Washington, D.C.'s historic brick homes are prized for their exterior charm, but their interiors often hold just as much character. These homes tell a story through their architecture, from ornate moldings to original plaster walls. If you're planning interior renovations, focusing on the home's original features helps preserve its legacy while improving comfort and style. Renovation doesn't have to mean replacement. With the right materials and guidance, many of your home's interior details can be restored or reimagined in ways that honor the original craftsmanship.
Ceilings: Overhead Character Worth Preserving
In many historic homes throughout D.C., the ceilings were designed as showpieces. Decorative elements such as plaster medallions, coffered beams, and even pressed tin can still be found in row homes and early brick constructions. These details often reflect the architectural style of the era and bring depth and texture to a room.
If these features are still in place, preserving them should be a top priority. Plasterwork, in particular, can be repaired using traditional methods, allowing you to maintain both beauty and structural integrity. When pieces are missing or damaged beyond repair, architectural salvage offers an opportunity to find similar elements that match the time period. Ceiling medallions, crown trim, and vintage light fixtures can all be sourced through trusted salvage vendors.
Moldings: Timeless Details in Every Room
Moldings serve both decorative and functional purposes in older homes. You'll often find wide baseboards, deep crown molding, detailed door casings, and chair rails, all of which help define the room's proportions while boosting visual interest.
Layers of paint, moisture, or careless renovation work can damage or obscure these elements over time. Restoration may involve gentle stripping to remove paint buildup, wood filler to correct nicks or gaps, and sanding to bring back crisp edges. If moldings have been removed entirely, matching pieces can often be found at architectural salvage shops that carry materials pulled from homes of the same era.
Reintroducing these details is one of the most effective ways to bring authenticity back into a remodeled interior.
Walls: Layers of Material, Texture, and History
Walls in a historic home are more than just surfaces for paint. Original plaster, lath, wainscoting, and exposed brick are all common in D.C. properties. Each adds its own story to the home's architecture.
Plaster walls, while more labor-intensive to maintain than modern drywall, offer sound insulation, texture, and a solid feel that's difficult to replicate. Hairline cracks and surface imperfections are common with age, but a skilled contractor can repair them using historically appropriate materials. Full replacement is rarely necessary.
Salvage Materials: A Resource Worth Considering
Architectural salvage is one of the best ways to source materials that match your original interior's scale, quality, and craftsmanship. It also allows you to maintain historical accuracy during a renovation.
Salvaged materials are often more affordable than modern replicas, especially when considering the labor and material quality involved in traditional manufacturing. Common salvage finds include crown moldings, paneling, ceiling medallions, and fireplace mantels, all of which can be incorporated into updated spaces without losing a sense of time and place.
Restore the Details That Make Your Home Unique
Every decision matters when you begin interior renovations in a historic D.C. home. Ceilings, moldings, and walls all contribute to the identity of the space. Choosing to preserve or restore these elements instead of replacing them means maintaining the craftsmanship that tells the story of your home.
Renaissance Development, experts in traditional brick tuckpointing, ironwork restoration, and more, believe in thoughtful preservation, whether you're restoring a plaster wall or sourcing period-correct crown molding. Contact us to discover how we help D.C. homeowners preserve and enhance the historic details that make each home one of a kind.
