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After
serving for some years, an old apartment or a bungalow turns to look dull and
dreary both in terms of maintenance as well as ambience.Few of its old structures having outgrown
their novelty and utility, turns intruding and causes inconvenience. But it is
undeniable that they are capable of once again regaining their old glory
bringing back many an unforgettable memory.
This is
possible by judiciously renovating the structures while keeping untouched the
skeletal frame work.However, restructuring an old dwelling has its own
challenges because many factors are to be looked into before the start.The
structure should be strong enough to withstand the strain of renovation. Then
various negative and positive aspects of the house with an emphasis on factors
that are currently found lacking should be looked into.
It is but
natural that older buildings are in possession of many columns and plenty of
doors. Due to the presence of the old-fashioned windows that are small in size and
with plenty of bars, the spread of light was limited.But one common positive
factor found in most of the older buildings is their high ceilings. This is
advantageous while renovating, for
raising the window size will let in more light and air.
Generally
the living room will be spacious, while the rooms are smaller and appear
cramped.Kitchens too reflect the same
condition, being tucked into the rear part of the house.Bathrooms can be a cause for concern with the
toilet area demarcated as a separate entity.Staircases, if present, are made of
solid concrete which will be not only ruining the look but also unnecessarily
occupying precious space.The design of the house might not have been
efficiently planned, enabling the best possible use of the available space.
Apartments
can have a slight advantage in terms of a better structure and design, when
compared to the individual houses.So renovation in apartments might need just
changing the interiors.Once the aspects that need restructuring or redesigning
have been identified, the extent or type of change that has to come about would
have to be worked out. The most crucial factor before commencement of any kind
of alteration, is the consideration of the age of the building. For this will
have a bearing on what is possible and what is not.
Just to
start with, unwanted walls and doors should be removed so that different rooms
could be integrated into one. This will automatically bring in more light into
the rooms. If a particular wall is required for privacy, glass blocks or an
aesthetically structured glass partition can be used in place of the existing
wall. This will not only provide privacy but also continue to bring in the
light and create an illusion of space.
The old
window shutters can be removed and replaced with clear glass and aluminum panels as they would let in more light
besides giving a lighter feel. If it is needed and if it is possible, the
windows can be widened. If the bars fixed in them can be dispensed with, it
should be done. But at the same time the
safety aspect also should be borne in mind while retaining them. Then the bars
can be made more simple to give a less caged-in look.
Redoing the
Floor
The floors
can be redone using light coloured tiles so as to make the room appear
brighter. The defects on the walls can be covered with textured paint and here
also the colour should be light.
The kitchen
can be integrated into the living room, by making it an open one. An open
kitchen besides lending a contemporary look, gives a feeling of more space both
in the kitchen, as well as the dining area.The other problem of having a badly illuminated kitchen too is
solved.The open kitchen can be
demarcated from the rest of the living room by a bar counter or a breakfast
counter. If a voluminous concrete staircase prevails, the best option would be
to break down the structure and replace it with either steel or spiral. This
will give a light feel to the structure besides throwing open the space
beneath.
For the
entire interior whether it is furniture or the wardrobe, it will be best to use
light colours. If a bedroom or living room overlooks a garden, the existing
windows or door could be replaced by French windows.The French windows opening
onto a patio overlooking a garden would lend a contemporary and calm-down look
and naturally the utility factor of such a patio would be increased.The old-fashioned wardrobes in these
buildings could be broken down to make way for more contemporary ones which
will be a sensible option.Also the dark
corners or passages in a bedroom could be converted into a walk-in closet.
It would
have been so constructed that a badly illuminated corridor will lead into the bedrooms.Since such a passage does not
have the scope to let in natural light, it is a good idea to use opaque glass
doors for the bedrooms. These doors can also be made sound proof to ensure both
privacy and silence in the rooms.The
glass doors let in natural light into the passage from the bedroom, while glass
also has the ability of giving a more open feeling to the passage when compared
with heavy wooden doors.
Rewiring
The major
factor that needs attention and correction in both old apartments and bungalows
is the electrical circuit.In most cases, the wiring is old and faulty making
use of modern gadgets and additional electrical fittings risky and inviting
fire hazards.The type of lighting and light fixtures used can make a huge
impact on the end result.The proper and right kind of lighting can actually
transform the ambience of a room.Similarly, the structure and fittings used in the Bathrooms have a
direct role to play in determining the extent of modernization that the
concerned household has gone through.
Before
renovating the bathrooms, the wet and dry areas need to be clearly defined. If
the bathroom is smaller it will be practical to restrict it to a wash area as
including a bath can make it further crowded, and thereby minimizing its
functional aspect.Doubtlessly old houses or apartments would be having plenty
of furniture which could be cleverly restructured or made to look new with just
a coat of polish.In haste old furniture should not be thrown away. It is best to see to what extent the existing furniture can be
adapted to the renewed premises.
In some instances,
a small apartment may house a joint family where the most embarrassing issue is
the lack of individual private space.But the non-availability of more space does not afford allocation of
individual spaces. This can be met to some extent by earmarking specific
corners, especially by the windows for specific purposes as well as persons.
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