Built To Last
This Old House Magazine|March/April 2018

This Old House lends a hand on the renovation of an 1840s “single house” in Charleston, South Carolina, with the goal of preserving its unique character while creating a comfortable family home.

Jefferson Kolle
Built To Last

There’s no shortage of old houses to fix up in Charleston, South Carolina, but it can feel like a Goldilocks search trying to find one that’s “just right.”

Scott and Kathleen Edwards hunted for almost two years before they came across exactly what they were looking for: a house in the Ansonborough neighborhood, with its lively restaurants and shopping, that hadn’t been recently modernized.

They first moved to the city from Michigan almost 25 years ago, then raised their children in the suburbs. Three years ago, they rehabbed a house downtown as a long-term rental, and found themselves bitten by the renovation bug. With their then 18-year-old daughter off at college and their son not far behind, they liked the idea of moving back to the city, to a house with history.

After losing one place to another bidder, they bought a for-sale-by-owner property from an estate. The house had been in the same family for 80 years. “It was just what we were looking for,” says Scott. “Not much, if any, work had been done in a long time.”

The house’s lines were a draw too. “The moldings and trim are simple and clean, almost minimalist,” Kathleen says. “But there’s also an elegance that attracted us.” Being chosen by This Old House for its 39th television season made it more perfect still.

The couple knew all along that they wanted a brick house—something Ansonborough is known for, with many built after the fire of 1838. According to a local newspaper report at the time, the fire leveled “at least one-fourth of the centre of our beautiful and flourishing city.” Afterward, the state’s general assembly gave construction loans for fire-resistant masonry buildings.

Bu hikaye This Old House Magazine dergisinin March/April 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye This Old House Magazine dergisinin March/April 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

THIS OLD HOUSE MAGAZINE DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Mobile kitchen island
This Old House Magazine

Mobile kitchen island

TOH DIY expert Jenn Largesse shows how to build a rolling kitchen cart with a butcher-block top

time-read
3 dak  |
Fall 2023
Bathtub tray
This Old House Magazine

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

time-read
3 dak  |
Fall 2023
Navigating the rise in mortgage rates
This Old House Magazine

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

time-read
4 dak  |
Fall 2023
Graceful grasses
This Old House Magazine

Graceful grasses

With dramatic foliage and distinctive plumes, ornamental grasses come in sizes to suit virtually any garden

time-read
7 dak  |
Fall 2023
A better asphalt driveway
This Old House Magazine

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

time-read
10+ dak  |
Fall 2023
Modernizing a mid-century house
This Old House Magazine

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

time-read
4 dak  |
Fall 2023
Making a house her own
This Old House Magazine

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

time-read
6 dak  |
Fall 2023
A little house that lives large
This Old House Magazine

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

time-read
4 dak  |
Fall 2023
Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne
This Old House Magazine

Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne

Classic meets modern in this primary-suite retreat

time-read
1 min  |
Fall 2023
Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work
This Old House Magazine

Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work

Grabbing a few feet from the adjacent dining room yields major layout improvements

time-read
2 dak  |
Fall 2023