Add vintage kitchen tools for display in a historic home kitchen makeover.
Revamping the kitchen in a historic home should ideally blend the old with the new. Interesting old cabinets, flooring and window frames, for example, should remain. New appliances and countertop materials can harmonize with what's incorporated from yesteryear. Consult with remodeling experts who can advise approach a specific remodel for a home such as yours, especially if the home is on a historic register or might be registered in the near future. Does this Spark an idea?
Design Footprint and Plan
Measure the room to draw a remodeling plan. Figure out the exact materials, window and door openings and cabinetry you will keep in place. Sketch the new layout for countertops, appliances and new cabinets. Use colored pencils to draw the room as closely as possible to the final version of what you desire.
Dismantle and Rework Old Materials
Remove damaged walls, ceiling materials and flooring. Plan the repairs required to build the room back as original as possible. Use specific painting or staining techniques for plaster or wood sections. Be sure to bring a historic preservationist on site, if possible, to offer advice about each detail of the work. It can be enlightening to learn about painting techniques or colors you might use. For example, there are ways to make milk-based paint used in homes 200 years ago.
Incorporate New Materials
Install new cabinets and countertops while leaving space for appliances. Use new cabinets that feature glass or wire fronts for an old look. Install countertop material that looks old, such as a textured slate gray material. If at all possible, tour some historic homes in your region to talk with other owners about choices they made for new materials that blend well with existing materials.
Install Wood Fronts on Appliances
Use wood cabinet coverings on appliances, such as a refrigerator or dishwasher. Create these fronts to blend perfectly with cabinetry, so the kitchen doesn't look overly contemporary. Ask an expert craftsman to advise you on constructing the seamless look needed to keep appliances from standing out in this type of kitchen design.
Decorate to Add Historic Touches
Add amenities to fit a certain time period. Use a farmer's sink for a house in the early 1900s, for example, along with a pot rack that holds iron skillets. Install shelving to hold kitchen accessories, such as milk containers or canisters that fit the historic era of the house. Curtains with a particular pattern should be custom made, so visit a cloth store to get advice on ordering such material that will fit the era of your home.
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