CATEGORIES

The Case for Repairing Wood Windows

Jimmy Carter was President the first time I wrote an article like this one. I have no problem saying it all again.

Revival Kitchen in a Queen Anne

With the look of a butler’s pantry full of built-ins, it’s family-friendly.

THE FOREVER HOUSE

A DIY couple help an already intact house embrace its age—and the new-old kitchen is an achievement!

Furniture Rescues

A self-taught artist transforms old furniture into unique, practical art.

ADDING A CONSERVATORY

Opening up a small, enclosed room with a bank of Queen Anne windows created a sunny retreat that’s perfect for the 1888 house.

Prepping for Exterior Painting

DIY, or hire a pro? Review these stages, all of which are crucial to a lasting paint job, and then decide.

DESIGNING for outdoor spaces SITE PLANNING AND THE ARCHITECTURE

Site planning and a consistent architectural vision made sense of this unique double lot near the sea in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Architect Frank Shirley “integrated two properties and made this a special place to be,” the homeowner says. Outbuildings, two of them newly designed and built, are critical to the overall design, providing not only additional space but also protection from the street. New porches, formal elements of hardscape, and plantings tie it together.

Reproducing HISTORIC Wallpapers

Wallpaper remains the quintessential room decoration. If you’re looking for a historic or specific pattern, be encouraged.

Exotic Comforts in a Master Suite

If the bedroom in your 1882 Queen Anne Victorian has a gilded ceiling, what is the bathroom like?

The Siding Question

To refresh siding on your house, look for materials close to the original in cut, grain, dimension, and appearance.

Collecting Enchantment

What if you bought a Victorian farmhouse and, endeavoring to learn about the period, became entranced? You might design Aesthetic and Rococo parlors, a Sheraton Revivaldining room, and a kitchen with Anglo–Japanese notes.

Avondale Farm AN IMAGINATIVE REBIRTH

The ca. 1735 house was disassembled and rebuilt on a new foundation, a rescued 1742 banquet hall appended to it, an addition in Greek Revival style built for the kitchen, and a Maine barn added to the property.

Chairs Become Dog Beds

A dog-loving couple create unique pet furniture.

An Artful Approach FOR A 1755 COLONIAL

Attracting the right owners through subsequent generations, this Connecticut house remains true to its period.

A UNIQUE RESCUE

This couple refurbished an “obsolete” duplex dwelling, built-in 1899 as factory-worker housing.

REMEDIES FOR STAINLESS STEEL

The best approach to refreshing a scratched stainless steel surface is to clean and polish the entire sink, using the least abrasive methods possible, plus a lot of elbow grease.

TUDOR ARTS & CRAFTS HOUSES

THE MELDING OF TWO STYLES WITH SIMILAR ROOTS, 1890–1920. By Patricia Poore

TRANSITIONAL TUDOR

A UNIQUE MIX OF TUDOR REVIVAL AND ARTS & CRAFTS DESIGN, THIS 1912 HOUSE IN PORTLAND, OREGON, REMAINED REMARKABLY INTACT.

RESILIENTS BOUNCING BACK

These floors continue to evolve, adapting recycled and natural materials for flooring that looks better and lasts longer.

A TRIO OF MODERN MASTERS

COLLECTING BRUTALIST AND MODERN PIECES 1950–1970.

Happy Kitchen for a Postwar Home

Most homebuyers would tear out a 1940s kitchen; this owner went in the opposite direction.

BENCH with a Secret

Found beadboard covers an HVAC return, providing seating and future access.

Bell Roof in Lanaudière

Two generations have contributed their talents to this picturesque house, built in 1920 and filled with old-fashioned charm: heavy beams, the ceilings, and a fieldstone fireplace.

A Modern House of stone+glass

DEFT UPDATES TO THIS 1951 SEATTLE HOUSE BROUGHT OUT ITS BEST ORIGINAL FEATURES: WALLS OF GLASS, BURNISHED WOODWORK AND BUILT-INS, CURVING GLASS BLOCK, AND MODERN ELEGANCE.

A CASE FOR PRESERVATION

A post-Civil war house in a historic district enjoys a dramatic reversal of fortune.

A Bathroom – Art Deco & Barrier Free

Kathy Adamson had very specific ideas about what she wanted for her octogenarian mother’s bathroom.

THE RESTORATION OF ancient Oaks

COMING HOME: OLD FAMILY STORIES AND LETTERS GUIDED THIS COUPLE AS THEY TOOK ON THE REFURBISHMENT OF A GRAND GREEK REVIVAL HOUSE BUILT IN 1856—BY HER THREE-TIMES GREAT-GRANDFATHER.

the UNIVERSAL HOME

For many old houses, it would be difficult and prohibitively expensive to create accessibility throughout. That doesn’t mean we should ignore the commonsense principles of Universal Design when adding on or renovating—especially when it comes to the entry, kitchen, and bath.

making their mark

LIVING IN AN OLD KENTUCKY HOUSE WITH A STORIED PAST.

Lights, Going Up!

Industrial-chic, oversize wall sconces can be made from repurposed elevator indicator lights.