The building age of a house and its aesthetic don’t have to be perfectly related. After all, as we’ve seen from the recent Notre Dame restoration after the cathedral suffered a massive fire, heavy restoration work can take place, and it won’t impact the perceived historical and aesthetic age of the property.
Moreover, revival properties are known for cultivating the past but with modern construction standards, or perhaps integrating an architectural language that isn’t actually relevant to that specific area or time.
But if you already have a new build, constructed with brand new aesthetic credentials, can you age the property without waiting for time to have its way, or causing any undue damage? We believe that’s more than possible to achieve, even if it does take some focus to make it look right, and to use the kind of materials most suitable for your area.
With that in mind, please consider:
Stone Masonry
Stone can add a real sense of age to a property, but it needs to be handled with care. Using it in the wrong place or with a finish that looks too new can make the whole effect feel off. That’s why it’s helpful to look into the kinds of stone commonly found in your region, then make sure what you choose blends properly with the surroundings.
A stone masonry contractor can offer advice on that, as they’ll usually have a better understanding of how to make the work feel grounded in the right era, and focus on getting the detail right, be that on columns, facades, steps or boundary walls.
Brickwork & Beams
Bricks can be decorative as part of your structure, too. Different types and colours can suggest different decades, and if they’re arranged with a little unevenness or age to them, they can suggest a longer history than the house actually has. You may add a wall around your driveway, for instance, then match that to the brickwork on the house.
Adding timber beams can help too, especially if they’re rough-cut or have natural markings that suggest they’ve had past use. Reclaimed materials can add something here, but it’s worth making sure they’ve been properly treated and checked to ensure they’re appropriate for decoration. You can just add a few if you like to make the house feel like its part of a wider timeline.
Landscaping & Garden Features
Of course, gardens are timeless, and you can really hint at a certain era with your efforts. Some examples can include winding paths with weathered stones, iron gates that have been weathered for aestehtic purposes, or an old bench tucked under ivy. These things can be introduced gradually, with plants that grow slowly and don’t feel too placed.
Moreover, water features or rockeries that seem slightly softened by time help everything settle into the space a little better. This is good because it doesn’t look like a pastiche either, it’s more like a lived-in exterior, without feeling too polished. Be sure to consult with a local landscaper even if your garden is small, because they can do more than you think.
With this advice, you’ll be certain to age the aesthetic of a newer property without harming it.