Tips for Doing a Historic Renovation

Wallpapered wall with archway entrance and retro fridge through archway

Written by Autumn Krause

Photography by Hector Sanchez

Old homes whisper their stories, no matter how dilapidated they might be. With a historic renovation, they can continue to share their wisdom for generations to come. Historic homes also show the beauty of mending something as opposed to simply throwing it away.

This is what inspires Sara McDaniel of Simply Southern Cottage. She’s the mind behind our Louisiana Project House: The Villas at Spanish Court. This philosophy gives purpose to her historic renovation of the eight 1930s villas. “So many modern homes lack the quality and characteristics of the villas,” Sara says. “They connect us to an intimate, thoughtful way of living.”

Old room halfway done for historic renovation with beautiful mantel in place — Each mantel was refinished in the same way no matter the condition. “We restored them and went back over them with new stucco,” Sara says. She also adds, “for this particular one, I personally sanded pink paint off the bricks.”

Living room historic renovation with new fireplace and wallpaper — Each mantel was refinished in the same way no matter the condition. “We restored them and went back over them with new stucco,” Sara says. She also adds, “for this particular one, I personally sanded pink paint off the bricks.”

Tip 1: Consider the Amount of Work Before You Start

However, old homes oftentimes require a lot of love and TLC. A historic renovation is not for the faint of heart. “The pieces that make a home functional oftentimes are not there,” Sara says. “Plumbing, air conditioning, and lighting are necessary for modern life but usually need to be replaced, added, or fixed in old homes.”

In addition, hazards like asbestos and lead paint are hallmarks of period and must be remediated for safety purposes. Other features like antique windows are usually not efficient.

Before picture of historic renovation with archway — Existing plaster was removed from the arches and they were taken down to their studs. “Some of the archways were completely ravished by termites so we had to rebuild ‘the innards’ and then went back on top with sheetrock and paint and/or wallpaper,” Sara says.

Archway restored with wallpaper in greens and blues — Existing plaster was removed from the arches and they were taken down to their studs. “Some of the archways were completely ravished by termites so we had to rebuild ‘the innards’ and then went back on top with sheetrock and paint and/or wallpaper,” Sara says.

Tip 2: Reuse and Restore When Possible

Sara approaches historic renovations by trying preserve what she can—and when she can’t, she repurposes fixtures in creative ways. For example, in her personal cottage, she put displaced doors in other areas, using one for her office and the other for her closet.

In progress of a historic renovation with inside not done but exterior in process — This is the front entrance to The Piper villa, which is sponsored by Piper Classics. All the original little awnings had to be rebuilt because the original ones were beyond repair due to being exposed to the elements and termites. “My carpenters rebuilt the awing as an exact replica and then matched the composite tile roof shingles here,” Sara says. “The ironwork was repainted and re-secured back in its original location.” You can see a house peeking out over the roofline and we think Sara may have plans for that Victorian as well so stay tuned to her social media.

Tip 3: Don’t Forget Landscaping

Another way she mindfully implements a historic renovation is by caring for the home inside and out. “Landscape is an important part of a historic renovation and something people don’t always consider,” she says. Yuccas growing in front of the villas have been there since 1931. She has kept them as part of the Villas’ design. “My guess is that the yuccas have been there since 1931, so it was important to keep them too!” she says.

Historic renovation bathroom with original tile and new shower surround

With a little intentionality, a historic renovation gives back twofold, allowing old homes to have both a present and a future—and let us truly cherish something as opposed to replacing it.

Want to hear more about this restoration project? Check out the history of the Villas at Spanish Court! And stay tuned by following us on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook too!

Tags

historic farmhouse historic home historic home renovation Project House Project House Louisiana

Author Bio

Autumn Krause

Autumn Krause is a writer and young adult author from Orange County, California. Her debut novel, A DRESS FOR THE WICKED, is out now from HarperTeen Autumn also has another book coming out in Fall 2025 that will soon be formally announced. Her social account is dedicated to the craft of writing and connecting with other authors. She loves gothic romance and spending time with her husband and two children. Most often, she can be found wearing a black lace dress and boots. Other times, she can be found with lanterns in the tradition of Emily Dickinson, searching for herself and stories.