Preserving Texas History: Restoring Historic Homes With Modern Comforts

Are you one of the lucky and ambitious few Texans who live in a historic home and want to remodel and revive it?

Texas is home to many historic properties dating back to the 1800s. Whether it’s a Victorian, Craftsman, Spanish Colonial, or Mid-Century home, restoring a historic building is about honoring the past while embracing modern functionality. The key is to preserve the architectural integrity while making it comfortable for today’s living. 

Jim Bland Construction explains how to achieve that balance.  

Popular Historic Home Design in Texas

There are several types of popular historic homes in Texas. 

The most common include: 

• Victorian: 1880 to 1910

• Tudor: 1890 to 1940

• Craftsman: 1905 to 1930

• Post-War Cottages: 1940 to 1950

• Mid-Century Modern: 1933 to 1965

• Farmhouse: Rooted in Texas history

• Ranch Style: Various designs, from rustic cabins to traditional Victorian forms

When choosing to remodel your historic home, make sure you follow any historical guidelines that may apply. 

There are over 16,000 Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks, so you must follow the rules if your home is one of these. 

Unique Details in Texan Historic Homes

Because of Texas’s unique location within the United States, early settlers made do with the materials they could acquire in the area, which differed from the homes built on the East Coast. 

The original details on these Texas homes were handcrafted, such as original hardwood floors and distinctive architectural styles. Many homes in Texas feature wood paneling, stone flooring, and exposed brick walls. 

Many Texas homes also had open floor plans with asymmetrical layouts, and they were built with old-growth trees, which were used to build strong, longer-lasting houses. 

To maintain your home’s historical uniqueness while remodeling, Jim Bland Construction, a custom home builder and remodeler in Waco, Texas, has some recommendations about preserving your home while adding modern touches.

Respect the Home’s Architectural Identity

1. Before beginning any remodeling project, always research the home’s original design, materials, and layout before making changes. 

2. You can also work with a historical preservation expert to restore details like molding, trim, doors, and windows. 

3. Avoid drastic exterior changes if possible – keep porches, columns, and facades intact. 

Update Systems Without Compromising History

Internal home systems such as electrical, plumbing, and smart home features can be upgraded without compromising the integrity of your home. When handling your plumbing and electrical upgrades, conceal the modern components behind existing walls. 

For HVAC, consider ductless mini-splits or in-floor heating to avoid disrupting historic walls and ceilings. 

If you want to include smart home features, use hidden wiring and retro-style smart switches to blend old with new. 

Preserve & Restore Original Materials

If possible, try to preserve and restore original materials in the home before replacing them entirely. Unless they are too far gone, there are ways to restore old floors and stone to make them look newer. 

Hardwood floors can be refinished instead of replaced, or reclaimed wood can be used to replace them if necessary. Bricks and stones can be cleaned and repaired, maintaining the home’s historic charm. 

Windows are a different matter, as old windows tend to warp and can be very inefficient. If you can, restore the original wood windows and add energy-efficient storm windows. If not, work with an experienced home restoration company to replace the windows with modern, energy-efficient windows.  

Modernize Kitchens & Bathrooms With Vintage Flair

Choose vintage flair over extreme modern features while upgrading and remodeling the kitchens and bathrooms. 

For example, consider choosing a Texas farmhouse-style kitchen over a stark one. Farmhouse kitchens are classic Texas, with cozy features and a welcoming atmosphere. 

For bathrooms, you can still create a comfortable oasis while embracing historical charm. To maintain your home's historical aesthetic, you can use period-appropriate tiles, fixtures, and lighting. 

You can also install hidden modern appliances in these rooms, like paneled refrigerators, farmhouse sinks, and clawfoot tubes.

Expand Thoughtfully With Seamless Additions

If you want to add an addition to your historical Texas home, you will need an expert home remodeler to help. 

When designing your addition, choose additions that will complement the original architecture. Use matching materials, rooflines, and window styles to ensure harmony throughout the entire house. 

You can also consider a detached guest house or rear extension to preserve the main home’s character.

Improve Energy Efficiency Without Major Alterations

Historical homes are not the best at energy efficiency, and without some alternations, it can be very expensive to heat and cool throughout the year, and your energy bills may be higher for electricity. 

There are some alterations you can make to help these problems:

• Upgrade your windows with historically accurate storm windows instead of replacing the originals. 

• For lighting, swap out fixtures for LED Edison bulbs to maintain an old-world look with modern efficiency. 

• To improve your home’s energy efficiency in conjunction with HVAC, consider using spray foam insulation or cellulose insulation in the attic and crawl space, as these types of insulation can be installed without disturbing plaster walls. 

Schedule Your Historic Home Remodel With Jim Bland Construction

By respecting the original craftsmanship of your historic home, you can incorporate modern conveniences and create a timeless, functional home full of history. Thoughtful remodeling ensures the charm and heritage of Texas’s historic homes live on for generations. 

That’s why the right choice is choosing Jim Bland Construction for your historic home remodel in Texas. We have over 50 years of experience building and remodeling custom homes, always using innovative home designs and quality craftsmanship.

We are proud of our local roots right here in Waco, Texas, and we would love to help you preserve your historical home to carry on Texas’s historical legacy!

Request more information about our services online or give us a call at 254-772-6508 to talk to one our experienced team members.