Preserve Your Historic Kitchen
If you are the proud owner of a historic home, you know just how special they can be. Not only do they feature beautiful architecture you don’t see on today’s homes, you receive tax incentives from the government and you get to live in a piece of your community’s history. But when it’s time to face a remodel, particularly of the kitchen, you may wonder how you can go about it in the right way without compromising the historical integrity of the house.
The first step before you do anything else is to hire a reputable Boston contractor with experience in renovating historic homes. Not everyone does. Make sure you do your homework and select the right professional for the job. AD Construction is skilled in historic renovations and remodels, particularly in regards to one-room remodels that have to match the rest of the home in order to maintain historical status.
A historic kitchen renovation by a professional will ensure a sense of continuity, an appreciation for old-world craftsmanship, and a respect for the past. That being said, historical homes do involve some special challenges. The scale is usually much smaller than people are accustomed to these days, particularly in areas that families use the most, like the kitchen, which makes it tougher to accommodate modern appliances that bring convenience to today’s families. Plus, you likely are concerned that when you renovate the kitchen, it may look out of place compared with the rest of your home.
If you have decided that now is the time for a kitchen renovation in your historic home, consider these factors:
Keep What You Love
Be clear about what you love about the space and want to keep. Before you start your remodel, think about what you want to embrace about your historical home and the aspects of its design and character that are most important to you. These are the things that can’t be compromised, ensuring those characteristics you want to accentuate remain a part of the kitchen.
Know What You Need
Now that you have decided on what you can’t bear to part with, think about what you need. Think about how you want this kitchen remodel to work as it relates to your lifestyle today? There are modern conveniences that are simply necessary in kitchens to keep up with your needs, such as appliances you have been daydreaming about, or perhaps you want to incorporate a lot more storage than you used to have in the original space.
How do you want to ideally use the room? You can design your kitchen around your gourmet cooking hobby, convert it into a welcoming hub for a large and busy family, or create a dramatic center for your love of entertaining. It’s possible for some kitchens to do it all, but you have to give careful thought as to how you will most likely use the kitchen after the remodel is done.
Hire a Boston Contractor That Understands Historical Homes
Due to the delicate balance that is required throughout the design process, your Cambridge contractor should have specific experience in working on historical homes. This is the single most important factor in preserving the original character of the home, even as you add some modern conveniences. Someone with a high level of design skills and meticulous attention to detail is required for this type of project. Such contractors also know the legal requirements that remodeling historic properties entail. Skipping those details, especially in the initial design process, will result in having to correct them later on – at a large cost to you.
Contact AD Construction: Your Trusted Boston General Contractor
Here at AD Construction, we specialize in kitchen renovations and have experience with historic home improvements. Trust us to ensure your kitchen renovation maintains your historic home designation. To learn more, contact us today.
Building and designing historic kitchens in the South End, Back Bay, Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, Milton and the Boston Metro area since 1980.
