7 essential steps to modernising your Queenslander

1. Don’t rush to judge

Upon buying an older home, your first instinct may be to make drastic changes to the layout. Live in the house for a while and get used to its quirks. Make an inventory of the house’s strengths and challenges. Then you can address the latter while preserving the former.

2. Address urgent maintenance problems first

Before you undertake any new work, you must fix anything that is compromising your existing structure. Rectifying leaking roofs, failing defences against termites, water damage, faulty electrical wiring and structural failures must take priority.

3. Don’t overdo things

If the house has been unsympathetically renovated, undertake some research in to how your house would have looked when it was first built. Ideally find original plans or photographs but if that’s not feasible then refer to comparable properties. Use the research to guide you to find details that will look like they belong.

4. Respect original details

If you find elements such as original wallpaper and friezes, document them for reference. Unless your home is registered, you don’t have to preserve original schemes throughout but you may find they can be retained in places or they can provide inspiration for your new scheme.

5. Retain the original proportions

Don’t insert elements that aren’t the right scale. Built in cabinetry should be framed around the original mouldings so they can be removed later without damaging the fabric. Unfitted or freestanding kitchen units can make spaces work where traditional window sills might be too low for modern benches. Freestanding baths, positioned away from the wall, look fabulous and may avoid unnecessary alterations.

6. Conceal technology

Budget for, and make the most of, new technology that is better designed, smaller and hence less obtrusive. Fortunately developments in rechargeable batteries have eliminated the need for wiring for some lighting solutions. Acrylic switch plates are an elegant alternative to metal.

7. Don’t go stark white or too shiny

Colour schemes in older homes were more varied and vibrant than today’s taste for pared back whiteness. However modern renovators often choose whites that are too cool and hard for an older home which needs to blur the edges with warmer undertones. Likewise hardware in chrome or brushed metal will look discordant.

In conclusion

A truly great renovation will celebrate an original home and present it to its best effect, while updating it to meet modern lifestyle needs. There’s no reason not to introduce bold contrasts such as a piece of contemporary art or a modernist rug, but it’s the integrity of the original home that will allow these elements to shine.