Key Points
- The single biggest modernization move on most old houses is opening up the main floor by removing or reconfiguring the walls between the kitchen, dining, and living areas.
- For most dated homes, reconfiguring the existing footprint delivers more modernization per dollar than adding square footage with a major addition.
- Refinishing original wood floors, replacing builder-grade balusters and handrails, and updating the fireplace are some of the highest-impact details that make an old house actually read as modern.
Modern Moves for a House With a Past
Does your house still have a closed-off kitchen, a formal dining room nobody uses, and finishes that scream the year it was built? Are you wondering where to actually start when the whole place feels stuck in another decade?
In this post, you’ll learn the highest-impact moves Bunn & Sons Custom Builders uses to modernize old homes from the inside out.
By the end, you’ll know which renovation ideas deliver the biggest payoff for your remodel.
How to Modernize an Old House
Modernizing an old house comes down to 7 high-impact moves:
- Open up the main floor between the kitchen, dining, and living areas.
- Modernize the kitchen as the anchor of the new open layout.
- Rebuild the primary bath and any half-baths.
- Refinish original wood floors or replace them where needed.
- Update the fireplace, balusters, and handrails.
- Reconfigure the mudroom, laundry, and half-bath.
- Decide whether to reconfigure your footprint or add square footage.
Open Up the Floor Plan Before You Touch Anything Else
The single biggest modernization move on most old homes is removing the walls that chop up the main floor.
We specialize in transforming 1990s floor plans through whole-home modernizations and major first-floor reconfigurations, so this is almost always where we start.
Why Open Layouts Are the Modernization Move
A huge share of homes in the Broomfield and Broadlands area were built in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the most dated feature of that housing stock is the compartmentalized main floor with a formal dining room nobody uses.
Opening it up gives you a real living space for how families actually use a home today.
Open It Up Without Moving Structure When You Can
Sometimes the right move is widening a doorway or removing a non-structural divider that was only there to define the dining room.
Reconfiguring the existing footprint optimizes your budget and protects the structural integrity of the house.
How We’ve Opened Up Old Layouts
On a whole-home and kitchen remodel in Broomfield, we created a more open layout without requiring structural changes by reconfiguring the existing footprint.
Modernize the Kitchen as the Anchor of the New Layout
Once you open up the main floor, the kitchen becomes the visual center of the house.
Modernizing it is what makes the new open plan actually read as modern, and it’s where most of your renovation budget goes.
Expand the Kitchen Footprint Into the Space You Opened
When you take out a dining room wall, you’ve handed your kitchen new square footage to work with.
Use it for a larger island, a real pantry, or a dedicated coffee bar.
Custom Millwork Is Where Modernization Shows
A custom range hood, a built-in coffee bar, or paneled appliance fronts double as focal points and keep the kitchen from reading builder-grade.
How We’ve Modernized Old Kitchens
- On a 1920s home in Boulder, we redesigned the kitchen with an expanded footprint to match how the homeowners actually used the space.
- On a different project, we built a custom wood range hood and a custom coffee bar as the focal points of the redesigned kitchen.
Rebuild the Bathrooms With Current Materials
Bathrooms date an old house almost as fast as kitchens.
If you only renovate one bath, make it the primary, but the half-bath on the main floor is what guests actually see.
Primary Bath
Modern bathrooms lean on clean materials over fussy ones.
A frameless glass shower, classic subway tile, and a simple stone or quartz vanity top read modern without locking you into a trend that ages out fast.
Half-Baths and Secondary Baths
The main-floor half-bath is small, which means a full refresh costs less than most homeowners expect.
New tile, a new vanity, and good lighting transform the space your guests judge first.
How We’ve Modernized Bathrooms in Old Homes
On our Boulder remodel, the primary bath features a frameless glass shower and classic subway tile.
Refinish the Floors and Update the Architectural Details
Floors and trim do as much work as kitchens and baths for how modern your old house actually feels.
The trick is knowing when to save what’s already there versus replace it.
Refinish Existing Wood Floors at Scale
If your old house has original wood floors, refinishing almost always beats replacement on cost and on character.
