12 Expert Tips to Make a New House Look Old

Rather than installing new hardwood floors, consider reclaimed wood panels, which are typically sourced from old barns, warehouses or factories. “The texture, color and wear add an element of lived-in luxury that you really don’t see in spec homes,” says Kristin Harrison, owner of Bungalow 10 Interiors.

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Checkerboard flooring, a style that’s been around for centuries, feels classic and timeless. Here, Jean Stoffer and Grace Start of Stoffer Design set marble pavers diagonally to draw the eye. “I love their antiqued chiseled edges,” says Stoffer. “It makes the tile look original.”

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A stained glass window panel adds unexpected elegance to this Art Deco-inspired kitchen. Designer Melissa Wood’s clients used hooks and medium-weight chains to hang this vintage panel, which adds privacy without reducing natural light.

SHOP STAIN GLASS PANELS

Here, content creator Erika Vér from @peonyandhoney attempts to emulate Victorian architectural details while maintaining a modern feel in her home. Crown molding, picture molding and tall baseboards, plus antique decor and artwork, bring vintage flair into this living room.

Floral wallpaper isn’t just for your grandma’s house. Ranging from delicate patterns to moody foliage, floral wallpaper has become a popular choice as homeowners move away from plain white walls and ceilings.

To complete this vintage-inspired powder room, Stoffer Design used a console sink and faucet in brushed bronze, hung an antique gilded mirror and painted the beadboard paneling in Sherwin-Williams’ Evergreen Fog.

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Add historic character to an entryway by repurposing an antique door. In this Italian home by Hatchet Design + Build, the homeowners sourced these locally salvaged, hand-carved wood doors. Plus, they added a hand-painted harlequin pattern on the floor and hung a family heirloom ceiling light.

Make your house feel cozier by faking a fireplace, whether you build a purely decorative mantel or incorporate an electric or gas fireplace insert. Construct a vintage-inspired mantel from scratch using plaster or wood, or source an antique mantel (or one that just looks antique).

To complete this charming interior, Hatchet Design + Build hung an ornate gold mirror over the white mantel.

SHOP FIREPLACE MANTEL

Renters take note! If you’ve got simple white walls, there are ways to inject personality without permanently altering your space. Artwork and lighting fixtures can make a huge impact in any space.

Here, designer Lindsay Sherbondy pairs a vintage dining set with oversized artwork and two lantern sconces.

Give your front porch a fresh (yet rustic) look by painting a classic checkerboard pattern. “I think painted floors of any kind add age to a house,” says blogger Annie Diamond of Most Lovely Things. “It usually means you’re covering up something you would have in an old house, but it doesn’t have to be that.”