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I have a moved into my new place and am looking to restore/renovate my home to the particular period it was built in - 1920s.
I wish to carry out renovations that will help in increasing the value of the house and not hinder it as it, as has been stated that if you simply mix and match you may actually devalue your property.
Is there any resources available to give me an idea of what materials i should be using, or particular styles for a given period?
Archicentre has some guides on different syles, although they are pretty brief. I like to spend a lot of time walking around our neighbouring suburbs looking at the old houses and also looking at the renovations that have been done.
Generally it stands out if styles have been mixed up. Don't try putting iron lacework on a house that was built with timber frettwork, don't put a big square two story modern box on the back of a period home (try to integrate it with the original style).
There are plenty of books and web sites to research the style and plenty of people willing to take your money to get that 'authentic' look. If you are trying to increase value without spending too much then just look at what looks right on other properties in the area.
Hope it helps?
http://www.archicentre.com.au/html/downloads.html
Suggested reading
The Federation House
Ian Evans
ISBN 1 875253 11 4
Colour Schemes ofr Old Australian Houses
Ian Evans.
ISBN 0 9594923 3 X
Getting The Details Right
Ian Evans
ISBN 1 875253 03 3
WWW.oldhouses.com.au
thanks for the links.
as my house is a weatherboard house of the 1920's does that classify it as a federation house or firbo cottage?
hi Legacy GT - welcome to the forum. I have a fair bit of experience, both firsthand as an owner of a 20's home and advising on the restoration of a couple..... please post some pics of your place as this period was a transitional one therefore your home may have strong federation/Edwardian or Californian Bungalow influence (or neither!)..... It will be important to decide how far you wish to go when undertaking the renovations, because the options are practically limitless. As far as paper resources are concerned, the books mentioned are good - if you wish to achieve an authentic CalaBunga outcome, I strongly recommend you subscribe to American Bungalow magazine - it is spectacular, with fantastic information and images throughout. You can also buy back issues from the publishers, but I have found eBay a goldmine for getting back issues affordably, even factoring in the postage costs. PM me if you'd like to have a more in depth conversation about your project. I will track down a few pics of Calabunga interiors and post them for you now. BTW I have an 03 Legacy GTB
have fun!
as mentioned
also: http://www.ambungalow.com/AmBungalow/home.htm
I will get some extreior shots together and post them shortly.....
it will take a while to get the magazines, scan them and resize/post the pics - better to wait until I hear back as to whether you want to go with Calabunga style or not. In the meantime, here is another link to the style
http://architecture.about.com/library/bl-bungalow.htm
have fun
here is a pic of the outside... http://i14.tinypic.com/4icb8up.jpg
the house is a bit of mix and match atm. i just bought it.
and there are pics of the inside here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/89303063@N00/
those pics of the cowabunga are crazy. mine looks plane jane comparo.
i have a legacy GT of the 95 variety and did a 2.5L STi conversion - seriously needs a tune.
interesting - classic 'cusp' period home, with a federation front door and surround that, once leadlighted would look incredible..... if you could take a few pics of the entire exterior as a whole, it would help get a better idea of what's what. I note the presence of an aluminium column and either plastic or aluminium weatherboards - you may find the original boards are in excellent condition underneath.
Re the US Calabunga's - most Aussie derivatives look plain Jane compared to those. In the US, many CalaBunga's were built by true craftsmen of their time, where many of ours were mere 'hints' of bungalows. My own was dead plain, but by the time I had finished with it, she sported two mezzanines, Clinker fireplace, Rimu lined walls (at 70 degrees), French Provincial kitchen, period bathroom, slate floors in the main living areas blah blah blah blah - and before anyone starts thinking I am a zillionaire, all done over time and on the strictest budget.... from memory the whole reno ended up costing me $30K over 10 years, including the cost of trades. I know such cannot be done these days but you can still save a fortune on stuff. We are completely refurbishing our kitchen, including extending in two areas and totally changing (more than doubling) the size, layout, and all appliances. So far my spreadsheet totals $22K worth of appliance and associated purchases.... I have paid $6500 so far. It takes stealth but it can be done - in our case it HAS to be done.
BTW ours is an 1880 Victorian weatherboard, but if I had my time again I would do another Calabunga and really go nuts. As a compromise, we are introducing arts & crafts (that's what the CalaBunga period is called) style elements like leadlights and so forth...... we ca nget away with this as it is in the newer extended areas and for mine, it's a valid expression of a house changing over time when added on to.
anyway, enough sermon for one day
HAVE FUN! :D:D:D - and do get the chariot tuned..... the alternatives are not pretty at all! Just spent $5K after a radiator hose fell off.....meant to get her serviced the week before we went away, but was too busy wasn't I??? oboy
a few more pics of the old project. In hinsight I wouldve done a number of things very differently, but with no training and limited budget was happy with the overall outcome - the new owners fell in love with it as soon as they saw it, which was good. Cheers
nice work mr zillionaire!!! i likey. looks like alot of sweat!
