Whether you’ve got a stunning ornate front door leading into your house or Victorian fire surrounds, if you own a period property it’s important that you try to keep as many period features as you can when redecorating – or you could actually reduce the value of the house and make it less appealing to potential buyers later down the line.

Note that it’s highly possible you’ll have regulations you’ll need to adhere to when it comes to renovating your older house, so always check with your local council and/or building authority before you start work, or you could be in for a bit of a shock in the future. You’d also be wise to hire a builder that has a lot of experience with renovating period homes, as they’ll be more sensitive to what work needs to be done and what needs to be preserved.

If you do have an older home, chances are that you’ve got some amazing windows that let in a lot of light. Try to keep the original ones if you can and have them restored if need be, rather than rip them out and replace them with new ones. Stained glass and Art Deco designs are often found in homes of a certain age and it would be a shame to take them out unless absolutely necessary.

Fireplaces in particular are worth preserving if at all possible, since they make a brilliant focal point for a room. And just because you keep the period features in your home doesn’t mean that your interior decor has to be dated or old-fashioned. You can give your house a contemporary facelift and still retain the period look and feel at the same time. In fact, the juxtaposition of the two can really make your house come alive in a unique and exciting way.