When an opportunity to restore a historical home arises, you take it, but you must proceed with caution. Historical homes are meant to remain architecturally significant and should remain fairly similar to their natural appearance.

Whether you currently live in a historical home, recently purchased one to refinish or are interested in exploring the opportunity, here are a few simple tips and tricks for getting the job done without diminishing the significance of the household:

Evaluate the existing foundation
Before you can consider changing up the home, take a closer look at the existing features and foundation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation recommended diving deep into the quality, design, materials and craftsmanship of the home at its inception, and take particular notice in how these aspects have changed over the years. The foundation is likely the reason you fell in love with the house in the first place, so take careful consideration in what you want to get rid of versus what you want to keep and restore.

Embrace all of the quirky aspects of the home
While you may be interested in leveling out uneven floors or refinishing cabinetry or staircases, these might be the sweet little historic quirks you can embrace instead. Too much time and effort spent to fix these aspects could cause the home to lose its charm you adore.

Add a modern twist with furniture and decorPay close attention to detail when adding new touches
If you do plan on making any major alterations to the home, be mindful of the existing details throughout the original building in terms of materials and textures used, as well as the original colors placed throughout the living space. These details might be something you want to restore completely to keep the traditional charm and history of the house.

Home restoration, especially in today’s day and age, tends to revolve around the kind of digital and technical features that you can incorporate into the design, decor and foundation of a living space. While this can certainly make a big difference in a historic home, something more subtle – such as modern and contemporary home decor – can help you achieve this look without getting too technical.

If you want to add a few, small modern touches to a historical home, David Haseley, Sr. VP of merchandising and marketing at Decorating Den Interiors suggested doing so through furniture and decorations.

“Modern and contemporary home decor and furniture can bring a new perspective to a timeless historic home,” said David. Think sharp edges, neutral colors and minimalism.”

Ask for expert assistance
Historical home restoration can be complicated if you’ve never done it before. We highly recommend reaching out to a trained architect for assistance if you plan on making any major adjustments to the foundational features of the home. This professional can provide the guidance needed to make those decisions and perhaps can also lend a helping hand in making some adjustments.

In terms of interior decorating and design assistance, reach out to a personal decorator from Decorating Den Interiors. He or she can come to your home for a free consultation to evaluate your historical living space and provide tips around how to make modern adjustments without depreciating the historical concept and features. From there, you can decide what stays, what goes and turn your living space into the home of your dreams.

Reach out to one of our design consultants today to start your journey in historical home restoration.