Decorating the exterior of your home can instantly improve its appearance but it has other benefits as well, such as weather-proofing it. Decorating the interior of your property also helps you to make the most of any original features inside your period home.
Some period homes will be listed or in a protected conservation area and as such, will require you to seek advice before making any changes to the interior or exterior of your property.
Decorating the external parts of your home can help protect it from decay and weather damage. This is especially important for exterior woodwork. Doors and windows will require regular painting to weatherproof them. An exception to this hardwood like oak which is better when unpainted. For a beautiful and authentic addition to your home, consider Bespoke Oak Frames from http://www.bespoaktimberframes.co.uk
For exteriors with stucco or lime render, a specialist paint that’s ‘breathable’ may be required. This type of paint effectively protects the substance but doesn’t trap moisture inside the walls thus avoiding damp.
It is not recommended to paint concrete, stone or brick walls as this can cause issues with damp. The paint of today is also almost impossible to remove without leaving damage to the walls. For brick or stone walls that are already painted, it’s advisable to seek professional advice.
For most homeowners, the colour you choose for your exterior is down to personal choice. Although period homes often benefit from sticking to traditional colouring. Listed properties will most likely need permission for any external redecoration if it would significantly alter the character of the original structure. Some conservation areas also have restrictions on the colours that can be used, so always check with your local authority first.
The decoration of the interior is also down to personal taste but living in a period property does bring with it some additional considerations. You might uncover traces of historic and fascinating earlier decoration. For example, the layers of old paint tell a story or there could be stunning wall paintings underneath earlier plaster, paint or wallpaper. You should find out whether they need to be kept and restored.
For homes with historic wall decoration, it’s best to seek specialist advice before carrying out any redecoration. Removing layers of paint or lime plaster cans trip away layers of history that cannot be replaced. Stained or painted woodwork was the norm in historic properties and removing these finishes could be highly damaging to the original design feature.
When redecorating in a period property, it’s always best to work with the story and character of your home. Highlighting and making the most of original features will protect the integrity and beauty of your property. Features like panelling, cornices, timber mouldings and picture rails are all valuable and you would likely need to seek permission to remove them.
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