely get rid of them.
Street Directory adds that their ability to tie a room's style together with their subtle impact is yet another reason to keep antique ceiling medallions in place. If your living space feels rather bare and lifeless, installing new medallions is a nice way to create texture and add something unique and exciting to the room. If your ceiling would otherwise boast a series of imperfections, a medallion is worth keeping simply to cover up the mistakes or at least draw attention away from them.
Exposed beams
According to Balducci Additions and Remodeling, exposed beams are a trending style in many modern homes. Despite their popularity, you may still be feeling the urge to get rid of them to match a specific design you have in mind. But before doing so, there are several reasons why exposed beans are a great thing to have within your home.
Per Barron Designs, the Las Vegas Review-Journal claimed this single feature has the ability to raise the value of your property by nearly 30%, which makes it worthy of a position inside your home, especially if you plan on selling in the near future. Exposed beams are also known for adding a sense of warmth and coziness to their designated areas, great for modern homes with large and overwhelming spaces.
Contrarily, beams open up smaller spaces to make them look and feel larger. This contradicting effect exists mainly because these wooden braces act as a frame around a room, giving it shape and fading out other overpowering features that might cause unease or discomfort. Either way, it's definitely worth a second look before deciding to completely get rid of them.