Hi Donna. I'm Cindy. Some of the current trends include: dark colors on walls with white trim, wood floors, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. Best wishes.
May I suggest that you "update in a respectful way to keep the integrity" of the original home, unless it has no character of its' own? I am house shopping online; I am planning to relocate, and I am seeing some horrendous renovations. They don't go with the house at all. It makes me feel as though I'd have to rip out all the new inappropriate stuff and modify it so it fits in.
You are already getting advice on the hardwood floors. I would advise you to keep the best, and replace the rest. In 1938, the lighting, the size of the rooms, and the kitchen and bathroom fixtures frequently don’t meet today’s standards. If you haven’t already, I suggest you hire a certified house inspector. You will want to know in what shape the roof stands, about how many more years does it have, are the beams substantial enough for the roof, is there dry rot, are the chimney and any gables in good repair? You’ll want to know if the foundation is firm, are any floor tilted (use a marble, pencil, or bubble measure). Anything more than three degrees needs to be repaired. Don’t do any flooring, or adjust any doors, until the foundation has been fixed. Also, are there any leaks in the basement or crawl space, are any water, gas or other pipes in good shape, is the electrical wiring properly connected and more than sufficient for the needs of the house, are the circuit breakers up to date, according to any ordinances? Don’t paint or repair any walls or ceilings until the foundation and roof are repaired if needed. Be aware that many rooms may not be squared in every corner. That’s normal. Are you planning on restructuring any rooms, especially the kitchen and bathrooms? The inspector should be able to tell you if you have the right size and type of pipes going to those places. When (s)he tells you which walls are load-bearing, write it on the walls themselves and on a diagram of the house. You can’t tear down those walls unless you replace them with substantial cross beams. You will need to know which are load-bearing walls as long as you own the home. A building inspector will tell you about every light switch, appliance, socket, and a dozen more things. That expense is well worth it. Good luck, ☺️
I need some advise on what I can do to improve the looks of my house. I need door, window and landscape suggestions. The house will remain white as I am on a budget. ...
See more
I have a hidden door though it doesn't look so hidden at the moment and I like the appeal of a hidden door. We do need to use the door, but not often. This is in a b...
See more
Donna, tell us exactly what you want to update and we can zone in on it and get you some helpful answers.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/diy-before-you-buy?utm_term=.sevxvazLbK#.xb9YVp3l2w
Hi Donna. I'm Cindy. Some of the current trends include: dark colors on walls with white trim, wood floors, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. Best wishes.
May I suggest that you "update in a respectful way to keep the integrity" of the original home, unless it has no character of its' own? I am house shopping online; I am planning to relocate, and I am seeing some horrendous renovations. They don't go with the house at all. It makes me feel as though I'd have to rip out all the new inappropriate stuff and modify it so it fits in.
You are already getting advice on the hardwood floors. I would advise you to keep the best, and replace the rest. In 1938, the lighting, the size of the rooms, and the kitchen and bathroom fixtures frequently don’t meet today’s standards. If you haven’t already, I suggest you hire a certified house inspector. You will want to know in what shape the roof stands, about how many more years does it have, are the beams substantial enough for the roof, is there dry rot, are the chimney and any gables in good repair? You’ll want to know if the foundation is firm, are any floor tilted (use a marble, pencil, or bubble measure). Anything more than three degrees needs to be repaired. Don’t do any flooring, or adjust any doors, until the foundation has been fixed. Also, are there any leaks in the basement or crawl space, are any water, gas or other pipes in good shape, is the electrical wiring properly connected and more than sufficient for the needs of the house, are the circuit breakers up to date, according to any ordinances? Don’t paint or repair any walls or ceilings until the foundation and roof are repaired if needed. Be aware that many rooms may not be squared in every corner. That’s normal. Are you planning on restructuring any rooms, especially the kitchen and bathrooms? The inspector should be able to tell you if you have the right size and type of pipes going to those places. When (s)he tells you which walls are load-bearing, write it on the walls themselves and on a diagram of the house. You can’t tear down those walls unless you replace them with substantial cross beams. You will need to know which are load-bearing walls as long as you own the home. A building inspector will tell you about every light switch, appliance, socket, and a dozen more things. That expense is well worth it. Good luck, ☺️