4 Tips to

MAKE YOUR HOUSE’S IRREGULAR FLOOR PLAN WORK FOR YOU

1. Forget the ideal of “perfect.”The unique part of living in a historic structure is that you can see evidence of past tenants, including the changes they made, subtle or otherwise. That kind of individuality cannot be replicated—and why would you want it to be?

2. Exercise your creative side.Thinking of multiple options for layouts can yield interesting results, and you may realize it’s less of a challenge to adapt your historic house for modern living than you thought.

3. Follow established patterns. If your house is protected with an interior easement, or if modern safety requirements don't allow for it, structural changes to your floor plan may not be possible. If this is the case, think how past owners would have used the spaces in question.

4. Furnishings can make a difference.Focus on the interior decorating to create an aesthetic you prefer. Consult with an interior decorator, who can present you with different ideas to make your space work.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America’s historic places. Preservation Tips & Tools helps others do the same in their own communities.

For more information, visit SavingPlaces.org.

 Antonio Marin Segovia/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND-2.0; Konrad Summers/Flickr/CC BY-SA-2.0; Jeffrey Beall/Flickr/CC BY-SA-2.0; LC-USZC4-1568; Damianos Chronakis/Flickr/CC BY-SA-2.0.