Old House Journal - May - June 2023

In this issue

Original Built-ins
Looking to real-deal examples of permanent furniture from different styles and eras.

KITCHENS & BATHS
A livable new kitchen in the Arts & Crafts vocabulary, with products inspired by it.

What's on the Floor

Finishes for the hardest working surface in the house.

2 mins

Lighting Over Time

Illumination for interiors: 18th century to the present.

1 min

A DEFT REFURBISHMENT

With features missing or unsalvageable, the house needed a facelift-in keeping with the architecture.

2 mins

original period built-ins PERMANENT FURNITURE FOR EVERY ERA

Bookcases and buffets, inglenooks and china cabinets, window benches & more: original builtin furniture from any period inspires new work today.

5 mins

Arts & Crafts Design, Built In

A modern kitchen has the appeal of an Arts & Crafts living room.

2 mins

comeback FLOORS

Floors hand-cut or milled from old-growth woods can withstand decades of abuse. Over the arc of time, however, settling and subsidence, careless repairs, and damage from water or pets create challenges for even these hardy survivors.

7 mins

Carpeting the Stairs

A staircase runner adds comfort and safety, color, pattern, and a period touch.

4 mins

The House that APOTTERY BUILT

William Day Gates, founder of an important terra-cotta tile and pottery company, built his retirement home in 1927. Decades later, it would take a knowledgeable Arts & Crafts collector to save the abandoned house in Illinois. Chicago architect John Eifler helped guide the restoration: \"The house is a terra cotta and pottery catalog!\" he says.

3 mins

A NEW KITCHEN WITH A PRESERVATION ETHIC

Before 1994, when she fell in love with and bought this house, Sarah Blank hadn't heard of Royal Barry Wills. Then she learned that the Cape, built in 1957, in New Canaan, Connecticut, was typical of the work of the famous Colonial Revival architect who was a prolific designer as well as America's best-selling architectural writer. A Massachusetts native who opened his Boston firm in 1925, Wills loved New England's small, historic houses and made a specialty of designing updated yet authentically proportioned versions of Capes, saltboxes, and garrison colonials. Hundreds of his houses stand, including the 1500-square-foot Cape that Blank proceeded to enlarge.

2 mins

MOTIFS OF THE COLONIAL STYLES

DESIGN CONVENTIONS FOR EARLY & REVIVAL HOMES.

2 mins

at River Road Farm

Uncultivated land around an 18th-century farmhouse slowly became a series of garden rooms, formal but not overly structured.

3 mins

FORMAL ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS

EARLY GARDEN TYPES AGAIN IN FASHION.

2 mins

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Old House Journal Magazine Description:

Old House Journal is a leading magazine for owners, restorers, and admirers of old and historic homes. The magazine provides a wealth of information on restoration techniques, architectural styles, and historical research, as well as advice on home maintenance and renovation.

Old House Journal was first published in 1973, at a time when many old and historic homes were being demolished or neglected in favor of new construction. The magazine was created to provide a voice for those who were passionate about preserving and restoring these important structures. The magazine also provides in-depth coverage of architectural styles, with features on everything from Victorian homes to mid-century modern. One of the unique features of Old House Journal is its focus on historical research and documentation.

By subscribing, readers will have access to the most comprehensive coverage of old home restoration available, making Old House Journal an essential part of any restoration enthusiast's library.