here is the house from across the road...
http://i11.tinypic.com/35cj6tc.jpg
one of the front yard...
http://i12.tinypic.com/2lvohlg.jpg
the lounge before...
http://i12.tinypic.com/4bofpef.jpg
** note that these pics from real estate posted on the net before i started on it.
i hope to have the house at a level i am happy with within 3 years.
yeah aluminium columns - isnt that wrong for this period of house i was thinking of getting someone to put in timber pillars then i will add some mouldings? to it.
weatherboards are as plastic as a hookers outfit. also wrong for its period? underneath is i think asbestos or some sort of fibre board. doubt there is the old wooden clad under both of those, but there is some remaining in the sleepout part (two walls worth)
Looks like a classic 'Workers Cottage'. They were sound hardwood structures but never flash. Very likely asbestos under the vinyl cladding, which is why people use it, a quick tart up.
Check out other cottages around the area to see what others have done before you start, simplicity can be stylish and not cost a lot, the outside will be you major cost.
Looks a cutie, though pink don't quite do it for me.
Good luck
first thing i did was get rid of the textured peachy pink paint!!!
can be seen here i think... http://www.flickr.com/photos/89303063@N00/
workers cottage hey!? hmmm. any more info on them?
i seen plenty other one still with their wood cladding and painted up smick.
got the aircon installed! and had to use it today. when they did the install i found out the roof and walls are insulated woo hoo. thats just the lounge tho.
see the leadlight doors in the pink picture? recon i should restore them or get rid of me for new doors? yes they are 720mm in width so i can replace them easily!
while I certainly appreciate the workmanship that went into making those doors, I fee like I am in Gradma's place each time I look at them :D:D - Would you replace them with Arts and Crafts style doors or just a regular pair of French doors? (or solids?) ........... or am I reading it wrong and that is just a single door? I couldn't see the doors well in any of the other pics.
have fun
regarding the columns - I 'believe' you have two on the front yeah? If so, I think one will be alleged decoration only, so you may want to think about reinstating it to original with a single outer brick column, that tapers to the top, or a brick pier with a pair of square dressed 4 or 5 inch posts.
???? that flower is passionfruit.
@seriph1: yeah i feel the same but i seen it quite a bit in homes around the suburb. got any pics of some good art and craft style doors? i was thinking white 10 glass panel french doors if anything new. yes they is french to the kitchen - 2 x 720mm doors
@seriph1: i'd prolly lean towards the brick pier with the dressed posts. and then put some of those wood mouldings.
@namtrack: yes i believe they are. found them down the street. didnt know what they were till i saw in the Sunday times lifestyle liftout. around my suburb are many fruit trees - massive mulberries and blueberries, lotsa lemons, mandarins, paw paw, macadamia, figs, grapes. i think there were alot of italians in these parts to perth? I have banana, lemon, apricot (i think), macadamia and overhanging from the neighbour some juicy grapes.
I will dig some up and post - or a website where you can see them
a few ideas here:
http://www.alpineglass.com/doors/arts_and_crafts/
http://www.jeld-wen.com/_pdf/brochur..._craftsman.pdf
http://www.pompeiglass.com/images/in...20door-web.pdf
Not all of these are links to Craftsman style or Arts & Crafts style doors only, but you will see what I am driving at..... man, the Yanks do some bloody nice work on a big scale.
here are the doors in full.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/89303063@N00/291451083/
will cost about $380 to fix them up. there is about 11 panels missing or cracked. worth it? replacing them i'd be happy to do if i could sell these and recover some costs.
im not really into the art and craft door style for french. but i do like some of the glassed doors in the pompeiglass site.
hmmmmmmmm!!!!????
i'll think long and hard about this... again
Hi LegacyGT,
We have a 1920's Edwardian house cottage in South Perth. After 28 years ownership we have just about finished restoring and rennovating and I can see you have a lot to do. Our (coloured "windmill theme" leadlighting) required a fair bit of repairing but has been well worth it and really makes the place especially at night.
RE Leadlight doors. It depends how authentic you want to be in your restoration. Personally I would keep those doors. You might find that scraping the old finish off the timber lightens them up a little reducing the "grandama" effect.
We got a lot of our ideas from looking at houses in the neighborhood and kept the retorations and rennovations as simple as possible.
Howdy BobL,
Got any pics of your eddie? im not too far in vic park. a friend has a block on lawler st near you. Yes alot of work - is an understatement!
yeah i we have decided that we are gonna repair these doors and paint them white. then make the decision.
i havent been to many houses as yet but will do. plenty of home opens now that the market has kinda slowed down (but still the interest rate rises)
BTW: perth is the best place on earth
Be a shame to get rid of them, they are classic art deco 1920s and go with the house. Either renovate in period or go totally out, depends on what you like and how the market will see it if you are doing a reno & sell. I like them but that's just me.