A French chateau is a truly beautiful building to behold. They are architectural masterpieces that have withstood the test of time for centuries all around the world. The French countryside has some of the most amazing examples.
Of course, before you start to improve a chateau, you should own one. Once you find a French chateau for sale online that you love and buy it, then you can find the best improvement plan below. Here we will take a look at 6 tips to improve an old chateau so it can live on for many more years.
1. Replace any old windows with energy-efficient ones
This is a great way to improve the insulation of your house. Windows are an important part of the building envelope and can contribute up to 25% of heat loss in a home. If you cannot afford new custom-made windows there is also another alternative that will save you money but still provide good insulation: it’s called “double glazing” or “insulating glass”. This consists of simply replacing regular single pane window glasses with double panes separated by airspace filled with an inert gas such as argon. On average, double glazed windows reduce heat transfer by 50%. If using wood replacement windows, make sure to have low U values because lower values mean better insulation.
2. Repair the roof
The roof is one of the most important parts of your old French Chateau because it covers and protects the building from rain, snow, heat or wind damage. It can also be said that because it holds up all other things on top like floors, ceilings etc. So, if you’re looking to repair an old French Chateau’s roof then there are various ways in which this can be done – repairing a flat section with hot asphalt mixture; fixing a single tile by cutting out a piece around broken tiles and filling its place with new ones; re-roofing using metal sheets as replacement for damaged terracotta roofs etc.
3. Create an outdoor living space that is connected to the kitchen and home
You should consider creating an outside dining area that is perfect for summer dinners or wintertime fireside chats. An old French chateau will look stunning when it has been decorated with alfresco furniture and lighting fixtures, which are suitable for both day and night use. Awnings provide shade during hot summer days while beautiful candles illuminate meals in the fall, winter, spring seasons.
Having a place like this also allows you to enjoy the garden view while cooking, eating and relaxing on your patio furniture. Place comfortable furniture in the outdoor living space so it feels like part of your house. Consider adding a fireplace or fire pit to create an inviting atmosphere for entertaining guests and family members. Even though you might not cook outdoors regularly, consider creating a grill station with a countertop that is close enough to be used when needed, but can also easily disappear into storage if it’s not in use on a daily basis. It’s best to use concrete floors as they can withstand weather changes and make it easy to clean up spills, debris etc., but if this is not available then wood flooring works too.
4. Add exterior lighting
In order to make your home look more inviting, exterior lighting is a must. In fact, it’s one of the most important ways you can add value and curb appeal when selling your chateau or spending time in it yourself. Lighting around doors and walkways that surrounds an old French Chateau will draw attention to these areas while maintaining safety at night too.
Lighting can help highlight architectural features you may not have noticed before, but also helps keep the grounds secure at night. Most importantly, it adds beauty and makes the space feel more inviting after dark. Whether it’s a path light, front porch light, pole lamp or post-mounted lantern, adding lights makes your home more beautiful and safer for visitors at night.
5. Use solar lights
Solar powered landscape lighting not only adds beauty but also saves money on electric bills by using free energy from the sun and converting this into electricity for outdoor use. You don’t have to worry about finding electrical outlets because they are completely wireless which makes them easy to install without any hassle.
If you plan on adding solar panels to your property, make sure your roof is well equipped to handle them. In order for the sun’s rays to be converted into energy efficiently, roofs must have a steady incline and large surface area. If they do not, additional structures will need to be added. But, hey, it’d be worth it since you’ll be doing our planet a favor by choosing solar lights because they are way more sustainable than using electricity powered by fossil fuels.
6. Plant flowers around your property to create more curb appeal
Flowers can brighten up a yard and make it feel more alive. Not only will you enjoy the colorful flowers, but passersby are likely to appreciate them as well. Planting flowers around your property is cheap, easy to do, and will help improve the aesthetic appeal of your French Chateau. Planting different types of annuals or perennials is encouraged as well because there’s always something new blooming each year. You can also plant some fruit trees as those produce nice looking fruits and will look so beautiful in your garden.
If your chateau was built in an area where there were trees on your property at one point, adding several large ones would be beneficial for more than just aesthetic purposes. The long-term shade provided by these majestic specimens may also help keep heating costs down year-round since they provide much needed relief during warm summer months when temperatures reach their highest points.
As you probably have guessed by now, owning, maintaining, and improving an old French chateau is certainly not the easiest job in the world. However, if you’re lucky enough to have a chateau, it’s very important to maintain it because those buildings are often hundreds of years old so they usually can use a makeover. This will provide several benefits that you cannot get from other types of houses such as modernization and high-quality design without changing its basic structure. That way you’d be able to enjoy your beautiful castle forever!
