7 decorating tips for old houses

How to decorate an old house: 7 tips to follow step by step

If you are lucky enough to have inherited a century-old house, or you have been encouraged to buy one of those rustic buildings with a lot of local flavor, you have probably felt overwhelmed by the titanic task you are facing. Where to start decorating old houses?

1. Expert advice, the necessary step before decorating an old house.

To begin with, you should have the advice of an expert who can verify the state of the building: if there is the presence of xylophages (insects that feed on wood), if there is humidity, if the electrical installation and plumbing are adequate…

2. Evaluating the need for renovation when decorating an old house.

3. What type of ceiling to choose for the decoration of an old house?

It would be a shame to waste the charm of a house of this type completely away from its essence. In fact, one of the key maxims of architecture in recent years advocates taking into account the landscape and the context in which a building is framed and merge as much as possible with it.

To this end, we try to take advantage of both the millenary wisdom inscribed in the most ancient building techniques and local materials, with special attention to local craftsmanship when it comes to decorating the interiors of old houses.

Therefore, it is important to respect the characteristic structure of these houses: in the case of the roof, for example, we talk about taking care and maintaining the exposed beams, moldings and rosettes, and even do the same with the humble reed roofs, which if properly treated, will bring a unique touch to the project. It can be seen in this new house in the Empordà, which uses traditional techniques of the area in its construction.

4. What type of flooring should be used to decorate an old house?

When it comes to flooring, the most commonly used materials in the past were wood, cement and clay. And it’s lucky, because all three are more fashionable than ever: polished cement or microcement, for example, are two continuous floorings that give a very modern look to the interior decoration of old houses, while handmade clay tiles from companies like todobarro, with new and very artistic designs, are a rising option in the decoration of old houses all over the world.

Wood, finally, is always a success: it gives warmth to the space and brings us closer to nature, with the feeling of well-being that goes with it. The ideal way to maintain the patina of the passing years when it comes to decorating an old house is to choose parquet, a natural wood floor that is usually laid in a herringbone pattern or following the Punta Hungria pattern. Both layouts instantly add texture and interest to the space.

It is also a good idea to opt for floating floorboards, with the advantage that, as they are placed separately from the floor slab, they are very insulating. Of course, if we want to preserve the charm when decorating our old house, it is better to use natural wood; materials that imitate others, in general, are a big “no” in architecture and interior design, which makes special sense in this type of buildings with solera.

Of course, if you are lucky enough to have some exceptional flooring, such as hydraulic tiles, do your best to keep it!

5. Which wall finish to choose when decorating an old house?

If in the interior decoration of old houses you want to achieve a contemporary aesthetic in an easy and instantaneous way, it will be enough to smooth all the walls and paint them in the same light color. In this way, it will give amplitude and luminosity to the space. This is what Jorge Bibiloni Studio does, for example, in this house in Mallorca.

Another very modern option in neutral tones that, at the same time, emphasizes the past of the property and adds visual interest: keeping part of the old stone wall, but staining it in white or the light color chosen to dress the space. This is done by architect Timothee Mercier, of Studio XM, in an old farmhouse rehabilitated for his parents.

This does not mean that you can not use colors when painting an old house: if you want to achieve a maximalist or vintage style, you can do it without problems, although ideally it is to opt for matte tones and rather, pulling to muted to respect the essence of the decoration of old houses.

In fact, it is best to choose finishes as natural as possible, which is why lime mortar is gaining more and more followers every day when it comes to decorating old houses. This mixture of sand, water and lime, now much more technical than a few years ago, allows modern or rustic finishes, coatings of all kinds, stucco ….

But the important thing, in addition to its excellent bioclimatic characteristics – it is breathable, antibacterial, anti-mold… – is that the mortar can achieve a final texture that is much more three-dimensional and authentic than the usual paint. For the Moredesign studio, a great endorser of the Mediterranean style, it is a must.

If we consider how to paint an old house, we must also take into account that leaving the walls exposed is also a possibility, either by showing their construction material -stone, brick, etc- or even by stripping the old coats of paint to leave them with an unfinished look that can be very artistic if used with style, as the Italians Studio Tamat do.

6. How to choose the style of decoration for an old house: The golden rule: go for natural and handcrafted.

Once you have the final layout of the house ready, it’s time to get down to work. And the question at this stage is: what style of decoration do you want your old house to have?

The possibilities are endless; after all, exterior and interior do not have to match at all, and although the construction, on the outside, presents stylistic features of other times, inside it can be completely current.

Of course, in order to be consistent with the characteristics and the environment in the decoration of old houses, choosing natural, bare and handmade materials is a sure hit, as well as an absolute trend.

Rustic style furniture but clear lines, such as the Danuve console, handmade in recycled pine wood, do not fail when it comes to finding a timeless style to decorate an old house.

Meanwhile, pieces such as the Lizbin natural rattan lamp, with its clean, Nordic shapes in plant fibers, is also the perfect blend of contemporaneity and handcrafted warmth.​

The patio, terrace and garden also deserve quality furniture when it comes to decorating an old house. For this reason we should also ally ourselves with natural-looking designs, such as the comfortable Ogaro synthetic rattan armchair.

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In this particular case, it is a material that emulates another, it is true, but, due to the special conditions of exposure to which outdoor furniture is subjected, we have here the exception to the rule stated above to avoid imitations. To learn more about this, you can read our article The best materials for outdoor chairs.

7. Expert level for decorating old houses: let time do the talking

As we have been shelling out throughout this article, being able to preserve elements of the past is a luxury when it comes to decorating old houses. To do this, try to give them the space they deserve, which you can do by advocating a minimalist decor that turns these old structures into real protagonists.

Another interesting option is to opt for an eclectic decoration for old houses, which winks to the past, introducing, in addition to modern furniture in natural materials such as those we have seen, restored or vintage pieces, typical crafts of the area and even recycled elements to fulfill new functions. This can be achieved, for example, by using a baking table as an island in the kitchen. It is a style mastered with ease and style by designer Marta de la Rica.

Decorating old houses, a fascinating exercise in interior design

When we have a new house, we have a blank canvas on which practically anything will look good. However, if we face the decoration of an old house, so that the result is not a pastiche, we should take into account the past of the building and the environment in which it is framed, trying to revitalize its most interesting constructive features through traditional construction techniques.

Finally, when it comes to providing it with furniture and materials, the ideal is to opt for the natural and handmade, opting for the clearest and simplest forms if what you are looking for is a contemporary look to decorate an old house.