Historical home renovators share kitchen tips and tricks
A US couple who have renovated several historic homes have made a splash on social media, with nearly two million people following their process of restoring old residences.
But, the number of people tuning in to see Adam and Jessica Miller’s renovating ventures grew to a fever pitch because of their latest and much more personal project: renovating Jessica’s childhood home, that also happens to be 115-years-old.
After buying the home from Jessica’s parents, the Millers were eager to preserve the home for future generations, including their four sons, but taking on the 1906 home hasn’t been easy.
“When Adam and I decided to purchase my family home from my parents, the main concern was to keep all the original woodwork on the outside intact,” Jessica told Realtor.com.
After replacing the significant amount of water-damaged columns, the couple spent nine months restoring the outside of the home before turning their attention to the kitchen.
Since breathing new life into the space all while maintaining its character, the couple have shared some tips and tricks for those planning on renovating their own ageing kitchen.
Make your renovation suit you
No matter the extent of renovations you’re planning for your kitchen, any changes you make to this frequently-used space should prioritise function - which can differ person to person based on your lifestyle.
“Be very aware of what you need out of the kitchen in terms of function. Let it work for your family and lifestyle,” Jessica said.
In their home, she said they chose two different countertops - nonporous, spill-friendly quartz and heat-resistant soapstone - to make their kitchen feel “like it was all found in the house and opened up to reveal a grand kitchen space”.
Avoid blindly following trends
Though it may be tempting to follow the latest trends, the Millers suggest leaning into the concept of designing a space that suited and highlighted the beauty of their historic home.
“Once we leaned into this concept, it opened up a whole new world free of restraints,” Jessica said.
“We were inspired by Old-World European functionality mixed in with the vibe and history of the home.”
If you do want to incorporate certain trends, such as a large island or natural wood finishes, you still can in a way that stays true to the look and feel of your home.
Work with what you have
Old homes come with plenty of quirks which make them unique, and adjusting the existing layout rather than ripping down walls and cabinets can help maintain the home’s unique character.
“Don’t assume that you need to start down to the studs,” said Jessica. “Most of the time you can use the existing layout and cabinets.”
Since Jessica’s parents renovated the kitchen 11 years ago, Jessica said they didn’t feel the need to tear out cabinets, opting instead to tweak the “vibe” of the space.
“We also kept the range hood but adjusted the colour from cream to a warm white to change with the overall vibe. The kitchen layout was solid, so we didn’t have to adjust anything there,” she said.
Expect costly surprises
Renovations can be a costly undertaking for any house, and rehabbing an older home is no exception - and can even come with surprise costs.
The Millers can attest to that fact, and suggest saving a buffer of at least 10 percent of your expected costs just in case.
“We ran into more water damage in the island than we expected based on a small leak from the sink. This led to a complete island rebuild and new plumbing from the sink into the house,” Jessica said.
“Since we worked with a local plumber, we only had to increase our plumbing budget by a couple hundred dollars.
“I would say keep a solid 10% set aside for any unforeseeable expenses.”
Image: @oldhouseadam (Instagram)