Refinishing the full main level in one pass keeps the color and sheen matched seam-to-seam.
Replace Flooring Where Refinishing Isn’t Viable
When existing floors are too thin, water-damaged, or covered in vinyl tile glued to the subfloor, replacement is the right call.
Maple, oak, and engineered hardwoods all read modern in an old home as long as the plank width and stain match the era you’re going for.
Update the Small Architectural Details
Builder-grade balusters, dated handrails, and a 1990s fireplace surround are some of the loudest tells of an unmodernized home.
Updating these details often makes a bigger visual difference than any other small move in the house.
How We’ve Refreshed Floors and Details in Old Homes
- We refinished 1,400 square feet of hardwood, replaced the balusters and handrails, and updated the fireplace.
- We refinished 1,200 square feet of oak flooring across the main level.
- On a project where the original floors weren’t worth saving, we installed maple hardwood throughout the main level.
Reconfigure the Secondary Rooms Most Owners Forget
The biggest modernization wins in old houses are usually in the rooms no one shows off.
Mudrooms, laundry rooms, and main-level half-baths are where 1990s and early-2000s floor plans wasted the most square footage, and reworking them adds livability you’ll feel every day.
How We’ve Reconfigured Secondary Rooms in Old Homes
On a whole-home in Broomfield, we included a mudroom reconfiguration, a laundry room refresh, and a 1,500 square foot basement rebuild designed to support independent living for an adult family member with disabilities, all alongside the kitchen and bath work.
Decide Between Reconfiguring and Adding Square Footage
A lot of online advice defaults to “add an addition” when you want to modernize.
For most old houses, that’s the wrong starting point.
Reconfigure First
Our focus is on reconfiguring existing footprints, which optimizes your budget and protects your home’s structural integrity.
Most dated layouts have the square footage they need; what they lack is the right arrangement.
Add Square Footage When the Program Demands It
We also handle major additions when the scope calls for them.
Additions make sense when you genuinely need more space, like a primary suite or an accessibility-driven build.
Other Ways to Modernize an Old House
Beyond a whole-home renovation, there are smaller updates that give an older home a more modern feel.
- New light fixtures: swap out dated light fixtures for modern lighting fixtures with current finishes.
- Add recessed lighting where ceilings allow.
- Replace yellowing light switches and outlet covers.
- Add smart home technology like smart bulbs, smart thermostats, and security cameras.
- A fresh coat of paint with updated paint colors and modern color schemes.
- Refresh the front door and curb appeal with new door handles, updated hardware, and a new coat of exterior paint.
- Layer in modern touches with window treatments like bamboo shades, refreshed throw pillows, and decor accents that nod to mid-century or current styles.
If your house was built before 1978, test for lead paint and lead-based paint before sanding or scraping any surfaces, because hidden problems in old paint layers can become real health risks.
You may also want to consider a few aging-in-place ideas.
From 1990s Floor Plan to 2026 Showpiece with Bunn & Sons Custom Builders
Modernizing an old house is what we do best, from major first-floor reconfigurations of 1990s floor plans to whole-home remodels that open up the layout without compromising your home’s structural integrity.
We work directly with you to reconfigure your existing footprint, refinish your home’s original details, and bring the modern flow you want without an unnecessary addition.
Fill out our contact form today or give us a call to get on the calendar.
Once you’re in, we lock your scope into a firm fixed-price contract so you know exactly what your modernization will cost before crews ever show up.
FAQs
How long does a whole-home renovation take?
A whole-home renovation typically takes about 4 months for construction. Planning, design, engineering, and permitting add additional time before construction begins.
In what order should you renovate an old house?
Renovate an old house by completing planning, design, budgeting, and permitting before demolition starts. Early planning helps uncover hidden issues and prevents costly changes during construction.
Can you live in your old house during a major renovation?
You can live in your home during a major renovation, but moving out (which we recommend) often improves safety, comfort, and project efficiency. Full-home remodels create ongoing dust, noise, and limited access to essential living spaces.
