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15 Old House Restoration Tips to Make Your House Look Like New

By Cherie Gozon

Buying an old house makes a lot of sense financially, and you can use your remaining budget for some old house restoration. Whether this is the case for you, or if your home for years is already showing some signs of wear and tear, these tips would help you upgrade its look and give it the spark it once had!

15 old house restoration tips to make your house look like new

Install new light fixtures

Instead of replacing old light fixtures, you may be able to apply a new coat of paint to make them look like new. You may even be able to paint the fixtures without taking them down. See how to do so here.

Light fixtures in a small old house
Unsplash – Wu Yi

Give stone patio tiles some colors

You can make even the oldest, outdated concrete patio look new with this tip.

Paint some of the tiles with pops of color to bring the entire patio space alive. Or try a creative painted design to make the area look chic. Here’s how.

Add contemporary furniture

Spice up your home by adding some modern furnishings.

By giving your space a contemporary look, it helps give a traditional home a new vibe. Use soft colors, rich textures, and clean lines as you decorate.

Add contemporary furniture to an old country house
Unsplash – dada_design

Get rid of wallpaper

Many old country houses have wallpaper. And wallpaper can succumb to wear and tear over time. Plus older-style wallpaper can really date a house.

You can rent a wallpaper remover/steamer and remove the wallpaper yourself. Then paint your walls the color of your choice to make your house look like new.

Old house restoration tip: Paint wood paneling

Older houses, especially old farm houses, can have a good amount of wood paneling. So if you want to change up some of the wood panels or even cover all of it, consider painting it.

By painting the wood panels a lighter color, it’ll lighten up the room while giving it a new look.

Update old outlets

Replacing old outlets is a great idea during old house restoration.

Remember to replace old, cracked, and yellowed light plates and switches, as well as outlet covers. This upgrade shouldn’t cost that much either.

Install new outlets during old house restoration
Unsplash – ROOM

Get rid of old furniture

This may seem obvious, but replacing old furniture with new items will help reinvigorate your home. If new furniture isn’t in the budget, you can usually find high-quality used furniture by thrifting or refurbishing them yourself.

If you have a small old house, getting rid of bulky furniture can add more space.

Paint the trim

Boost the architectural style of your old house by painting the trim inside. Choosing a contrasting color can dramatically give your home a refreshed look. Here are some tips on effectively painting interior trim.

Upgrade the doorknobs

Whether you upgrade your doorknobs to a vintage or contemporary style, the results will be impressive.

If you choose to use reproduction knobs, check local salvage yards to help reduce cost. Otherwise, you can check sites like Etsy for some creative know designs.

Upgrade doorknobs in old farm houses
Unsplash – Perry Merrity II

Give your pantry a makeover

Aging pantries can look a bit grim, from sagging cubbies to flaky paint. But you can make your old pantry look new again with a few DIY improvements.

Add new shelving, if needed, and apply a new coat of paint to the pantry. You can even include a few add-ons, including wicker baskets on sliders for easy storage and access and a door-mounted hanging tree for extra storage.

Get new homewares

It may be time to replace old homewares with new ones.

If you’ve got light walls, use colorful wares to accent any space, such as a red vase, floral couch cushions, or any other colorful knickknacks, depending on your color scheme, of course.

Add front yard path lighting

To give your front yard a new look, add some path lighting. Consider using solar-powered lights to avoid having to hardwire them.

There are inexpensive solar lights at stores like Walmart and Target.

The front of an old country house
Pexels – Max Vahktbovych

Update bathroom towels and shower curtain

You can make any bathroom look like new by just replacing the towels, floor mats, and shower curtain. This can help brighten up the space without expending a lot of money.

Repair the walls

Making a few wall repairs may be all you need to refresh your house and give it that new feeling. So go ahead and repair and paint all wall blemishes, including any unused nail holes.

Deep clean

Still feeling like your house has that “old” vibe? It could be the smell.

Doing a deep clean is one of the best ways for how to get rid of old house smell. 

A good, old-fashioned spring cleaning not only helps give any home much-needed positive energy, it can help your mental state as well. To learn how to deep clean an old house, check this out.

Learn how to deep clean an old house
Unsplash – CDC

Takeaway

Old house restoration could be daunting, especially if the task seems too big at first. But with these tips and a lot of helping hands, giving your house a new look will be easier, and you’ll make it look great in no time.

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