What To Keep, And What To Get Rid Of, When You Renovate An Old House 

by guest contributor Kelly Priaulx

There are lots of big decisions to be made when you renovate an old house, and some can't be undone so you have to get them right first time. No one knows this better than Kelly Priaulx, creator of the insightful and beautifully styled fiveandafarmhouse, who left a career in Architecture and Interior Design to raise her three children and renovate her 17th century Guernsey farmhouse.

Kelly urges caution before you give into the urge to dive in and rip everything out of your new home, sharing insights on what you might want to hold onto - as well as listing the things you definitely want to get rid of.

 

 

Old houses are the gifts that keep on giving, and – let's be clear – they keep on taking, too (hi there, empty bank account, I’m talking about you). If you are embarking on renovating an old house – whether it’s a farmhouse or a cottage steeped in history – think of yourself as its caretaker.

You are the newly appointed custodian of those walls and floors that have been there longer than Ant and Dec have been on TV (but doesn’t that feel like forever?). Those unwelcome leaks and layers of painted over wallpaper are now your responsibility, and oh what a wonderful opportunity you have been given. No hint of sarcasm there, at all. Maybe a little.

 

 

The most expensive thing you now own may well be hundreds of years old. It goes without saying that, like every other owner it has had lovingly caressing its crumbling walls, you are going to want to modernise it; bring it up to scratch, make sure the electrics aren’t a fire hazard, and the roof won’t fly off in the next named storm. 

There will likely be a desire to get in and rip everything out to start again, but before giving in to those urges, I would ask you to think of your new journey first and foremost as a restoration, not a renovation. That way, you will always put her first (yep, I personify bricks and mortar, I’m that type of girl). Have a little think about the below before hiring those heavy duty machines. 

 

 

Here's what to keep...

The Floorplan.

I am of the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mentality here. If a house has had the same layout configuration for hundreds of years – even fifty – it is obviously doing something right. Whilst modern day living has seen a surge in open-plan living, if your two hundred year old farmhouse has been divided into separate rooms for as long as it has, do you really need to upset the apple cart? 

 

The Features.

Beams, panelling, fireplaces, furze ovens, flagstone floors – all features that people building new builds spend thousands to include. So, if you have any or all of the above in your old house, and even if you are under no obligation from heritage to keep them, I would always recommend it anyway.  

Those features hold history, they tell a story, they become a focal point in your interior design. Centuries worth of families may have gathered around that Inglenook fireplace, and as its new custodian it is your job to find a way to sympathetically bring it into the new era. 

 

The Bones.

Remember, restoration not renovation. When you buy an old house the likelihood is it will need remedial works. Minor, if you’re lucky. Major, if you’re feeling brave. If it is the case that the house needs to be gutted (such a brutal term to use, I know) but her external walls can survive, consider it. If she is listed, you won’t have a choice but to consult our heritage department to advise.  

 

Things You Find In The Walls.

This ranges from old thimbles and broadsheet clippings to headless hammers and crumbling forks. We discovered a rather broad supply of discarded alcohol bottles when we began renovating, and whilst I am fairly certain there is nothing historically significant about them, I kept them all and used them as vases.  

This is obviously not applicable to outdated building materials, most of which has a rather questionable material content by todays standards. Which leads me to my next set of points - 

 

 

And here's what to get rid of...

Asbestos.

This is one major building material that you want nowhere near you. If you are demolishing walls and ripping out old coverings, the likelihood is you are going to come across some of this nasty stuff. I won’t terrify you with the health implications of breathing it in, but take the safe approach and hire a professional to assess your property before undertaking any works that mean you may disturb it. 

 

Outdated Electrics And Plumbing.

Unless you are a certified electrician or plumber, here is where you need to shelve the DIY and call in a professional. Why? Because outdated electrics can be a fire hazard, and outdated plumbing can cause leaks, costing you - n the long run - a lot of money and upset. Remember the core of these utilities run behind the walls, hidden, so you may not see an issue until it is too late. 

 

Preconceived Ideas.

Whatever you think you know about old houses, think again, because owning one and being responsible for it is a whole other kettle of fish. But it is a kettle most definitely worth diving into (with the right mind-set, skills and tolerance level).  

 

 

Hi! I'm Kelly, aka wife to one, mum to three, daughter to two and sister to three. In 2015 I left a career in Architecture and Interior Design to raise my children. In 2019, unable to leave the design world behind, I started my Instagram @fiveandafarmhouse to satisfy my creative cravings and give me an outlet that wasn’t related to a pint sized human (or a very needy – but very cute – full sized one).

My blog followed shortly after when I realised that, whilst my husband doesn’t share my enthusiasm for blue chairs and wooden ducks, some people out there do!