CATEGORIES

Big Ideas for a Small Home

A designer renovates and decorates an 800-square-foot guesthouse for her family without downsizing the décor.

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.

Furniture Rescues

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

THE FOREVER HOUSE

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

Revival Kitchen in a Queen Anne

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

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.

OUTDOOR LIGHTS

For the entry and landscape.

Wood Working

Useful items for building, cutting, sanding, or repairing.

GARAGES worth a tour

Here’s a look at recent garages, inspired by period houses, which make the most of new space.

TOUGH TILE CUTS MADE EASY

An angle grinder does what other tools can’t

TABLE IN A DAY

Peel-and-stick veneer makes it stunning and simple

STAIN BLOCKERS: OIL-BASED VS. WATER

Like standard primers, stain-blocking primers provide good adhesion and help hide existing colors and repairs. But stain blockers promise something more: They seal in stains better than standard primers or paint.

Handy Hints

Clever solutions from our readers

Great Goofs

Laughs and lessons from our readers

22 INSTANT HEATING & A/C FIXES

Even a beginner can solve common problems—and save money!

Stuff We Love

Our favorite DIY tools, materials + gear

14 Common Plumbing Code Violations

A plumbing inspector helps you keep it legal

13 Easy Auto Repairs

Simple solutions to save you money

Outfeed: There's always one more

I was doing a little shop reorganization when I came across a coffee can with the label “MISC” written on its lid in my grandfather’s handwriting.

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.

Native Design

SUE AND ANDY LEAHY’S GARDEN IS A MAGNET FOR POLLINATORS AND PEOPLE ALIKE.