Getting a romantic, nice cottage doesn’t need to be just for short-term purposes such as vacations. A good-quality cottage can become a beautiful home, where you can enjoy yourself with your family. However, due to the seemingly complicated makeover process, many people give up on this idea. But if you’ve found a place where you see yourself in the next years, making it your dream home will surely pay off. That’s why we want to help you with turning an old historic cottage into a cozy New Hampshire home. With proper plan and organization, the makeover process will be simple and easy.
Know what you’re dealing with
Even though the house you pick may look charming, you should know that turning an old historic cottage into a cozy New Hampshire home may not be a piece of cake. Old homes can be full of surprises, unexpected problems may occur when dealing with old materials and structures. That’s why you should prepare for the process, take a deep breath and always focus on the main goal – a lovely new home for your family, or an amazing project where you can sell the home and earn some money.
Prepare for the compromise
Turning a historic home into a living space will involve some compromises. The makeover process will mean adapting the place to the best possible standards, which often don’t reach the standards of a modern, newly-built house. Rustic windows and glass may look amazing, but they won’t be tight enough. Also, the absence of some modern home features will be present, but it is a compromise you are willing to take to live in a historical home.
Make a plan of renovations
Historic homes take more time and money to renovate. However, you should have a plan and do it systematically. It’s best to use high-quality materials – and we know they cost more. However, if you’re flexible with the move-in date, you can try to start small and renovate in sections. This will not put huge pressure on your budget, but it will ensure you’re doing the renovating the best way possible. Renovating in a hurry is generally very risky, especially when dealing with old, historic homes. Also, another thing you should plan is the place where you would keep the items during the renovation. A storage unit can help you with keeping excess items out of the way and give you an open space where you could do all the work.
Go for tax credits
Very often, certain states or municipalities offer incentives for those how to want to preserve the old homes and the way they look. Check with the local authorities, and see if some programs can help you with the renovation.
Repairs you should do first
Before you tack anything else, make sure you do basic fixes of the home that include windows, roof, and masonry. This is to make sure that water can’t come to the inside of the cottage, so you can proceed with doing other repairs. Stopping the water from coming inside will ensure you prevent any future damage, and give you peace of mind. Inspect the roof, windows, chimney, and fireplace, and see if anything needs a touchup. Any woodwork in the house may need repairs, too. Check if any surfaces are damaged or wet, find any breaks in windows, and make sure you repair them before proceeding to other parts of the home. As many older homes include good-quality materials, maybe most of them could be saved by reparation. If something is not worth saving, be sure to replace it with a new item.
Keep the home unique
When turning an old historic cottage into a cozy New Hampshire home, you will get a unique house. It’s a great idea to keep it that way – mixing both old and new elements. Try to mix the parts of the home that are worth saving with new additions. This will create a perfect blend and give a unique atmosphere inside the house.
Décor tips for a cozy old cottage
Once you’re done with the rough repairs, it’s time for a more delicate improvement of the cottage. Now is the perfect moment to try out all the easy decor DIY tips you’ve been saving for too long on Pinterest. Here are some of the décor tips we can recommend for making the home even cozier:
- add authentic pillowcases or rugs that reflect the cottage’s rustic style. many décor brands offer amazing choices, but you can also try making them yourself!
- paint the kitchen cabinets – if the house already has a good-quality kitchen, give it a new look with a coat of fresh pain You can change the whole look of the home by choosing a new color palette.
- visit garage sales or street markets – to make your home cozy and unique, sometimes you have to dig deeper than online shopping websites. Garage sales and street markets often hide true gems that can make your home very cozy, without you spending a lot of money.
Schedule the move in advance
Planning your renovations will give you a rough idea of when you can move into your new home. This is the perfect moment to schedule your move with Preferred Movers. On-time bookings will ensure you can pick the date and time of the moving day, but also enjoy more affordable rates. Furthermore, organizing your moving day on time will ensure you don’t end up overwhelmed by too many tasks and stress as the relocation day is getting closer.
A house becoming a home is a process
Don’t worry if you feel that the new home is not completely finished even after you move in. Turning an old historic cottage into a cozy New Hampshire home is a process. A house becomes a home with the memories a family creates inside, and that will happen over time. Now, enjoy your old but brand new cottage house and start making it a home!
