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A kitchen with black and white cabinetry and a island countertop with gray chairs
Walker Woodworking

Design Notes

How To Modernize Your Outdated Home

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Does your home feel old and out of touch with the times? Have you wondered how to update its style and make it trendier? But do you also worry about the cost and effort of such a project? If you answered yes to these questions, we have the answers for you.

Every house eventually gets old. It doesn’t matter how well-designed the home is; this is bound to happen. As TEJRentals.com explains, that’s because popular house design trends are constantly changing as technology advances and buyer preferences shift.

And when preferences shift, you can’t go back and rebuild your home; you have to stay with what you have. But you don’t need to rebuild the house to bring it into the modern era. Updating your home does not require making massive changes to the property.

You need to understand the difference between style, class, and function. Although a house’s style may become outdated, it does not have to lose its class. Every home can remain functional regardless of its style and age.

An old-style home is one thing, but an obsolete home is an entirely different matter. In this article, we outline simple things you can do to pull your outdated home out of the past and into the modern period. You will be able to restore its appeal without giving up the quiet dignity that’s associated with old homes.

Declutter and Clean Your Outdated House

Giving the home a deep clean gives you the chance to look at the house with new eyes. You will be able to audit your belongings and reassess the usefulness of each item. You don’t know how much clutter you have accumulated until you do this process.

Simply getting rid of unused stuff and cleaning your carpets will make the home feel fresh. Doing a deep clean helps you see the actual state of the house. You can accurately assess the condition of various areas or objects in the home to determine the next steps.

Walker Woodworking custom cabinets peg drawers utensil drawer organized kitchen deep drawers dovetail drawers

Create More Space In Your Outdated Home

Modern homes have simple furniture and a lot of open space. They are designed to maximize airflow and allow ease of movement, unlike older homes, which often have huge furniture pieces.

Creating more space introduces the streamlined flow of a modern home into your old home. A few ways to do this are to replace large furniture with sleek modern ones, rearrange furniture to make rooms look bigger, get rid of carpets, discard old appliances, remove stacks of paper and other stuff, and rearrange cords and cables to hide or make them less messy.

Update Window Treatments

Blinds, shutters, and drapes determine how much light gets into the home and serve as a backdrop to the entire room. They can make a room feel confined, and just by looking at the window treatments in a home, you can guess what year the house was designed.

In place of inefficient old window treatments, use modern options like bright-colored drapery panels, sheer curtains, eco-friendly blinds made of rattan or bamboo, metal blinds with a wood-like appearance, or roman blinds.

Graber Window Treatments
Greenbrook Design

Repaint The Outdated Home

The color of the paint on walls and ceilings blankets everything in the home. If the paint is dull, faded, or old-fashioned, it will cloak everything in the home with these qualities. When painting your house, you must approach it strategically.

Merely applying a new coat of paint is not enough; the color palette you chose matters. Choose neutral interior colors to make rooms feel brighter, roomier, and airier. You should pay special attention to the colors of trims and crown moldings.

Update The Light Fixtures and Power Outlets

If the rooms in the home are poorly lit, most of your redesign efforts will become invisible at night. Poor lighting also makes rooms feel cramped. Additionally, aging light fixtures will feel out of place against the now redesigned home.

Replacing light fixtures and power outlets with modern versions that are more efficient and attractive will create a better overall result. The position of lighting also matters. By having sufficient lighting at various levels of each room, you will achieve the most illumination.

a kitchen with a marble island and stainless steel appliances
Walker Woodworking

Update Hardware

Door and cabinet handles, as well as plumbing fittings, draw a lot of attention. Swapping worn-out old designs for modern ones will have an immediate impact and lift your outdated home into the current. Visitors’ eyes instinctively go to the handles on doors and drawers, as well as the faucets on kitchen and bathroom sinks.

Small changes in these areas can have a significant impact. When changing the hardware on kitchen and bathroom cabinets, it is also a good idea to refresh the cabinets themselves by refacing or repainting them.

In closing, although far from being everything you can do in your home, these steps will get you on your way to a more modern home. Enjoy doing them. Cheers.

