New home, old tricks: How to add heritage charm to a modern home

Author: Julia Fairley

Many 200-year-old buildings have an old-world charm that two-year-old homes lack. But with a little work (or in some cases a major facelift) new homes can be redesigned to evoke the character of yesteryear.

Choose your style and era
The first step is to consider which architectural era you want to evoke, then research key features and characteristics that you can replicate. Do you like these stained-glass windows found in Federation homes from the early 1900s? Or do you prefer the cast-iron lacework in Victorian terraces from the mid- to late-1800s?

Different architectural periods have distinct styles, which often clash when mixed, so try to pinpoint the era you love and stay true to it.

Adopt a period paint palette
To set the scene from the street, take inspiration from traditional paint palettes. On the facade of this Sydney-based Victorian terrace, contrasting colours highlight the decorative details. Ornamental arches above the front door and windows are emphasised with an earthy grey, while black paint offsets the metal fence, glass-panelled doors, cast-iron lace balcony and the filigree frieze above it.

Tip: If you are keen to incorporate decorative lacework, many companies offer panels in cast iron and lighter weight aluminium, in both traditional and contemporary motifs.

Give your entrance a makeover
Don’t fancy retiling? Consider using a floor runner instead, such as the striking black-and-white one in this Melbourne home. Simply choose your design and unroll to give your hall an instant makeover.

This home also features classic Art Nouveau timber fretwork above the hall, which was popular in Federation architecture. Fretwork is relatively easy to add to existing interiors.

Tip: Try including decorative fretwork near your entrance to create classic appeal from the moment you open the front door.

Opt for panelled and French doors
These elegant French doors in Sydney’s Bellevue Hill are crowned with decorative timber fretwork, which enriches the home with timeless charm. Decus Interiors’ clever use of glass (as opposed to solid panelled doors) divides the rooms while letting natural light pour through.

Skirt the issue
Tall skirting boards and elaborate cornices are hallmark features of period architecture. The higher the ceiling, the taller the skirting boards and cornices were. An old rule of thumb suggests that classical cornices should be between one-fifteenth and one-nineteenth of the ceiling height.

Classic Architraves and Skirting offers a guide for finding the right skirting board height: for ceilings up to 2400 millimetres opt for skirting boards between 90 and 140 millimetres, while rooms with soaring 3600 millimetres ceilings can increase skirting boards to 180 to 450 millimetres.

Paper your walls
Wallpaper came into being in the mid- to late-1700s and has waxed and waned in popularity ever since. Originally, it was considered to be a background decoration, but in recent times it has evolved into a foreground feature. Whatever your preferences, this time-honoured material offers a pattern for every palette.

Tip: Still trying to add age-old glamour to your home? Decorate a console table with a lamp and hang a dramatic mirror behind it for instant effect. A chandelier such as the one here adds a finishing touch.

Consider pressed metal
Don’t fancy wallpapering your rooms? You may enjoy pressed metal instead. Traditionally it was applied to walls, ceilings and sometimes wainscotting, though regardless of where you use it, the material references times now passed. Because it is flexible, pressed metal sheeting can be fitted to angled surfaces, such as this custom-made range hood canopy, which was colour matched to the kitchen cabinets.

Go old school with fixtures
Glance at this Art Deco bathroom in Auckland, New Zealand, and you would never guess it was recently renovated. The fixtures and fittings from The English Tapware Company remain faithful to the age – even the electric towel warmer complements the Art Deco-inspired pedestal basins. Add a background of small black-and-white floor tiles and we have ourselves a traditional bathroom, ladies and gentlemen.

Add a hearth to your home
If home is where the hearth is, what better way to give your house a cosy feel than by adding a flickering fireplace?

Fireplaces have come a long way since the days of open wood hearths, so you can combine the best of both worlds and enjoy a classic design fired by the latest technology thanks to gas, electric and ethanol burners. If only we could all age so gracefully…