Home Renovation Ideas – Honoring Timeless Design and Creating Balance

March 10, 2023

Striking a balance between honoring a home’s rich design history and incorporating modern conveniences is the pursuit of many architects. For homes in New England, which often have unique and storied design elements, it’s necessary to honor the historic details of a home during the renovation process.

Home renovations are often more complicated and nuanced than building a new home from the ground up. Working with experienced, skilled, local architects makes it possible to achieve just the right balance between updating a home with modern features and maintaining its original charm, character, and patina. In this piece, we’ll recommend some home renovation ideas that strike that balance.

Home Renovation Ideas – Honoring the Past Without Sacrificing Convenience

New England is known for its architecture, with many homes boasting distinctive features that reflect the region’s rich history. Victorian homes are common throughout the Boston area, and many that stand today are quite sought after. These homes often feature ornate details such as elaborate moldings, decorative plaster, and intricate woodworking. It would be a mistake to simply cast aside these beautiful Victorian features.

One strategy used to honor a home’s design history while incorporating modern conveniences is using materials and finishes that complement the existing architecture. For example, if a home has the original 19th-century hardwood floors cultivated from a rare species of wood, it may be possible to source woods very similar in appearance, if not the same vintage.

In addition to preserving a historic home’s design elements, consideration should be given to the home’s layout, ensuring that any updates or additions flow seamlessly with the existing space. A homeowner may want a new kitchen with a built-in island bar and updated appliances, and it’s the architect’s job to ensure this larger kitchen seamlessly integrates with the rest of the home without interfering with design flow. Done properly, traditional Victorian elements, such as a farmhouse sink or butcher block countertops, can be incorporated alongside the newer elements without creating striking contrasts.

View Examples of Modern Farmhouse Architecture

Striking the Balance

Home renovation of historic properties, to be done successfully, requires the expertise of someone familiar with the unique architectural features of the region. As one of the premier architecture firms in Boston, with decades of experience in the area, Slocum Hall Design Group has been trusted to create home renovation projects that beautifully balance historical design with modern convenience.