This month, we have been invited by Emma and her boyfriend to have a virtual peek inside their period terraced home in Wales. House Tours 1920's House Renovation goes behind the scenes of this first-time-buyer home makeover. Read on to find out how to get the look you want on a budget. Emma has some great tips and advice for first time buyers 🏡
1920's Period Properties
1920's houses have so many desirable features. During this era, homes evolved from the clutter of the Victoriana style and took inspiration from the emerging modernism movement. 1920's houses often had features from the Arts & Crafts and Art Deco styles. Beautiful tiles with flower motifs, stained glass windows with bold geometric patterns - these are some of the classic features of a 1920's house.
When Emma and her boyfriend began their renovations, they were hoping to uncover some period features. The fireplace in the living room is original and all of the tiles were thankfully still intact. But they were surprised to find another original fireplace underneath the 1970's one in the bedroom. Some of the tiles were missing and broken, unfortunately, but Emma is going to find a professional restorer to bring it back to its former glory.
The hallway also had some hidden surprises. Under the old carpet, Emma was delighted to discover the original terracotta tiled floor. After researching the best cleaning products to use, she used Bar Keepers Friend Cleaning & Stain Remover and brought the floor back to life.
In the bathroom, Emma has chosen reproduction tiles that tie in perfectly with these older vintage tiles. It is a great idea to mix old with new to bring individual character to a home.
Bathroom Renovation
The bathroom was one of the rooms that needed a complete overhaul. Emma and her boyfriend originally planned on ripping out the bath and having a wet room, but this proved to be too costly with the adiditonal building work that would need to be done. In the end they chose an inobtrusive shower tray with a simple glass screen. It gives a similar look to a wet room but without the cost.
The vintage inspired tiles and sink work so well with the black taps and fittings. Finished off with black cup pulls and a black door handle. We love it! ❤️
Living Room Makeover
The living room benefitted from having the original fireplace, which acts as a focal point for the room and was also inspiration for the colour scheme. Rich jewel colours are typical of the 1920's era and this beautiful green feature wall is perfect.
The stripped wooden floor was a labour of love and Emma's boyfriend did all of the sanding, filling and staining himself. It took longer than planned, Emma explained, but she is thrilled with the results.
"My boyfriend is a perfectionist, so it took a while to also convince him that it looked great!"
Emma chose a neutral coloured rug with a geometric pattern, which fits perfectly with the Art Deco theme and shows off the green wing chair and matching footstool.
Vintage Ironmongery
The choice of door handles and accessories can make a big difference when faced with renovations. Emma wanted to find vintage ironmongery styles that would fit in with the interior deisign they were planning and complement the original period features.
"The Fleur De Lis Handles are a timeless design that we loved and thought would go well throughout the whole house, and fit in with all of our decor themes."
Emma chose the Fleur De Lis Handles and also our matching fleur de lis hooks. These also work well with the decorative cup pulls she used for the bathroom cabinet.
Home Memories
This 1920's house has a unique personal history for Emma, as it was her childhood home until the age of eleven. She also returned and lived there as a student. Being able to now make this her own home has been a wonderful journey. She has wonderful memories of when she lived here as a girl, including hiding in the kitchen pantry cupboard!
Home Ideas On A Budget
As first time buyers, Emma and her boyfriend had to work to a strict budget. But that didn't prevent them achieving the look they wanted. Getting the professionals in to do the important things like electrics and plumbing meant they could DIY other projects to save costs.
Making use of the original features and adding vintage inspired pieces, such as the retro radiators and feature wall art, has really given the house a stunning makeover. Emma is also very creative and is a dab hand at arts and crafts. The stencilled wall in the garden is ingenious and echoes perfectly the interior tile designs.
Emma has some great tips for working to a budget:
- "When using tradespeople, get several quotes. I soon realised how much prices varied and different tradespeople have different ideas of how to do things."
- "If you are considering DIY, ask lots of people for advice. Check with friends, family & reach out ot people on social media. There is always someone who has experience of the same type of project and they will know what does and doesn't work. I spent ages trying to clean the tiled floor in the hallway and then found the perfect cleaning product by posting a question on instagram!"
- "Shop around. Quality items don't always have to be expensive."
- "With many smaller independant companies out there, you can usually find what you are looking for at the best price. Shop twice, buy once is my mantra - meaning avoid silly costly impulse buys."
Great advice! Thanks Emma.
A big thanks to Emma for letting us share her inspiring renovation projects. And if you'd like to be updated on the progress of her home makeover, along with some delicious recipes, please give Emma a follow on her instagram account @eandg_at_no_40
Next month, join us for our May edition of House Tours when we will be going behind the door of a beautiful restored barn in Italy. See our Instagram page @suffolklatchcompany for more info and sneak peeks!
*Please note prices of products quoted are accurate at the time of the article publication but may be subject to change*
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