A stately reminder of a bygone era this classic home embraces its history and the latest in 21st century technology.
Bringing a historic design into the 21st century requires a team skilled in the demands of a period renovation. Maintaining the historic lines of your Madison WI home requires experience and skill. You want a home remodel that appreciates its historic significance and harmonizes its character with modern amenities.
The Madison area is blessed with many Victorian-era houses, each with its unique challenges. The most challenging area to renovate is the kitchen. Combining historic style with modern function is not only possible, it’s an exciting option.
Consider Unique Home Remodel Options
Every home is unique in its own way and a Victorian home adds the allure of history. As your plan for a period restoration on any historic home, consider:
- Identify what’s special – design elements in your kitchen have a history, document what makes the room special. Consider its best features when it was new and which ones translate well today.
- Embrace the unique – when it was new your historic home had features unique to the period. Some are what make you love your kitchen. Your love shows as you incorporate modern technology into a room with original flooring, period windows, architectural details and vintage furnishing. Preserving the unique historic details of the period is the basis for a successful renovation.
Authentic Period Renovation Doesn’t Mean ‘Old’
Nobody wants to cook on a true Victoria-era stove or pop popcorn over an open fire. So, a successful period renovation doesn’t mean bringing back the old, it means bringing in new technology that promotes the look and feel of the age. The latest appliances, lighting and plumbing fixtures represent the period. Anchor your historic home remodel with the following:
- Appliances that look the part – modern appliances are available with a variety of vintage looks. Cast iron stoves look the part and new hardware tones down more modern versions. Sinks with aprons and formed from traditional materials are great accents.
- Use creative furniture – create counter space and work areas without flooding the space with granite or marble countertops. Free-standing kitchen islands, antique tables and even an old dresser provide work space. A china cabinet and baker’s rack and a large pantry provide storage.
- Detailed décor elements – Victoria-era decorating was more ornate and flamboyant than many periods so bring this flare into your new kitchen. Add molding or cornices to the ceiling and carved corbels in doorways. Consider changing boring square entryways into Victorian arches.
- Let there be light – few things are more important in a kitchen than good lighting. Historic lighting wasn’t up to our standards, but modern fixtures provide a Victorian accent and appropriate lighting at the same time. Vintage-look pendant lamps, exposed wiring, copper and brass finishes and the new retro-look bulbs combine to complete the effect. The latest lights provide ambiance while efficiently lighting your workspace.
Finishing Touches For Period Renovation
When you walk into your newly renovated kitchen you want to feel like stepping back in time. But you don’t want to sacrifice your modern conveniences. You don’t have to live without your high-capacity refrigerator-freezer and microwave. A professional interior designer, skilled in blending form with function, knows how to hide and camouflage these vital features. Appliance garages and custom cabinetry store small appliances while large nooks house a modern refrigerator. A built-in pantry with a vintage door design provides great storage and a design element at the same time.
If you’re planning to bring your historic home into the 21st century with a remodeling project, call, email or visit our Madison showroom to see how to make your dream a reality. Team with our perceptive home remodel professionals and create a memorable period renovation in your Madison WI home.
