3 Inexpensive Improvements to Revitalize an Historic Home

Gutting the interior of an older home may sound amazing, but what about the hefty price tag that comes with a complete renovation? Not so much. The truth is that many historical elements of a home can be beautifully preserved with a handful of small home improvement projects.

Whether you’re in the market to buy or sell an older home, you’re likely overwhelmed by the myriad home improvement projects in store for you for the foreseeable future. Fear not. Here are three wallet-friendly projects that will revitalize your home’s appearance without compromising its historic integrity.

1. Transform Carpet into a Wood Floor

Luxury vinyl floors are all the rage in newer custom homes, particularly due to their durability, easy care and resemblance to a real wood floor. But why settle for an imitation product when you can have the real thing for much less? Underneath the layers of carpet and linoleum in your older home is likely a beautiful original hardwood floor that just needs a little refinishing to bring back its old-world luster.

Luckily, the cost to refinish a hardwood floor isn’t as expensive as you might think. Wood floor refinishing costs roughly $2 to $5 per square foot, depending on the wood, stain, and finish, and a hardwood floor could last for hundreds of years. Before starting the project, though, make sure to get quotes from several qualified contractors and check out their online reviews beforehand to ensure you’re hiring the right person for the job.

2. Repaint the Walls in Classic Colors

Nothing refreshes a room’s ambiance quicker or cheaper than a great paint job. Rather than walking into The Home Depot’s paint aisle ready to commit to five gallons of the first color you fall in love with, do a little research first.

If you want to preserve the original character of your home, find out when it was first built. Then, check out the historic colors that would have been used during that decade at Sherwin-Williams. A moody plum looks perfect for a bedroom in an early Victorian home, or try a mod orange living room for a home built in the 1960s.

Once you’ve selected a paint color, make sure to invest in the right finish. Cashmere is a great paint from Sherwin-Williams because it easily glides off the roller well and covers imperfections easily — even the patched drywall from last year’s attempt at rewiring.

3. Tile a Classic Backsplash

A tiled kitchen or bathroom backsplash is the perfect home upgrade for a dedicated DIYer. For its relatively simple installation, the ROI is fantastic. In fact, home listings that mention a tiled backsplash sell for 6.9 percent more than expected, according to U.S. News and World Report.

If you plan to tile and grout the backsplash yourself, keep in mind a couple of things: First, you’ll need several hours of uninterrupted time over a weekend to accomplish this project. Second, choose a timeless style of tile, like white subway tiles with a dark grey grout. Or, as an alternative to tile, you may opt for other stylish but equally classic options, such as reclaimed wood or shiplap à la Joanna Gaines from the hit HGTV show Fixer Upper.

There are many, many projects to choose from when improving a historic home. Ultimately, you’ll want to choose projects that stand the test of time without breaking the bank. Get started with one of these projects — refinishing the wood floor, repainting or tiling a backsplash. Your home (and wallet) will thank you for it.