As the Powers family moves into their renovated 1920s bungalow, it’s too early to tell if its energy-saving technologies and energy-producing systems will meet the net-zero ideal. But one thing’s certain: It’s great to be home
Nearly every evening after dinner, for almost eight months, the Powers family took a walk together. Shutting the door on the house they shared with extended family during the summer months, the foursome strolled down the street, then rounded the corner to the 1920s bungalow they bought nearly a year earlier—and whose renovation was being documented by This Old House for its 40th television season. But while just two-tenths of a mile separates the two houses, the distance traveled was much more than the 400-plus steps. This was a journey home.
“We loved seeing the progress every day, and it gave us all a sense of being involved in every detail,” says architect Don, whose design would grow the house from 1,000 to 2,300 square feet to better suit the family of four, while still preserving its bungalow charm. When it came time to move in last fall, every inch seemed familiar yet somehow better than they could have imagined.
“There’s a feeling of simplicity and continuity,” says Don, commenting on the soothing palette of materials and colors: quartersawn white oak floors and cabinetry, white-painted walls and trim, black window sashes.
“So many of the spaces feel bigger than the room sizes might suggest,” adds Dana, recalling a gathering that took place shortly after they moved in, with a cluster of grown-ups talking in the living room and eight kids hanging out in the adjacent den—behind a solid-oak door that muffled the hubbub. “It felt very comfortable, despite its not being a big house.”
But inside and out, this house holds much more than just clean, comfortable spaces for family and friends. Don and Dana also wanted to create a renovated house that would meet the net-zero building standard, which requires that a house be able to produce all the energy it needs.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March/April 2019 من This Old House Magazine.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March/April 2019 من This Old House Magazine.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Mobile kitchen island
TOH DIY expert Jenn Largesse shows how to build a rolling kitchen cart with a butcher-block top
Bathtub tray
TOH general contractor Tom Silva and TOH host Kevin O'Connor construct a slatted zebrawood caddy to hold grooming essentials, a book, and even a glass of wine, for those who like a long soak
Navigating the rise in mortgage rates
Looking to buy—or refinance—and feeling frustrated by lenders’ sky-high interest rates? Here’s how to get the best deal
Graceful grasses
With dramatic foliage and distinctive plumes, ornamental grasses come in sizes to suit virtually any garden
A better asphalt driveway
It's long-lasting and recyclable, and it weathers extreme temperatures. You can repair small cracks and divots in asphalt, too. Here's what you need to know to get-and maintain-a great-looking asphalt driveway
Modernizing a mid-century house
A family turns to TOH to renovate a 1960 house that had been awkwardly expanded over time. Their goal: to create a contemporary, energy-efficient, open-plan home that is fully accessible for a son with mobility issues
Making a house her own
Renovating in stages over nearly two decades, a homeowner transforms a once forlorn bungalow into a cozy, very personal space
A little house that lives large
A reimagined interior and second-story addition double the living area inside a narrow shotgun house, while respecting its historical roots
Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne
Classic meets modern in this primary-suite retreat
Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work
Grabbing a few feet from the adjacent dining room yields major layout improvements