Modern kitchen and bath in historic home?

Question

Hello,

I'm looking into buying a historic home, it's been very well maintained. Brick exterior, slate roof, 100+ years old in a historic district. I have a few questions for those familiar with renovating older homes...

- Is there any hope in repairing 100+ year old, wood, casement windows or should I go with inserts/full replacements? Most of the counter balances are shot, though the windows still seem to slide. Thinking even if rebuilds were successful, insulation in new window may be worth the upgrade.

-What is your philosophy on modernizing kitchen and bathroom, while still conforming to the home? During normal rehabs, I often take a modern approach with white subway tile, brushed nickel fixtures, white cabinets, light floors, etc. Would I be making a mistake by putting a modern bathroom and kitchen in a historic home?

Thanks for any thoughts

Roy N. · Answer

@Tucker Long

We just finished putting a modern bathroom (but did a subway tile wainscot)  and Euro-style (Ikea) kitchen in one unit of an 1880s Italianate duplex.  If you take care in your selection of colours and textures, you can make the modern flow into the Victorian.

When it comes to old, single pain windows, if they are in good shape and have well fitted storms which are also in good shape, then you can make them somewhat efficient.  When it is not practical to salvage the windows, if the property is subject to historic conservation measures, we will have new wood sashes built with thermopane double or triple glazing.   However, I much prefer to replace them with fibreglass windows (if it is in the budget) or vinyl (if we are on a tight budget).

When it comes to choosing inserts or full casement replacement windows, inserts are obviously cheaper up front, but usually not in the long run.  One thing to keep in mind is that if your sashes are rotten to the point of not being worth saving, then the frame will be little better (particularly in a brick building).   What's the sense of inserting a new window into a poor frame?

Kathy Henley · Answer

@Tucker Long I learned to repair the counterweights myself.  Are you handy?  Can you watch youtube videos? But 10 of our windows got Marvin double pained wood windows -- beautiful, because someone replaced the original windows with something awful.  The wood replacement windows look like the original. You are in Ohio and the energy savings might be worth it!

For help keeping a balance of the kitchen or bath with old and new, go to Houzz website and see photos of other people's completed projects.  Save photos of anything that looks like it would be worth repeating.  Honor its history (gooseneck faucet in the kitchen, open shelving) but give tenants  modern living (washer/dryer on main floor, energy efficient appliances, and two tone paint.)

Tucker Long · Answer

Thank you Roy, very helpful.