Volume III, Issue I
Beth Pressler, CRS, GRI, LTG,
PMN
- Your Grosse Pointe real estate Resource
This information is brought
to you…the on-line browser…with the intention of helping you make the most
authentic, profitable, and cost-effective decisions when considering renovating you
current home, a home you plan on selling, or that dream house you’ve been watching to
buy! I’ll be reporting on interesting advances in the "renovating game"
periodically…so bookmark this page and keep watching for informative material that
you can use today!
"Respect the Original House When
Renovating… Embrace its Features While Maintaining Character That Accurately Portrays
A Physical Record of its Own Time"
This paraphrased quote found in a
recent issue of Old House Journal, speaks volumes to the new and experienced
renovator who is faced with an "add-on" to their historical home.
If you are fortunate enough to have a
historically important home, you have more than likely been careful in renovating of any
kind in order to maintain your home’s significant qualities that made it
"historical" in the first place. When the "add-on" project is planned,
the impulse to "dovetail" old with new overpowers our better sense of reason.
(And to an extent –"dovetailing" is the goal of our project.) Consider,
instead, augmenting your historical project with state-of–the-art features
available today.
Integrity, character, functionality,
architectural stability … these are qualities you should weigh thoughtfully as you
chart out your "add-on".
Integrate your
"add-on" with your current structure by researching and/or looking to
professional guidance. Tying together the old and the new is an art form laced with
imagination.
Character is the outstanding
quality that attracted you to that special historical home in the first place…study
the nuances of character that you’d like to augment in the addition.
Functionality is the reward for
vigilantly planning what utilization your addition will accomplish when completed.
Architectural Stability is the
cornerstone of your addition. Without this element, your addition will simply not be worth
your efforts. Check with a professional for guidance in this process to avoid any mistakes
in the structural integrity/quality of your addition.
Many resources are available to
homeowners when considering an "add-on" to historical homes. Your local Library,
on-line browsing as well as The National Trust for Historic Preservation are wonderful
information resources for historical renovations/additions. Old House Journal is a
magazine you can enjoy month after month in the privacy of you own home that has been
teaching how to restore antique homes with easy-to-understand words and pictures for
nearly 25 years.
If you’re in the process of
renovating or adding-on…let me know! E-mail me with your ideas, photos of your
project.
 beth@bethpressler.com
Happy renovating!
|
