Part One
Bruce and I bought an old house recently. Now that we have begun the task of decorating an old house, we are learning a lot. Old houses are different from new houses in some pretty significant ways. So if you’re decorating an old house or just curious about the oddities of these old gals, read on. Part Two follows next week with even more tips…
Issues When Decorating an Old House? The Electric Outlets Aren’t Always Well-Placed
Our house was completely re-wired before we bought it, so we have a lot of outlets. But even with the re-wire, there are spots without them where we’d really like them. Generally, this is the case with old houses. If you too are outlet poor, no matter the age of your house, fear not. There are so many new solutions to this issue thanks to major advancements in battery-powered and cordless technology. I wanted sconces above my new fireplace mantel, but there was not power there. So I recently installed a pair of battery-powered sconces, like the ones above, that are powered with a USB charge. No need for expensive wiring. And they come with a remote! You can also buy a make-up mirror that works the same way. Need a lamp somewhere where you have no outlet? No problem. Purchase cordless, battery-operated light bulbs. Yup, that’s a thing. Tested by yours-truly. They work great. I put a lamp in a dark, little nook with no outlet and now it’s a bright little nook. LOL
When Decorating an Old House Your Fireplaces May Be Non-Functional or Unsafe
Our living room fireplace needs work. We are missing some bricks in the firebox that were taken out to fit in a wood stove. The inspector said it’s functional, but why risk it. And the gas insert we’d like will be more than $8000. If you’re decorating an old house and want the ambiance of a fireplace but maybe not the expense of a re-brick or an insert, there are a few things you can try: Battery operated candles can give a lovely glow and can be set up to work on a timer or with a remote. Use graduated stands and you can vary their height. Or try decorative, fireplace lanterns that give the burning log look but, like the sconces above, work on a USB charge. Instant mood setters!
Old Houses Often Have Challenging Staircases As Well
The day we moved in was challenging. Bruce’s furniture was arriving from storage. A lot of it I had never seen before. I needed to make quick decisions about where to put things. Further complicating this was the fact that our staircase is challenging at best. It’s fairly narrow and takes not one but two 90 degree turns. A long chest-of-drawers and an over-stuffed chair would not go up unless we could magically cut them in half and then reunite the pieces at the top of the stairs. It was sad, but I could live with it. Not fitting the full box spring up to the second floor was completely unacceptable. Enter the split box spring (available in both full and queen) and Voila! We have beds upstairs. They also offer split bed frames in both sizes and split buckie boards if you have a memory foam mattress. Use the split frame with or without a headboard. Use the split buckie board if you have a traditional bed that you’re trying to adapt to the tricky stairwell.
Next week I will cover even more tips for decorating an old house. In the meantime, if you’re hungry for more on the topics of vintage or antiques, check out my previous blogs: Is It OK to Buy An Antique Reproduction? and Insider Tips For Your Next Outdoor Antique Show. And if you’re looking for old stuff for your old house, don’t forget to stop by Consignments Ltd. soon.
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