This Before (1919) and After (1955) set appeared an idea book from The American Home Publishing Company. The typography of the two dates—from barbershop quartet to Atomic Age—hints at the intention behind the remodeling. Instead we have an example of

WITH A LARGE PERCENTAGE of old housing stock, Maine isn’t often associated with 20th-century Modern architecture. Yet a tour of Portland, the state’s largest city, reveals a fine collection of Atomic Age buildings; most were designed by John Leasure.

We must be careful about how much we change because there is a tipping point. Most of us fell in love with an old house—not a new house made of old materials. The 1973 Presidential proclamation establishing what was then Preservation Week (now Month)

Carol Goldberg has only loved one house in her life. She met the 1890 Victorian farmhouse as a 14-year-old hired to train horses in Westchester County, New York. Quickly, her immersion in everything equine grew to the point that she was begging her p

Ken and John Melchert own Harp Gallery, an antiques store in Kaukauna, Wisconsin [harpgallery.com]. When they came across old railroad hand carts ready for scrap, they felt they were too good to discard. The trolleys were used for transporting trunks

To paraphrase Mr. Dickens, the year 2020 was for me the worst of times and the best of times. I broke ten ribs carrying wallpaper downstairs … and I found an old acquaintance that fulfilled a dream of mine. During the first quarter of the 20th centur

Think long and hard before you take on DIY removal of siding that may contain asbestos. Intact asbestos siding on the house rarely presents a health threat. Start pulling and breaking it, though, and it begins to release fibers. Inhaling or ingesting

The first “national style” after the Colonial period, it’s seen in both high-style and vernacular houses. Defining window and door trim, cornice returns, columns or pilasters, and porticoes should be preserved. A more relaxed, American version of the

Garrett Wade’s catalog, which debuted in 1975, is beloved by woodworkers. The company offers traditional and heirloom-quality hand tools for woodworking and shop, plus tools for outdoor projects and camping, gardening, and the kitchen. Find versatile

We’re in a world of high-tech solutions and new materials, so it’s easy to forget or discount the very simple construction techniques that have been used for centuries to extend a building’s life. A hidden groove providing a drip edge is a case in po

In houses of almost any age, it’s common to see masonry fireplaces coated with paint. Bringing back a painted masonry surface is devilishly hard. No one solution seems to work for all situations; success or failure is a matter of interpretation. Sure

Ubiquitous in Baltimore since the 1930s, cement claddings under trade names like Formstone, Perma-Stone, Rostone, and others were conceived as remedies for the porous, substandard brick typical of the city’s row houses. As with other kinds of faux fi

The Italianate-style David A. Barnes house retains its 1875 appearance. Inside find the original staircase, plaster cornices, mantels, and woodwork, along with sensitively updated baths and kitchen. Untouched features in this ca. 1900 half-timbered T

Like an old-fashioned barn raising, an old-house “unveiling” is a coordinated event that brings neighbors together to strip replacement siding from a historic house. Bob Yapp of Preservation Resources says that underneath, “we usually find excellent

Recycling an old building for a use other than that for which it was originally constructed. A neutral term, it might involve a sensitive rehab that retains much of the original character, especially on the exterior. Or it can mean extensive remodeli

Improving a blank wall on the addition was the genesis of the pergola at Artemis Farm. “Walking around the house one day,” says homeowner Carol Goldberg, “I looked at the windowless wall of the addition and thought, Boy is that ugly!” Retreating to h

In her book Historic Style, designer Kelee Katillac chronicles her process in reinvigorating a once endangered 1870s house listed on the National Register. Its architectural elements fully restored or re-created, the house has been enlivened by eclec

Our house has many original features: Claycraft ventilator tiles in a fireplace, built-ins, an elliptical ceiling, the adorable porch light with a witch’s hat. As with many old houses, the bathroom and kitchen had been remodeled, most recently in 195

Elevate porch or patio furniture with these outdoor throw pillows in a choice of more than 150 William Morris & Co. designs. Pillow covers come with or without inserts in three sizes and are treated for water and mildew resistance and UV protection;

This company’s standard line includes soapstone sinks based on those made 1835–1920. The Wright sink, for example, is 30" long x 20" wide x 9 ¾" deep and dates to 1907. Standard sinks are $700 to $1,200. Custom sinks, $1,000 and up. Vermont Soapstone

Restore and protect exterior surfaces of your home. Strip multiple layers of unwanted paint and other finishes safely and effectively with Smart ’n Easy Paint & Varnish Remover. The citrus-scented, non-drip gel contains no caustic chemicals and works

Although no house built before 1940 or so was born with a synthetic skin, many houses later received an overcoat sold on the premise of easier maintenance. Despite decades of preservation thinking, plenty of houses still need a good stripping. While

Removing old synthetic siding is just the first step in the restoration of a neglected exterior; it requires little skill and is usually the fastest part of the restoration. A small team can strip a large two- or three-storey house in less than a wee

During the Pandemic, Bo Sullivan freed his modest 1890s Queen Anne house from its skin of Inselbric. He discovered almost all the exterior trimwork had been lost. “We had to re-create all the exterior trim that had been removed, the water table, and

Classic in black and white, this new kitchen by Kennebec Company beautifully suits the elegant revival house built in 1920. For the renovation, Kennebec’s designers worked with Colin Smith Architects to create a combined family room/dining room/kitch