If you are considering renovating a brownstone or a Pre-War apartment, you may be told that restoring old floors, doors or lighting is too expensive and that you can save money by buying new. But often, the decision to restore or replace is much more a personal and aesthetic decision than a cost-based one; with some research and focus, Pre-War details can often be saved within a reasonable budget, gaining you an enhanced and aesthetically pleasing environment.
As an interior designer and preservationist, I favor salvaging and restoring historic detail of what remains of our brownstones and Pre-World War II buildings. But I also am cost conscious. Remodeling involves prioritizing and balancing costs and benefits, spending more here, spending less there. New is not always better than old. If you are comparing prices, make sure you are comparing apples with apples, materials with materials, as older materials are often higher in quality—wood grain is tighter, doors are thicker, carvings are more concise.
In the brownstone below, we re-created missing historic details. Then, the interior design called for a mix of the owner’s antiques, and used an old trick of employing a metallic wallpaper to reflect light from the period-appropriate chandelier (with LED light bulbs, of course!).
How is this project sustainable? Well, we saved the landfills by not trashing the doors; we relocated the wainscotting, some of which had been removed, and we got a beautiful, warm and comfortable home. We insulated the walls and used energy efficient appliances, installed a partial green roof and removed some pavement from the backyard, in a nod towards enhancing water quality (more on this in later posts!).
The story of these incredible pocket doors is a case in point. We spent a bit of cash on replicating the missing part of the panel and then blending it seamlessly with the old and saved the entire set of doors. The cost was more than it would have been if we had ripped out both doors and thrown them out, but we gained the ability to close off the dining room from the kitchen, for occasional entertaining. If you do decide to buy new, don’t forget to add in the cost of the new material, including shipping and installation, dumpster and demolition costs. Often new doors have to be special ordered anyway (and therefore more expensive) because the ceiling of most brownstones and Pre-War buildings are higher than standard sizes.
If the overall look you are going for is traditional, transitional or eclectic, by restoring and repurposing original materials, you will gain an interior space with character and warmth, while reducing the burden of extra waste in our landfills, in addition to other environmental benefits.
This floor is the 1980’s replacement floor—too red and damaged in places
This floor is more like the original, herringbone, oak floor—a much warmer feel
brass andirons that were yellow in color
antique brass andirons, similar to those at left, dipped in silver-nickel to match finish in rest of room
Even if you decide to jettison old doors, don’t overlook removing and polishing the original hardware. Old hardware also is usually of superior quality, dollar for dollar, than buying new. It is less expensive to clean a pair of original door handles or lock set which you already own for $35 than to buy new brass hardware for over $100 each, and the color and beauty of the vintage hardware is unsurpassed. If you want a silver nickel finish but you have yellow brass, you can even have the brass ones dipped, like the andirons shown here.
There are many local salvage yards where you can find 19th and early 20th century hardware, mantels, banisters, fences, gates and lighting. If you don’t have the time or energy to look for them yourself, find an architect or interior designer that is knowledgeable and willing to do it for you. Sometimes vintage items are less expensive than new similar items, and the style will be consistent and look like it belongs in your new home.
Finally, if you like historic detailing, look for architects, contractors and interior designers that actually like historic buildings and know something about them. If they love the set of 2001 Space Odyssey and you love Pride and Prejudice, it might not be a match made in heaven. Buying and renovating any house or apartment (even new ones) is a difficult process not unlike giving birth – it hurts a lot but is more than worth it in the end! A year or two down the line, you can admire the intricacy of the carvings and take in the warmth and inviting atmosphere that a restored and decorated brownstone or Pre-War apartment can offer.
Coming UP on future blogs from Sustainable Homes+Yards
Brownstones—stack effect and ventilation
Hidden Environmental and Economic Benefits of Reusing and Repurposing in the Construction Process
Window Replacement Issues
Energy Efficiency and Insulation
Decorating a Brownstone—Maximize the Positives