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a room with yellow cabinets and a televisionGreenbrook Design

Unconventional Colors In: KITCHENS WE LOVE

Life, Styled

Considering a kitchen remodel but feeling uninspired by the usual neutrals? While classic stained wood tones and the ever-popular white and gray palette have their place, they’re not the only options available. For those looking to make a bold, personal statement with color, exploring less conventional combinations can bring fresh energy to the space.

Read more
July 1, 2019/by Stacey Walker
https://i0.wp.com/greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Pool-House-vibrant-cabinet-colors-pass-through-window-Walker-Woodworking-custom-cabinets-Dogwood-door-double-trash-pullout-floating-shelves-Trumpet-paint-color-custom-cabinets-tile-floor.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1 1280 1920 Stacey Walker https://greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Design-Center-Logo-1-02-300x213.png Stacey Walker2019-07-01 18:34:002025-08-01 13:51:27Unconventional Colors In: KITCHENS WE LOVE
a living room with a green couch and a kitchenWalker Woodworking

The Bramble House

In The News

At Greenbrook Design, we believe that a home should reflect not just your style—but your story. The Bramble House is the perfect example of how collaboration, creativity, and craftsmanship can come together to create something truly exceptional.

This home is more than just beautiful—it’s smartly designed, thoughtfully furnished, and filled with functional elements that enhance everyday living.

Read more
June 1, 2019/by Stacey Walker
https://i0.wp.com/greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Walker-Woodworking-beige-kitchen-farm-sink-oven-hood-white-tile-backsplash-inset-kitchen-cabinets-custom.jpg?fit=1920%2C1209&ssl=1 1209 1920 Stacey Walker https://greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Design-Center-Logo-1-02-300x213.png Stacey Walker2019-06-01 17:15:002025-08-04 17:16:56The Bramble House
a living room with a fireplace and a tvGreenbrook Design

Interior Design: Common Questions & Answers

Design Notes

Wondering if you need help with interior design? We have all the answers to your questions!

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May 21, 2019/by Stacey Walker
https://i0.wp.com/greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/modern-interior-design.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1 1280 1920 Stacey Walker https://greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Design-Center-Logo-1-02-300x213.png Stacey Walker2019-05-21 13:41:152025-08-01 13:47:20Interior Design: Common Questions & Answers
a drawer with items in it budgetingGreenbrook Design

Tips For Planning Your Remodel Budget: Budgeting for Your Kitchen and Bath

Life, Styled

If you design with your budget in mind from the beginning, there should be no need to scale back during your project. It is a well-known fact throughout the building industry that the main selling points within a home are the kitchen and the bathrooms. These rooms can be the most costly areas in a house to renovate. Costs add up quickly, and each dime spent should be carefully thought out to get a good future return on your investment.  Before you start budgeting for your kitchen and bath project, here are some key tips to keep in mind:

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March 21, 2018/by Stacey Walker
https://i0.wp.com/greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Walker-Woodworking-custom-cabinets-docking-drawer-organizes-bathroom-gold-hardware-deep-drawers.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1 1280 1920 Stacey Walker https://greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Design-Center-Logo-1-02-300x213.png Stacey Walker2018-03-21 17:12:552025-07-28 18:35:47Tips For Planning Your Remodel Budget: Budgeting for Your Kitchen and Bath
A kitchen with wood cabinets and a backsplash and with wood flooringWalker Woodworking

What is Cerused Oak

What's New

Cerused Oak has since been used throughout the decades to bring elegance and beauty to a variety of wood furniture and blended with a myriad of design styles.

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February 1, 2018/by Stacey Walker
https://i0.wp.com/greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Walker-Woodworking-custom-cabinets-under-cabinet-lighting-quarter-sawn-white-oak-oven-backsplash-inset-cabinets.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1 1280 1920 Stacey Walker https://greenbrookdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Design-Center-Logo-1-02-300x213.png Stacey Walker2018-02-01 15:38:372025-07-09 20:22:09What is Cerused Oak
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