How to Make Your Home Look Ancient

Modern-day homes often look the same inside and outside, and many people have begun going back to the basics. The old cottage style mixed with new modern styles gives a house an authentic style that no one can copy. Transforming your modern home into something that looks as if it has been preserved over the years, or ancient, requires a few changes, removals and additions to the home's decor.

Instructions

1. Add a vintage stove to your kitchen. Vintage stoves can transform your kitchen from a modern-day cottage style home to an ancient cottage bungalow. You can have a vintage stove restored by a professional if it is badly damaged or you want it to be a different color. Vintage stoves are available online and offline. The older the stove, the more ancient your home will look.

2. Apply a whitewash or stain to wooden floors to give them a rustic, ancient look. Investigate the time period you want for your home, and use finishes and whitewashes to give your wooden floors the particular appearance of that time period's floors.

3. Install vintage doors in place of the current doors. Vintage doors add a historical and rustic appearance because of their age and patina. Vintage doors are available online and at thrift stores.

4. Put wood and stones in place for furniture, walling and flooring. Their tones add a neutral vintage color that could be found in ancient homes. Replace drywall and carpet with natural materials such as red cedar and stone to give warmth and depth to your house.

5. Replace doorknobs and drawer handles with vintage varieties. Vintage doorknobs and handles give cabinets an ancient appeal, no matter how long ago your cabinets were crafted. Use ceramic or glass knobs instead of brass doorknobs.

6. Hang and stand vintage lighting in the house, including chandeliers. Iron vintage lighting and fire-lit lighting posts give a home an instant ancient look. Shop around and look for vintage lighting that incorporates your houses’ period-in-time inspiration.

7. Incorporate vintage plumbing into the bathroom and kitchen. Replace old faucets and sinks with vintage-inspired models. Even your bathtub can be replaced with an older model for a more ancient appearance.

8. Remove doors and drawers from shelves and cabinets to give them opened appeal. The openness makes a house look ancient as well as larger. Add vintage crates and baskets for more storage room if desired.

References

• Apartment Therapy; Making a New House Look Old: Jeanine Brennan; February 2010
• My Home Ideas: 10 Ways to Make a New House Look Old